Birth Trauma

A baby’s skull is designed to allow descent though the birth canal.  The cranial bones have the ability to overlap and bend somewhat to accommodate the birth.  This process is called moulding.   Immediately after birth a baby’s head can be very pointed or look squashed.  Usually over the 24 hours post birth the head will decompress and resume a more normal shape.
 
However in many cases this doesn’t happen and the baby’s head retains some of the compressive forces of the birth; particularly when ventouse or forceps are used or, when the delivery has been either long or very short.  In the latter case the head doesn’t have time to accommodate and can become very compressed.   And although it can look normal it may feel very tight to palpation examination by an osteopath. 
 
Some moulding or patterning of the baby’s head can also happen in the mother’s uterus - if the baby’s head was in an awkward position or if the amniotic fluid level was low then these will also act on the baby’s structure.  
 
Caesarean babies can have their own problems too.  They will often have some fluid on their lungs that has not been squeezed by the vagina during delivery.  
 
Osteopaths believe that these areas of compression or tension i.e. structural dysfunction cause physiological dysfunction.  In very young babies this can manifest in symptoms such as colic or sleep difficulties, or early developmental problems such as lack of head control.  

In some more severe cases birth trauma may contribute to conditions such as autism or cerebral palsy where there has been damage to the brain itself.
 
These birth patterns can continue throughout life if not dealt with, leading to major stressors on the body.
 
Osteoworks are expert in diagnosing and treating these conditions using Cranial Osteopathy.