Craniosacral therapy
Gentle craniosacral therapy can resolve many problems in infancy and early childhood. The very gentle touch of craniosacral therapy is effective for helping newborns, babies and young children any time, including avoiding ear infections. Women and older children can get relief from headaches and find deep calm to balance the mind during times of stress.
Learn what to expect in a session for your baby, your growing child and for yourself. Home programs are available depending on what is going on for each family and child.
Craniosacral therapy for babies
Craniosacral therapy is immensely helpful for families when breastfeeding is hard. The intensity of birth can result in breastfeeding problems and inconsolable crying. Some babies have tongue tie and other restrictions that greatly impede breastfeeding and create unremitting pain for mothers. Craniosacral therapy is a gentle approach that helps with these newborn & infant concerns, and supports bonding with you as parents.
Other newborn & infant concerns
The intensity of birth can impact your baby in many other ways. The displacement of cranial bones can create restrictions that lead to ear infections and reading challenges down the road. After a difficult birth a baby may be tense, colicky or have misshapen features. The same gentle approach of craniosacral therapy addresses these signs for concern for babies and growing babies. Craniosacral therapy reduces your child’s risk of ear infections and can bring eyes into easy alignment. Curious to learn more about how craniosacral therapy works?
Developmental movement therapy is also great support for parents. You can learn the movement language of babies and how to play together for optimal development.
How does craniosacral therapy help with breastfeeding and newborn concerns?
Nature has designed baby’s heads to be malleable for birth, and allows for the bony plates to slide and overlap slightly to fit through the snug birth canal. However, the intensity of birth can jam the bones together, and the baby may not be able to shift her bones into any easy place. Bones and connective tissue may also impinge on the cranial nerves that activate and organize sucking and nursing. Craniosacral therapy with a light gentle touch can release the restrictions in the bones and the connective tissues.
The gentle touch of craniosacral therapy helps babies with breastfeeding and recovery from the intensity of birth. Catherine teaches breastfeeding families how to gently support your baby in a home program day to day, including how to observe their subtle communications. Find more about craniosacral therapy at the MamaBebe blog.
Orofacial therapy & craniosacral therapy for tongue tie, lip tie and cheek tie
Some babies have restrictions in their mouths that seriously impede breastfeeding, reduce milk production, and create extreme pain for mothers. If your baby has been assessed with tongue, lip or cheek ties, Catherine can provide gentle integrative bodywork, as recommended by pediatric dentists.
- Craniosacral therapy for mild cases can sometimes resolve all problems and enable babies to feed well without revision.
- When a diagnosis is clear that a revision procedure is needed, craniosacral therapy can help prepare your baby beforehand.
- Followup care after a revision includes craniosacral therapy and orofacial therapy, which helps your baby learn to use all his/her tongue in a new way.
- Gentle, effective home program for each family to help your child learn to coordinate breastfeeding well.
Orofacial therapy tones the small muscles of the tongue and mouth so that they can learn how to coordinate for easy suck and swallow. Orofacial therapy releases dysfunctional habit patterns and organizes the nervous system for underlying support of easy breastfeeding.
Craniosacral therapy for toddlers and growing children
Toddlers, preschoolers and school age children also benefit from craniosacral therapy. Good cranial alignment results in fewer eye, ear, nose and throat infections, sinus problems, orthodontic misalignment. Craniosacral therapy assures that your child’s eyes are aligned for future easy reading.
Craniosacral therapy for women
Craniosacral therapy is incorporated with myofascial therapy when women experience headaches or tension in the head, neck, back, or sacrum. Craniosacral support also is invaluable for stress, trauma and loss. This approach combines tissue release with mindfulness practices to unwind muscles along with habituated mind patterns.
Home program for children
Your home program is individualized to your child. You will learn the gentle quality of touch and simple activities that can make a difference for your little one. The home program is a lovely way for mothers and partners to bond with your child. Many partners are grateful to be able to help breastfeeding be easier for the breastfeeding parent and the baby, or to address other issues for your child. Home programs are built step by step from the first session; simple to start, then building to a comprehensive home program if needed.
Combining therapy and your daily home program is highly effective for helping your child make shifts with gentle support. More home program means fewer therapy sessions for your child, and so is more affordable for your family.
What to expect in a session
What to expect in a session for your newborn and growing baby
Catherine brings a gentle, calm and capable presence to help with your baby. I follow your baby’s lead in session with your guidance. Newborns can wear whatever is right for them; whether unclothed for skin to skin breastfeeding, or clothed. Older babies are clothed in session.
Your first newborn session includes a comprehensive intake, assessment, therapy and home program. Depending on the issue, initial newborn sessions may be long; running 1:30 – 2:30 hours. Breastfeeding sessions are long; running 2:15- 2:30 hours. Fees for breastfeeding sessions are capped. These terms also usually apply to newborns for recovery from difficult birth and other very early issues. Subsequent craniosacral sessions for concerns other than breastfeeding may be shorter.
Home visits for breastfeeding are available in the first two weeks of life in the Twin Cities metro, depending on Catherine’s availability. After two weeks of age, babies and mothers come to Catherine’s home therapy space. Infant visits are all held at Catherine’s therapy space.
Gentle craniosacral therapy taps into calming inner rhythms to help a child’s nervous system modulate states of excitement and calm.
What to expect in a session for your toddler and preschooler
Catherine provides responsive care with priority for your child’s trust and comfort. We will follow your child’s lead in session with your guidance and goals. The therapy space is set up for play. Bring your child’s favorite toys, books and activities. We will be seated on the floor for engaged bodywork and engaged play.
Your child’s first session includes a comprehensive intake, assessment, therapy and beginning home program. Session length is dependent on your child’s capacity for attention. Usually developmental movement therapy sessions are 1:30 hours, but may run shorter for subsequent sessions. Craniosacral toddler & preschooler sessions are all held at Catherine’s therapy space in Minneapolis.
My objective in session is to provide therapy for your child and a home program for you, so that together we can help your child move forward.
What to expect in a session for a woman or your big kid
Craniosacral therapy for adults and older children is on a massage table with clients fully clothed. Your first session is 1:30. Subsequent sessions are usually 1:00 – 1:30 hours. Initially 2-3 sessions will be scheduled to move therapy along effectively.