Craniosacral therapy for infants and babies

Learn more about craniosacral therapy and how it can support you, your infant, and your feeding goals.

Just what exactly is craniosacral therapy (CST)?

Tension in the body’s fascia–connective tissue throughout the body–can result in side preferences, digestive issues, fussiness, and cranial nerve dysfunction. Craniosacral therapy aims to find that tension in the fascia, and melt it away, resulting in a calmer, happier baby who can feed, rest, and digest more easily.

Who would benefit from CST?

Infants and babies experiencing the following symptoms will probably benefit from craniosacral therapy (CST):

  • Torticollis (side preference)

  • Plagiocephaly (flattening on one side of the head)

  • Brachycephaly (flattening on the back of the head)

  • Latching issues/tight jaw

  • Excessive fussiness/colic

  • Tethered oral tissues (tongue tie)

  • Infrequent bowel movements

  • Reflux/digestive issues

  • Tight/rigid posture

  • Discomfort in tummy time

  • Nursing parent experiences pain during latch/feed

  • Birth trauma

  • Sensory processing issues

“We just had an Infant Craniosacral Therapy treatment with Kate & loved it! Highly recommend for mama & baby wellness.”

— Full Milk Moon client

FAQ

What is the craniosacral rhythm?

There is a rhythm in your body you’ve probably never heard of; similar to the beat of your heart and the rise and fall of your breath, another cycle is happening. The craniosacral rhythm is the wave-like motion of your cerebral spinal fluid from your skull down to your tailbone, then up and back, over and over again.

Imagine if your heart was beating irregularly or your breathing was labored… what would it be like to live in your body? We can say the same for a body with an irregular or stagnant craniosacral rhythm: The body is just not getting everything it needs to thrive.

What is craniosacral therapy like?

Craniosacral therapy is a gentle and effective mode of hands-on treatment for all bodies. It is done on a massage table, fully clothed with only the client’s body and practitioner’s hands as the tools for healing. The therapist uses touch and other indicators to find where tension is stored in the body, in the facia, and unwinds and softens those areas using only light touch.

Regular craniosacral therapy can help a wide range of ailments and discomforts-it all depends on what the body needs and how quickly it can heal.

Why would I combine a lactation appointment with infant CST?

Glad you asked! Nearly every infant feeding difficulty comes with some practical advice, and the added, “and some bodywork.” Over the years of working with families, I have seen first-hand how often babies are just too tight or tense, and some gentle bodywork would help solve most of the issue.

I’ve already seen a lactation consultant, can I schedule for CST only?

That’s great! We may not need to cover nearly as much lactation content during our visit, but speaking from experience and feedback from clients, there’s no such thing as “too much lactation support.” My bodywork with infants is best done when I have the complete picture, and holding back on how your infant eats is a huge missing piece. Not feeding at the body? That’s OK, too! All infants eat–I just need to see them do it.