CranioSacral Therapy for Infants: From Newborn to One Year
Whether you’re a first-time parent or already have a few children and another on the way, caring for infants is a huge learning curve. With each baby comes different needs and challenges to overcome. These problems can be anywhere from your baby struggling to sleep to a lack of connection with your newborn. As a parent, it’s easy to feel powerless as your baby experiences the same symptoms over and over again without a solution to ease their discomfort. However, there is one answer that countless parents are finding a resolution to: CranioSacral Therapy.
CranioSacral Therapy, or CST, is a profound form of gentle-touch therapy involving a 10-step technique that countless parents are trying for their babies, and they’re finding massive success! In this blog post, I will cover everything you need to know about CranioSacral Therapy for infants, from newborns to one-year-olds. If you’re a parent looking to solve an ongoing obstacle in your baby’s life, this article will help you discover if CST is right for you and your baby.
What is CranioSacral Therapy for Babies?
To fully comprehend the effect CranioSacral Therapy has on babies, you have to first understand cerebrospinal fluid. The brain consistently receives new information and either organizes it, throws it out, or communicates with the spinal cord to send it to another body part. Cerebrospinal fluid surrounds the brain and spinal cord, sending signals to the entire body. Every time you breastfeed, for example, your baby’s brain sends a message through the spinal cord to open its mouth and latch. As a mom, you know how important it is for the signal to be direct and successfully received.
Unfortunately, tension within the body and held in the cerebrospinal fluid can block these vital signals being sent to the brain and make these messages harder to achieve. This tension needs to be released for babies to live attuned to their little bodies and be able to achieve all they’re meant to. This is where CranioSacral Therapy comes in.
Craniosacral therapists use about 5 grams of pressure (the weight of a nickel) to touch, move, and manipulate the cerebrospinal fluid. They are trained to spot and address the exact areas of pain and tightness held within the body. CranioSacral facilitators can reset the patient’s nervous system by releasing tension and restrictions held in the body through this gentle touch therapy. When speaking about infants, craniosacral therapy works similarly.
How CranioSacral Therapy Works on Infants
As stated previously, CST therapists know how to precisely locate tension throughout a baby’s head and body. Once these areas of tightness are discovered, the practitioner will carefully stroke the affected spots to promote nervous system regulation and overall health. A CranioSacral session for infants can last up to an hour, with the therapist gently massaging the baby's head, neck, and body.
The real effectiveness of CranioSacral Therapy follows after the session. Let’s look at the symptoms of CST, which is commonly used to treat babies and infants.
5 Signs Your Infant Needs CranioSacral Therapy
Whether you have a newborn or are trying to help your one-year-old sleep better, CranioSacral Therapy can be a natural healing option. Look at these five common issues parents see in babies, and I’ll explain how this gentle therapy can aid in healing your infant.
Breastfeeding is a challenging experience for both you and the baby.
The ideal breastfeeding scenario is your baby latching right away and having no struggles or pain during feeding. However, it isn’t always that smooth. Frequently, I’ve seen mothers have painful breastfeeding experiences or the baby not be able to latch on at all during the process. Tension held in the mouth, neck, and jaw can cause babies to feed less comfortably or not be able to latch at all. CranioSacral Therapy for babies can relieve this rigidity and help your infant open their mouth comfortably, latch on completely, and create an overall calming breastfeeding experience.
Your baby has a tongue tie
A tongue-tied baby can cause symptoms such as poor latch, gassiness, grunting, painful nursing, and more. While many mothers are encouraged to clip the baby’s frenulum (the piece of connective tissue under their tongue), this type of procedure doesn’t address the entire issue. If your baby is experiencing tongue tie, their whole body is most likely experiencing excess tension and pent-up pressure that needs to be released. This is where CranioSacral Therapy for tongue ties can help. After a few sessions of CST, you’ll visibly see your baby release tension and move with increased freedom. In turn, this allows improved motion for the tongue and fewer tongue-tie symptoms.
Your baby has trouble sleeping
Many moms report to me that their baby has trouble fully relaxing during sleep or seems uncomfortable while they’re sleeping. This can be due to shock after birth or a traumatic birthing experience, such as a C-section. The good news is that you can aid your baby in releasing pent-up stress in their body through CST. As a practitioner, I’ve seen babies come in that are holding massive amounts of trauma in their little bodies, but with the power of CST, they’re able to quickly release those emotions and find the rest they need. It can also be beneficial to join your baby and participate in CST sessions yourself. You’ll get to experience a release of tension and deeply connect with your baby in a new way.
Your infant has constant digestive issues
Vomiting, constipation, reflux, and colic are all signs your baby could be holding tension in their body. CranioSacral infant sessions correct the restrictions that cause these symptoms. After a couple of sessions, your baby’s body will relax, allowing the digestive and nervous systems to function extremely effectively.
Your baby experiences cranial issues
As I’ve mentioned before, traumatic births can be a difficult time for both you and your child. Cranial injuries range from a bruise or bump on the head to more extreme cases such as a concussion or misplaced cranial bones. Trying out CST can be a healing tool to reset your baby’s nervous system and promote natural restoration throughout the body. It’s most effective to try CranioSacral Therapy on newborns, and you’ll get to see how this form of therapy can bring your baby’s body back into full alignment.
Beyond these five common issues, there are countless other conditions that CST can help treat. Additional reasons that moms take infants to CranioSacral therapists include the following:
Teething pain
Head-shape issues
Earaches
Developmental delays
Weak immune systems
Torticollis
Back arching
Low weight gain
Attachment issues for newborns or adopted children
4 FAQs About CranioSacral Infant Sessions
As a parent, your #1 priority is your child’s well-being. Trying out a new form of therapy can feel risky and uncertain. Here are some answers to common questions surrounding CranioSacral Therapy for babies that I hear from parents.
Is CranioSacral Therapy safe for babies?
CranioSacral Therapy is a highly safe form of therapy for babies and growing children. During a session, parents can hold a baby on their lap or be in the same room as the child lies on their back in the therapist’s office. When I’ve performed CST on babies, it’s common for them to experience deep relaxation—even falling asleep during the session. On occasion, I’ve seen babies appear mildly uncomfortable during or after a session, but this quickly dissipates with time. The discomfort infants experience during CST is generally caused by their body coming back into alignment and is completely normal.
There are certain conditions that can create more risks during CranioSacral Therapy for babies that your CST therapist needs to be aware of. Circumstances such as a recent head injury need to be communicated with the therapist before the session to ensure your baby’s safety.
2. How many CST sessions does a baby need?
It’s common for babies to take part in 1-3 CST sessions to resolve issues the parents are seeing. However, it’s different with each infant, and parents need to consistently communicate with the CranioSacral therapist to ensure the treatments are effective. If you’ve done a few CranioSacral infant sessions, make sure to observe how they’re acting or notice if you see any changes in the symptoms you observed before.
3. Does a pediatrician perform CranioSacral Therapy?
While many pediatricians can be trained in CST, this form of therapy is often performed by a physical therapist, nurse, or licensed CranioSacral facilitator. It’s best to find an individual who’s been trained by the CranioSacral experts at the Upledger Institute International (UII).
As a CranioSacral therapist trained by the UII, I am passionate about seeing this form of therapy organically heal babies, children, and adults alike. With almost a decade of experience as a licensed CranioSacral practitioner, I know and understand what it takes to meet your baby’s needs.
4. How much is a CranioSacral infant session?
An individual CranioSacral Therapy session often costs around $120–170, depending on the practitioner and whether your insurance covers it. Initial consultations are usually around $15, and they help you decide if the therapist is a good fit for you and your baby.
Learn more about the cost of CranioSacral Therapy to determine if it’s doable for you.
Get In Touch With a Trained CranioSacral Infant Therapist Near You
Located in the beautiful mountains of northern Utah, my office has been filled with a variety of clients seeking holistic healing for ongoing health issues. Over the years, I’ve helped babies find natural treatment for a diverse set of problems. If you want to experience the immense benefits CranioSacral Therapy has for both you and your baby, get in touch with me to see what CST can do for you.
