How does Cranial Sacral Therapy Benefits Your Breastfeeding Journey?

Cranial Sacral Therapy.

What can it possibly have to do with the breastfeeding problems my baby and I are experiencing? 

Quite a lot.  

There are 12 cranial nerves that emerge directly from the brain.  They are responsible for:

• Smell,

• Sight

• Eye movement

• Sensation and movement of the face, jaw, and tongue (pertinent for nursing) 

• Balance and equilibrium,

• Taste, salivation, swallowing, vocalization,

• Heart function, lung function and 

• Head and shoulder movement. 

Whew! Then there is the cerebral spinal fluid which flows up and down inside the spinal column and cranium by pumping.  This is created by the motion of the sacrum and cranial bones.  This begins even before birth. It provides nutrition and a chemical and physical barrier for the brain and spinal cord. If there is increased pressure in the cranium or the cranial nerves it can affect the inability to open the jaw fully, to turn the neck or pressure to the cranial nerves, controlling the tongue and muscle for sucking.  Teething can also be much more challenging when the jaw and soft palate cannot expand normally.

Birth is the most common cause!  Long, more difficult labors can cause more pressure causing molding.  This is when the soft spots overlap with one another during birth and stay overlapped.  The sacrum can also rotate out of alignment during birth.  This can even occur while the baby is developing.  Cranial sacral therapy can restore normal motion, alignment and function for your baby.

Cranial Sacral therapy is extremely gentle. It helps the muscles and facia move easier and helps the flow of the cerebral spinal fluid.  The gentle pressure applied is less than the pressure you use to check to see if a tomato is ripe.  Many times, the baby will sleep through it, but if not, the baby can help tell the practitioner where the tightness is and relax right after the treatment. Parents can continue much of the therapy after a few short demonstrations.  Please reach out to me if you have any questions, I would love to help you and your baby!