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Cranio-sacral therapy

Teething trouble, poor sleeping at night, stomach cramps, projectuile vomiting? Does your baby suffer from any of these common but troubling complaints? Consider taking the poor mite for a treatment of cranial-sacral osteopathy.

Cranial-sacral osteopathy is a very subtle treatment which eases the pressure on the delicate skull bones. A baby's skull is known to be very soft, with the fontanelle (the central part on the top of the head) soft to the touch. During childbirth it is no surprise that the infant's head undergoes severe trauma. Part of this trauma is necessary, that is the compression and then decompression which kick starts the delicate body rhythms into action. This is why babies delivered via Caesarian section (by appointment, not in an emergency) can be quiet and sleepy - because they did not experience this compression and decompression. One treatment should be enough for the baby in this case, to stimulate the rhythm of the cranial rhythmic pulse.

Where there has been protracted labour and a difficult delivery it is easy to imagine that the baby's head has been under pressure for a great deal of time. You can find you have a very squally baby and nothing you do will settle him or her. This is upsetting for new parents and pretty rough on the infant too.

Cranio-sacral therapy is so gentle that the recipient is scarcely aware that anything is happening. The therapist lightly touches various points on the body to balance the rhythms in the body. You may feel deeply relaxed during a treatment, or experience a sensation of the faintest tingling.

This complementary therapeutic approach was developed by an American osteopath in the 1970s. It is 'soft-tissue orientated', 'fluid orientated', and 'membrane-orientated'. It is widely practised in the United States and increasingly popular in Britain as it is non-invasive, gentle, and suitable for any patient from new-born to elderly.

It focuses on the membranes which encase the brain and spinal cord, with the idea that these membranes generate the cranial impulse of cerebrospinal fluid. This affects all the connective tissues which link together all the bones, organs and muscles of the body. It is an entirely holistic treatment, which has physical, spiritual and emotional benefits.

It's never too late to try something new, but the earlier you try it, the easier life becomes, for the babe and for mum too.
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