Cranial Manipulation for Infants: 5 Facts for Parents

When a baby has reached term and is about to be born, his or her bones, particularly the skull is made of very soft not-quite-bone material. The reason for this is to allow the baby’s head to deform slightly in order to fit through the birth canal. While usually this will correct itself over time, cranial manipulation for infants is one safe, gentle, and non-invasive technique that many parents use to relieve any trauma the baby may have experienced during birth.

As a baby moves through the cervix during labor, it causes the baby’s head to move in several different directions, while undergoing the pressure of the mother’s contractions on his or her skull. A newborn’s skull consists of plates of bone connected by cartilage that can overlap or compress in order to make the skull smaller. Some skull compressions often relieve spontaneously shortly after birth as the baby cries or suckles.

Occasionally, however, some times the un-deforming process is incomplete, particularly if the birth was difficult. For instance, some babies have a hard time traveling through the cervix and the doctor or obstetrician will be required to use forceps to grab the baby’s head and guide it through the birth canal. Additionally, a long labor or a caesarean birth may require cranial manipulation to help restore their skulls to normal.

Cranial osteopathy as the process is known, is complete safe and gentle for your baby, and is also effective in restoring the baby’s skull to a more normal head shape. The osteopathic specialist who performs the treatment will apply gentle and specific pressure to the parts of the skull, gently encourage the natural healing ability of the baby’s body to aid in the restoration of the skull.

Many babies react well to this treatment, leaving the baby relaxed and able to sleep very well afterwards. Some babies may experience a burst of energy directly after treatments followed by a restful night’s sleep. In most cases, two to six treatments of cranial manipulation will be sufficient.

For more information on cranial manipulation for infants, go to DrMcReynolds.com now!