Every baby cries, but when do you speak of prolonged crying? A common rule of thumb is the so-called rule of three: a cry baby cries at least three hours a day, on at least three days a week, for three weeks or longer. The crying often sounds different from the normal cries of hunger, fatigue or a full diaper. Rather, the tone is intense and distressing, as if the infant cannot comfort itself. As a parent, you often intuitively sense that there is something not quite right. In such cases, osteopathy can help identify and alleviate the cause of the crying.
The cause of crying: childbirth
Childbirth is a profound event, not only for the mother, but certainly for the baby as well. From the warm, calm and safe womb, the child enters a world full of light, sound and other stimuli. At the same time, the baby’s body must make an enormous physical effort.
During birth, the head undergoes considerable pressure as it is guided through the bony birth canal. The skull has to adapt to this narrow passage. Nature has cleverly solved this: a baby’s skull is still malleable so that it can mold to the birth canal. After delivery, these deformities should disappear spontaneously.
Yet this is not always the case. In a very fast delivery, there is a lot of pressure in a short time. In a prolonged labor, on the contrary, there is prolonged pressure on the head and neck. In both situations, there can be tension in the baby’s head and neck area. Even during assisted deliveries, such as a vacuum or forceps delivery, significant tensile forces are exerted on the head. Even during a cesarean section, these forces can occur, especially if the delivery was long and there were complications before the procedure was initiated.
In all these cases, the natural mobility of the head, neck or shoulders may not fully recover. This can cause tension that leads to restlessness, poor sleep, lots of crying and other symptoms. The baby may then become a cry baby. This is tough, both for the child and the parents. Osteopathy can then play a supportive role.
Osteopathy for prolonged crying
What does an osteopath do with a crying baby? By feeling with the hands, the osteopath examines where in the body tensions or loss of movement are present. Common places are the head, neck, shoulders, abdomen and spine. With gentle techniques, these tensions are treated so that the baby’s body can move more freely again. Most babies experience this as pleasant. You often see them slowly surrender and relax during the treatment.
Treatment focuses on restoring balance to the body. As blockages disappear, the nervous system and digestion become more calm. This helps the baby feel better in his or her body. With crying babies, this is often the difference between surviving and being able to relax.
Important to know: with babies, an osteopath does not use manipulations (cracking) or so-called ‘holding techniques’ where the child is completely folded up. This could lead to undesirable pressure on the airways. A treatment is therefore safe, gentle and tailored to the small, sensitive body.
How many treatments are needed?
Although many babies respond well to osteopathy quickly, it is not miracle cure in every single situation. Every baby is different. To avoid unnecessary treatments, I always agree that there should be noticeable improvement after three treatments. This does not mean that the symptoms are completely gone, but there must be clear progress. If there is no improvement, we look together to see if additional or different care is needed.
After treatment
After a treatment, the baby is often tired. This is logical: the body needs time to process what is released. If your baby falls asleep after the treatment, let him or her continue sleeping peacefully, even if that means postponing a feeding. That way your baby will get the maximum benefit out of the treatment.
Sometimes in the first one or two days, you may notice that a baby is more restless or even cries more than usual. This is usually short-lived and a sign that the body is processing.
Sprong Osteopath Amsterdam for a crybaby
Do you feel that your baby is uncomfortable in his or her body? Does the crying seem excessive and no clear cause can be found? As an osteopath in Amsterdam West, I look at your child with a holistic view. Together we look for possible tensions or blockages that disturb the balance. An osteopathic treatment can give just that little push needed to regain peace.
Want to know if osteopathy can also help your crying baby? Feel free to contact us with your questions, or make an appointment directly in the online calendar.
