Considering CranioSacral Therapy in Difficult Situations
Carol Brussel, BA, IBCLC
Denver CO USA
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 37 No. 4, August-September 2001, pp. 82-83.
When a baby is unable to nurse
or nurses so poorly that he causes pain to his mother, he presents a
true challenge. A mother who experiences pain or who perceives that
her baby is not breastfeeding effectively is a mother who is at risk
of prematurely weaning this baby (Riordan and Auerbach 1999).
After working through all
of the usual avenues of information and resources that can help in this
kind of situation, some Leaders have found a new therapy, called CranioSacral
Therapy (CST), can be helpful. CST is a light-touch manual therapy used
to encourage the body's self-correcting mechanisms. Generally using
about five grams of pressure, or about the weight of a small coin, the
practitioner evaluates the body's craniosacral system. This system plays
a vital role in maintaining the environment in which the central nervous
system functions. It consists of the membranes and fluid that surround
and protect the brain and spinal cord as well as the attached bones-including
the skull, face, and jaw, which make up the cranium, and the tailbone
area, or sacrum.
Since the brain and spinal
cord are contained within the central nervous system, the craniosacral
system has powerful influence over a wide variety of bodily functions
(The Upledger Institute 2001). The extremely light touch used in this
therapy means that at no time should CST treatment cause damage.
Doctors of osteopathy, chiropractors,
and others are trained in cranial osteopathy. There are many different
types of health care professionals who have taken CST courses including
medical doctors, nurses, doctors of oriental medicine, osteopaths, psychologists,
massage therapists, dentists, physical therapists, acupuncturists, chiropractors,
occupational therapists, and some lactation consultants.
Babies who seem unable or
unwilling to nurse at birth and babies who are unable to nurse properly
may benefit from CST. A thorough evaluation by a health care professional
should be done to determine possible causes of the problem. These may
include birth injuries, congenital or neurological problems, illness,
or the lingering effects of drugs used before the baby's birth. The
history may reveal that a baby was deeply suctioned, fed artificially
(with tubes or artificial nipples), or experienced other interventions
that could cause oral aversion (Healow and Hugh 2000). It is crucial
to investigate all aspects of the infant's health when determining the
cause of breastfeeding problems.
If none of these factors
seems to be the cause of the problem, then circumstances surrounding
the birth may be the cause. Even a normal birth can cause trauma to
the baby's head or spine. If the birth history includes a precipitate
(very fast) birth, a cesarean birth, the use of a vacuum extractor or
forceps, an unusual presentation, or a baby with a large head, this
may indicate that birth trauma has occurred. These kinds of events during
the birth can result in undue pressure placed upon cranial nerves, particularly
those that control the mouth. The three nerves of the cranium that affect
breastfeeding are the glossopharyngeal nerve (which controls the muscles
of the pharynx), the vagus nerve (which controls the muscles of the
soft palate), and the hypoglossal nerve (which controls the tongue muscle).
Compression of any or all of these nerves can cause dysfunctional nursing
(Hewitt 1999).
Craniosacral Therapy can
also be beneficial for babies who do not open their mouths widely enough
to latch on effectively, and for babies described as "arching or
hypertonic." These types of babies are difficult to nurse. They
cause pain or trauma to the mother, and often grow poorly due to inadequate
milk transfer at the breast. When babies do not open their mouth widely
to latch-on, it is often possible to remedy the situation by assisting
the mother with proper positioning and latch-on (Eastman 2000). If the
use of proper techniques does not help, a Leader may want to suggest
that the mother consider looking into CST.
Arching or hypertonic babies
are considered "tight." The behavior seems to be a temporary
condition that improves over time rather than permanent neurological
impairment. The breastfeeding relationship often suffers or is ended
early due to the difficulty of nursing these babies. The behavior is
considered by some to be a sign of difficulties with the nervous system,
possibly caused by pressure on the nerves that occurred during the birth.
CST is often dramatically effective in reducing the hypertonic behavior
and encouraging the baby to nurse more efficiently by relieving pressure
on nerves caused by the malposition of the cranial bones (Hewitt 1999).
The routine use of epidurals,
mothers birthing in a supine position, the use of vacuum extraction
and forceps, and the high rate of cesarean birth, may cause babies to
be at risk for craniosacral problems. Of course, it's necessary for
babies' skulls to mold, enabling them to pass through the birth canal.
The skulls do correct themselves after the birth, although many can
use assistance in achieving a well-balanced, optimal shape. A CST practitioner
will gently examine the baby's head for overlapping cranial sutures,
unevenness (one side of the head not matching the other), and "missing"
or unusually large or small "soft spots." The techniques used
in CST to encourage the body to correct itself are also evaluative techniques
that inform and guide the practitioner (The Upledger Institute 2001).
CranioSacral Therapy is an
option when traditional techniques for correcting latch-on problems
are not completely successful. It is common for babies to need continued
treatments over a period of weeks, even when the initial CST work greatly
improves the situation. If basic issues such as positioning, latch-on,
and milk supply have not been properly addressed, adjunct treatments
like CST are unlikely to help. It is important to remember that even
after CST treatments, mothers and babies may need additional breastfeeding
help.
How can mothers find CranioSacral Therapy practitioners?
Information is available
from the Upledger institute at www.upledger.com/ (click on the "Locate
a Practitioner" button) or from the International Association of
Healthcare Practitioners at www.iahp.com/pract.htm#directory (look for
the practitioners who have taken the courses symbolized as CSI, CSII,
SER, ADV, CSP). It is important to know whether a CST practitioner is
specifically trained and experienced in working with babies. A mother
can ask for a detailed explanation of what the treatment involves, the
level of experience and training the practitioner has, and what the
possible results might be, before considering treatment. Some mothers
have found CST helpful when they are experiencing low milk supply and
other lactation-related problems; experiencing CST herself may help
a mother feel more confident in choosing that treatment for her baby.
CranioSacral Therapy offers
a promising approach to solving difficult breastfeeding problems. It
helps bring mothers and babies closer to the loving relationship that
breastfeeding can be.
Editor's note: When a Leader feels that a helping situation with a mother
and baby requires skills beyond what she possesses, she should refer
the mother to appropriate health care professionals in her community.
References
Eastman, A. The mother-baby dance: positioning and latch-on.
LEAVEN Aug/Sept 2000; 63-68.
Healow, L.K. and R. S. Hugh. Oral aversion in the breastfed neonate.
BREASTFEEDING ABSTRACTS 20(1):3-4.
Hewitt, E. G. Chiropractic care for infants with dysfunctional nursing:
a case series. J Clin Chiropractic Pediatr 4(1): 241-244.
Mohrbacher, N., Stock, J. BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK,
Revised Edition. Schaumburg, IL: LLLI, 1997.
Riordan, J. and K.G. Auerbach. Breastfeeding and Human Lactation,
2nd edition. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett, 1999.
Upledger, J. E. Your Inner Physician and You. Berkeley, CA:
North Atlantic Books, 1997.
Upledger Institute Web site:
www.upledger.com
Carol Brussel lives in
Denver, Colorado, USA with her husband, David, and her children, Joey,
14; Leo, 11; and Laura, 8; and assorted pets. She is a board-certified
lactation consultant in private practice, a volunteer with the Denver
Mothers Milk Bank, and a retired LLL Leader. She writes and speaks about
breastfeeding topics.
Last updated 11/17/06 by jlm.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:32:22 UTC 2007.
