Craniosacral Therapy — Infant Health and Development

By Andrea Hambly, N.D., Portland, Oregon | Published: March 6, 2013
This entry is part 32 of 32 in the series Craniosacral Therapy For Many Conditions

From the moment of birth, an infant faces the many tasks of physical development, beginning with the need to take its first breath so that it can live outside its mother’s womb.

There are numerous milestones to be met within the first year of a baby’s life such as nursing (sucking and swallowing), eye movement, developing visual acuity, hearing, making sounds, moving the head from side to side, holding up the head, sitting up, rolling over and from side to side, crawling, standing, and walking.   Alongside the obvious musculoskeletal development, the baby also develops mental and social skills.

Although most babies achieve these milestones with relative ease, there are plenty of babies who seem to struggle more or less with any one of these tasks.   Often we are mystified as to what causes these difficulties.

We know that trauma, infection, or inflammation affect a person’s well being and functional abilities. It is no different with infants.  Their first exposure to trauma, infection, or inflammation starts with the birthing process.

Giving birth to a child takes a tremendous toll on the mother’s body.  And exiting the womb to enter into the world is a daunting task for the baby as well, as evidenced by swelling, bruising, and head deformity that go hand in hand with being born.

It is quite a miracle that many babies recover quite well and go on to achieve all the milestones within the first year of life.  Nevertheless, we are quite aware of the many different struggles of meeting these milestones.  One major reason for these difficulties may be the effect of birth trauma on the cranial nerves and the spinal nerves.

The cranial nerves exit the skull through tiny spaces (foramina) and find their way to the nose, ears, eyes, mouth, pharynx (throat), and even two of the muscles that move the head and shoulders.  One of these cranial nerves, the vagus nerve finds its way all the way down to the ascending and transverse colon.  (click on any picture for larger image)

    

There are twelve cranial nerves (CN I – XII) which allow us to smell, see, move our eyes, hear, maintain balance, taste, swallow, and talk, as well as raise our shoulders and turn and tilt our head in some fashion.

The 10th cranial nerve (vagus nerve) is quite special, because it has so many different functions.  It doesn’t stop at the head but follows a course through the neck into the chest cavity, weaves a network of nerve branches around the esophagus, connects with the heart and the lungs, and moves through an opening in the diaphragm into the abdominal cavity to innervate the digestive tract, where it promotes digestion and peristalsis (the movement of undigested food through the intestinal tract).  The vagus nerve also supports a regular heartbeat and respiratory rate.

  

The deformation of the head, as the head bones partially overlap to allow passage through the birth canal, may affect the functioning of any of these nerves, temporarily or permanently.  Most of the time, the head bones shift back into their normal place, releasing any traction on the cranial nerves.

However, with some birth trauma, especially the use of forceps, ventouse (vacuum-traction device), or excessively strong and accelerated uterine contractions due to the use of pitocin, the head bones may remain jammed for some time.  The nerves, which travel through the foramina (spaces) which happen to be located at, or near, the junctions between the head (cranial) bones, remain partially trapped.  This may cause them to become hypo- or hyperactive, impairing the function of the structures (muscles, organs) they innervate.

These impairments manifest as difficulty with eye movements, hearing, nursing (latching on, sucking, or swallowing), digestion (colics), or moving the head from side to side, or raising the shoulders.  Shoulder restriction may show up as limited arm movement.

   

The spinal nerves exit the spinal column between the vertebrae through spaces, called the intervertebral foramina.  Compression, or twisting, of the spine during the birth process may impinge on any of these spinal nerves resulting in the delay of motor skill development such as raising the head, moving the arms, using the hands and fingers,  rolling over, sitting up, crawling, standing, or walking.

  

All the nerves that innervate the muscles of the shoulder, arms, and hands exit the cervical spine (neck) between the 4th and 7th neck vertebrae (C4-C5) to form the brachial plexus behind the clavicle.  The axillary nerve leaves this plexus to innervate the deltoid muscles, and the median, ulnar, and radial nerves travel down the arm to innervate the arm, hand, and fingers.  Gross and fine motor skills may be affected if any of these nerves (or the brachial plexus itself) becomes injured when the baby is being pulled out of the birth canal by the arm or shoulder, or if the neck itself is injured when using forceps or the ventouse.

  
A similar plexus of nerves (lumbosacral plexus) is formed by the nerves exiting the lumbar spine and the sacrum.  These nerves are the femoral, obdurator, and sciatic nerve and their many branches.  Injury or entrapment of any of these nerves will affect the way we use our legs or feet.

Although babies can’t talk, they are eager to communicate with us by crying, smiling, cooing, or babbling.  They also let us know if they have physical discomfort or pain by crying, fussing, fidgeting, or avoiding physical contact.

For some infants, going to sleep at nap time or at night is daunting.  Body pain and discomfort may increase as the infant lies in bed without moving around much or being soothed by the warmth and rhythmic movement of being held by mom or dad.  The baby may also feel alone and cut off from the familiar environment and activities of the day.

Being born is a challenging event no matter how smooth the process.  The baby’s head bones (cranial bones) have to shift, sometimes drastically, to fit through the birth canal, or in response to the pressure of intense and extended labor, and the spine takes a lot of pressure as the baby pushes through the birth canal.

The challenges increase exponentially with interventions such as the use of pitocin, forceps, or a suction device (ventouse).  All of these interventions, while at times necessary, increase the pressure on, or cause injury, to the baby’s head and spine.

For instance, pitocin, a synthetic form of oxytocin is used to start (induce) labor, restart stalled labor (often caused by the use of an epidural anesthetic), or augment labor.  This often results in contractions that are too forceful and too closely spaced.  Forceps and suction devices are known to cause injury to the mother’s reproductive organs and perineum, as well as the baby’s head.  Sometimes, a baby’s exit is assisted by a tug on the arm or the shoulder, potentially causing injury to the brachial plexus by stretching (tractioning) the nerves of this plexus.

All these difficulties during birth may cause connective tissue (fascia, ligaments, tendons) restrictions that may only slowly heal or become permanent over time.  Since nerves, blood and lymph vessels, and meridians are embedded in the fascia, tightening or distortion of this connective tissue may lead to impaired nerve conduction, blood or lymph flow, or impaired energy flow.

Babies recover from much of the birth trauma within the first three months.  Colics disappear and the baby settles down into a regular sleep cycle. The aftershocks of the birth trauma may however linger on for a year or more.  These may show up as difficulties meeting mile stones, asymmetry in movements, weakness in one body part or another, or postural issues.  Gross motor and fine motor skills may be affected as well, manifesting in clumsiness or a tendency to trip and fall.  Irritability, fussiness, difficulty bonding, and difficulty focusing may all be signs that the baby hasn’t entirely recovered from the birth process.

Craniosacral therapy helps the baby to recover from birth trauma by assisting the body to release tension and restriction in the connective tissue. This release allows the head bones, facial bones, and spine, to readjust and find their proper place.  Moreover, nerve conduction, blood, lymph, and energy flow improve as the connective tissue relaxes and provides more space for these structures.  As the physical discomfort and pain recede, the baby becomes more peaceful, joyful, and engaged with its parents and environment.  Health increases, mental and physical functions improve, and mile stones are met with greater ease.

Craniosacral therapy is utmost gentle, non-invasive, and supportive of the healing process and can be enjoyed as soon as the baby is born, or any time thereafter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Craniosacral Therapy — Postpartum Difficulties/Pain

By Andrea Hambly, N.D., Portland, Oregon | Published: February 12, 2013
This entry is part 31 of 32 in the series Craniosacral Therapy For Many Conditions

Many women experience some form of postpartum difficulties, be it physical discomfort, weakness, pain, or emotional difficulties adapting to the challenges of  taking care of a newborn child.

Having a baby is no small feat.   A healthy baby is the reward for a process that is lengthy and at times extremely strenuous for the mom.  Once the baby is born, we often forget that the mom is now recovering from the tremendous strain she and her body endured during pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

The postpartum period is a woman’s time to heal and recover her pre-pregnancy health and strength.  For many women, this period is relatively short and uneventful.

However, the postpartum period may be rocky and extended due to interventions during the birthing process, such as the use of an epidural anesthetic, the use of pitocin (a synthetic form of the natural hormone oxytocin, to restart labor), the use of forceps, a vacuum assisted (ventouse) vaginal delivery, an episiotomy, or the planned or unplanned cesarean section (c-section).

Moreover, a woman’s body goes through a lot of physical changes during pregnancy to support placental development and the implantation of the egg, to nourish a growing fetus, to hold the fetus securely within her womb, and to help the baby exit her body at the time of birth.  These are monumental feats requiring hormonal and physical adjustments, from which she needs to recover once the baby is born.

The above mentioned interventions, while sometimes desired or even necessary, are associated with side effects or complications that not only make the birthing process more difficult for both the mother and the baby, but leave the mother to deal with the aftermath. (click on any picture for larger image)

Epidural anesthesia requires the insertion of a catheter into the space between the outer covering of the spinal cord (the dura) and the vertebral canal in the lumbar region.  It is well known that the anesthetic may slow down labor (or entirely stop/stall labor), necessitating the use of pitocin (synthetic oxytocin) to augment or restart labor.

If there’s difficulty placing the catheter in the epidural space, the woman has to endure several needle punctures into her lumbar spine, often resulting in  low back pain that may linger for days, weeks, or even months.  If the needle punctures the dura (tough membrane covering the spinal cord), a spinal headache may ensue, caused by a leakage of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) into the epidural space.

While the body delivers natural oxytocin in a pulsatile fashion, adjusting the amount to the body’s needs during labor, pitocin is delivered via the catheter in a steady flow fashion.  It is difficult to guess how much the body actually needs.  Consequently, the amount delivered is often too great, forcing rapid and forceful contractions of the uterus.  This may greatly increase the trauma to the uterus and increase the chance of uterine bruising and rupture of the uterus with hemorrhaging.

Forceps and Vacuum extraction (ventouse) assisted vaginal delivery are used in approximately 5% of births when the health of the mother or child is at risk.  While sometimes necessary, these types of delivery devices may cause substantial tissue damage to the mom and the baby.  Forceps delivery tends to cause more tissue damage to the mom, while vacuum extraction assisted delivery appears more harmful to the baby due to the suction forces on the baby’s scalp and scull bones.

Risks of forceps delivery to the mother include

  • anemia from excessive blood loss during the procedure
  • pain in the perineum postpartum (cuts and tears in the vaginal canal, vulva, or perineum)
  • uterine rupture and hemorrhage
  • weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, leading to uterine prolapse
  • injury to the urethra and urethral opening
  • difficulty urinating
  • urinary and/or fecal incontinence that may be temporary or permanent

A vacuum extraction assisted delivery poses similar risks except for uterine rupture and hemorrhage.

Some symptoms may not show up for one to three years.

Episiotomies, a cut into the perineal tissue between the vagina and the anus as the baby’s head crowns, have become relatively rare in the U.S..  This is no minor procedure, as the blade cuts through the vaginal wall and the tissues (skin, connective tissue, muscles) of the perineum.

Potential complications to the mother include:

  • pain in the perineum postpartum
  • scar tissue in the vaginal wall and perineum
  • difficulty and pain with bowel movements, possibly leading to hemorrhoids and anal fistulas
  • fecal incontinence, leaky stool, urgency with bowel movements
  • painful intercourse along the scar

Cesarean sections have become very common in the U.S., comprising approximately a third of all deliveries now, while only 4-5% in the early 1970′s.  Much of this increase is due to non-emergency (elective), scheduled C-sections.  The price for the convenience of scheduling a delivery, or to avoid the strains and pains of a vaginal delivery may indeed be very high.

Risks of a cesarean section to the mother include:

  • death three times the rate of a vaginal delivery
  • endometritis due to injury or infection of the lining of the uterus (pain, foul smelling discharge, fever)
  • infection of the incision site
  • injury to the bladder or other organs nearby
  • blood clots especially in the legs or pelvis
  • increased risks of complications during subsequent deliveries, such as bleeding, uterine rupture, and problems with the placenta during the pregnancy, delivery, and afterbirth (expelling the intact placenta).
 

Like any surgery, a cesarean section often results in internal adhesions between the pelvic and/or abdominal organs.  Adhesions are formed when connective tissue (fascia) becomes distorted by injuries such as accidental cuts, tears, and surgical incisions, causing inflammation and tissue changes.

The recovery period may take up to 6 months following a cesarean section, during which time the mother is discouraged from athletic activities such as running, lifting weights, and other strenuous exercise or household duties, including lifting weights of 10 lbs or more.  Compare that with the average recovery of six to eight weeks for an uncomplicated vaginal birth.

There will be some loss of blood and tissue damage no matter what the mode of delivery.  The postpartum period is vital for the mom to recover from these injuries and to recover her strength and vitality.

The process of healing involves inflammation in the form of heat, swelling (edema), pain, and weakness of muscles involved in the birthing process.    If the labor and delivery was relatively uncomplicated, the tissues will heal and return to good health.  However, cuts, tears, and bruising caused by the use of forceps, vacuum extraction devices, or forced contractions with the help of pitocin require more time to heal.

  

Moreover they may result in connective  tissue distortion and changes in the form of adhesions, scars or fistulas, as well as  injury to the urinary tract, bladder, or other abdominal organs (in the case of a c-section).

The fistulas are the result of injured tissue that won’t heal, leaving an opening  that connects with adjacent tissue or organs.  These connections are communicating channels that allow fluid to pass between these two tissues, and infections to spread into adjacent tissues.  The picture above shows four types of fistulas that may form due to the trauma of vaginal birth with or without the use of forceps or the ventouse, though they are more likely with their use.

Craniosacral therapy gently assists the body to restore tissue health and to minimize tissue distortion in the form of scars, adhesions, or fistulas.

Even without intervention, women often suffer from lingering pain in the neck, shoulders, the back, sacrum, or tailbone (coccyx), due to the toll that pregnancy takes on a woman’s spine due to the baby’s weight gain, especially in the last trimester.

Craniosacral helps the body to release the tension that has accumulated in the muscles along the spine, helping the mother to regain her ease of movement and strength.

Craniosacral therapy also helps to improve blood, lymph, and energy flow, thus supporting and helping to speed up the healing process.

Also see

Craniosacral Therapy During Pregnancy — For The Mom

Craniosacral Therapy During Pregnancy — For The Developing Baby

Craniosacral Therapy — Supporting The Mom During Labor

Craniosacral Therapy During Labor & Delivery — For The Baby

 

Craniosacral Therapy — Pain After Surgery

By Andrea Hambly, N.D., Portland, Oregon | Published: January 19, 2013
This entry is part 30 of 32 in the series Craniosacral Therapy For Many Conditions

Pain after surgery is to be expected. After all, surgery involves the destruction of tissue by cutting through the skin, connective tissue, muscle, and often the viscera (organs).   (click on any picture for larger image)

The body responds to this invasion with inflammation, accompanied by heat, swelling (edema, fluid accumulation), pain, temporary difficulty to move the involved tissue or body part, and eventually by forming a scar to bridge the disruption in the tissue caused by the surgeon’s knife (scalpel).

During the inflammatory process, the body destroys compromised tissue, carries it out of the body via the blood and lymph with the help of white blood cells, and then rebuilds tissue.

Pain following surgery may arise from injury to nerves,  a prolonged healing process, complications arising from the surgery itself, infections of the surgical site, and scar tissue, as well as adhesions between two body structures or tissues.

  

Every surgery results in scar tissue (a form of connective tissue).  How much depends on the type of surgery, how well it’s carried out, and the individual’s state of health prior to surgery, as well as a genetic predisposition to forming large or small scars.

Nutrition, regular moderate exercise, and plenty of sleep all support the natural healing process.  Nevertheless, scar tissue has formed and has changed the landscape of the connective tissue (fascia) that envelops and creates space for every body structure down to the cellular level, including organs, muscles, blood and lymph vessels, and meridians (energy pathways of the body).

    

Scars form along the line of the incision.  However, due to the inflammatory process, nearby tissues (connective tissue or body structures) may become sticky and adhere to each other as well as to the one having been operated on.  Familiar examples are abdominal adhesions of the small or large intestines, affecting digestion and bowel movements, and pelvic adhesions between the reproductive structures such as the fallopian tubes and the uterus, potentially interfering with fertility.

Post surgery adhesions form after open heart surgery or a thoracotomy, between the two layers of pleura (visceral and parietal) that contain the lungs. Adhesions may cause breathing difficulty and pain with each intake of air.

Adhesions may also form between muscle fibers, groups of muscle fibers, or muscles after cutting through muscle tissue such as during a cesarean section, open abdominal surgery, rotator cuff repair, hip or knee joint replacement, and so forth.  These adhesions restrict individual muscle movement or interfere with coordinated firing of the individual muscle cells, thus reducing gross or fine motor skills.

Since an infection causes inflammation as well, adhesions may form anywhere in the body and remain even after the infection has cleared.  Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is known for creating adhesions in the pelvis, potentially causing infertility by blocking the passage of the fertilized egg through the fallopian tubes to implant in the wall of the uterus.  Pelvic surgery to remove such adhesions often results in more adhesions.

Thus, adhesions are often present at the time of surgery, making this medical procedure more dangerous and unpredictable to perform.

  

Scars and post surgical adhesions are only two forms of connective tissue, as are fascia, ligaments, tendons, and even blood and bone (two forms of  specialized connective tissue.   The job of the connective tissue is to hold together all cells into tissues, and tissues into body structures such as organs, muscles, skin, blood and lymph vessels, nerves, and meridians (energy pathways of the body).  Furthermore, the connective tissue creates compartments for these structures, binds them together, and envelops them.  Blood and lymph vessels, nerves, and meridians are embedded in, and run through, this connective tissue.

Accidental trauma, surgery, infections, repetitive strain, and poor postural habits result in the distortion, thickening, and hardening of this connective tissue.  Thus the connective tissue may turn into a straight jacket, reducing the amount of space for the affected structure and inhibiting its normal function, be it moving blood, lymph, or nerve conduction, moving a limb, taking a breath, digesting food, and so forth.

Craniosacral therapy and energetic unwinding of the spine, joints & muscles are two very gentle forms of therapy that help the body reduce tension in the connective tissue caused by adhesions and scar tissue, or any other dynamics. Removal of these restrictions results in decreased pain, increased mobility, and improved blood, lymph, and energy flow  to promote and speed up the healing process.

Since post surgical adhesions often require additional surgeries to remove the adhesions, craniosacral therapy and energetic unwinding may be a way to avoid additional surgery.

Craniosacral therapy and energetic unwinding can be enjoyed any time post surgery, in the acute and chronic state.

Craniosacral Therapy — Tendinitis/Tendinosis

By Andrea Hambly, N.D., Portland, Oregon | Published: December 28, 2012
This entry is part 29 of 32 in the series Craniosacral Therapy For Many Conditions

Tendinitis (or tendonitis) refers to inflammation of the tendons.

Muscles attach to bones via tendons, extensions of the muscles that are made up of tough fibrous connective tissue.  Muscles that become chronically tight either through overuse as in repetitive activities, or through inflammation caused by injury to the muscle, put an undue strain on the tendons and their attachment sites.

This condition is common to joints that experience a lot of stress through either repetitive motion or explosive motion.

Some examples of repetitive motion are typing, playing an instrument, wood working, needle work such as needle point, crocheting, and knitting, as well as work in a factory.

Explosive motion is common in sports, either by design, or when a movement is executed improperly or unexpectedly, or countered/interrupted as in combat sports, football, basketball, volleyball, martial arts, track & field, gymnastics, some forms of dance, and so forth. (click on any picture for a larger image)

shoulder — rotator cuff injury or overuse such as in swimming or pitching, volleyball (overhead serve, spiking the ball across the net), or  rescue work (fire fighters etc)
elbow — golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow
wrist and fingers — all the fine motor skills used when playing instruments, typing, doing arts and crafts, or painting, as well as doing fine electronics assembly; also rock climbing
 knees — patellar tendinitis in basketball and volleyball players; also common in girls and women due to slight misalignment of the patellar tendon
ankles — achilles tendinitis in track &  field from jumping and lunging, or gymnastics

Tendinosis follows tendinitis that has not healed after several months.  It is a chronic condition which manifests as tightness and/or pain, muscle weakness,  loss of fine motor skill, and decreased range of motion.

Inflammation is the body’s response to injury no matter what the source.  Swelling, pain, heat, and muscle dysfunction all occur as the body tries to protect and heal itself.  Although a natural healing response by the body, inflammation often leads to fascial adhesions, as well as shortening and hardening of tendons.

The fascia, tendons, and ligaments are types of connective tissue that hold all the body parts together and allow movements of all the joints.  While the tendons connect muscles to bone, the ligaments connect one bone to another.  The fascia and membranes create compartments for all the organs and body structures, including the muscles, bones, blood vessels, nerves, lymph vessels, and meridians (the energy pathways of the body).

With injury from repetitive strain, poor posture, poor techniques, or trauma, as well as infections, the connective tissue becomes sticky and distorted, and tightens around the area of injury, immobilizing the body part to prevent further injury.  Over time, the connective tissue (fascia, tendons, ligaments), which holds, contains, and protects the body parts, can become like a straight jacket, reducing range of motion, muscle strength and function, as well as blood & lymph flow, nerve conduction, and energy flow.

Energetic unwinding of the spine, joints & muscles, an intuitive blend of craniosacral therapy, acupressure, and soft tissue work, is ideally suited to help the body release these restrictions, thus increasing the amount of space for all the body structures enveloped and linked together by the connective tissue.

The result is less tension, increased range of motion, improved function, increased energy, and, of course decreased pain or discomfort.  It’s like wearing a well fitting coat after one that has become too tight.

 

Craniosacral Therapy — Breastfeeding

By Andrea Hambly, N.D., Portland, Oregon | Published: October 1, 2012
This entry is part 28 of 32 in the series Craniosacral Therapy For Many Conditions

Breastfeeding is nature’s way of providing nourishment ideally suited to the newborn child.  It helps mom and child to bond, soothes both of them, and provides immunological protection in the form of mom’s antibodies until the infant’s own immune system matures.

Breastfeeding has direct health benefits to the mom as well.  Oxytocin released during breastfeeding initiates gentle contractions of the uterus which reduces the chance of postpartum hemorrhage and helps the uterus to return to normal size.  Moreover, regular breastfeeding helps the mother to shed the extra pounds gained during pregnancy.  Breast milk is not only highly nutritious but also high in calories.

Breastfeeding, while natural, is not always easy at the beginning. While there are many reasons for potential difficulties with breastfeeding, I’m only listing the more common ones.

  • The mom may experience pain from engorged breasts or cracked nipples.
  • The mom may be exhausted from the birth, unsure about breastfeeding, or unable to relax during breastfeeding
  • The mom may still be recovering from the mental, emotional, or physical trauma of giving birth
  • Medical intervention such as medications, epidural anesthesia, labor induction, or a cesarean section may affect hormonal balance and the process of breastfeeding
  • The baby may not be able to latch on to the breast because they are engorged, or the nipples are flattened or inverted.
  • The infant may have structural problems related to the birth process, such as a stuck vomer (part of the nasal septum) or palate (roof of the mouth), that may affect his/her ability to latch on properly, or efficiently suck on the nipple.
  • The baby may be in pain or discomfort from the birth process, especially the use of forceps, suction cups (vacuum extraction), or being pulled out by the shoulder, or any other body part.  Hence certain positions during breastfeeding may not be comfortable for the baby.

Craniosacral therapy can help both the mother and the child to participate in and benefit from breastfeeding.  This exceedingly gentle therapy helps to relax the body and mind, release tensions related to birth trauma, and rebalance the energy flow to promote physical, mental, and emotional health in both.

Craniosacral therapy thus is invaluable in helping the mother and baby to recover from the birthing process, as well as to establish a healthy, loving relationship between mother and child via breastfeeding.

Also read

Craniosacral therapy during pregnancy for the mom
Craniosacral therapy during pregnancy for the developing baby
Craniosacral therapy during labor & delivery for the mom
Craniosacral therapy during labor & delivery for the baby

Homeopathy — Support For A Healthy Pregnancy

By Andrea Hambly, N.D., Portland, Oregon | Published: September 8, 2012

Pregnancy is experienced on the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual planes.   If a woman is healthy and well balanced on all these planes her chances of experiencing a healthy pregnancy and giving birth to a healthy baby are optimized.

However, circumstances are often beyond our control.  Personal relationships, work situations, finances, personal health, fears, anxieties, difficult past experiences, and so forth, may put stresses on a pregnant woman contributing to poor pregnancy and birth experiences.

While general health care focuses on shoring up a woman’s physical health during pregnancy, most health professionals overlook the importance of tuning in to her many other concerns.  These concerns are equally important and have the power to weaken her immune system, impact her cardiovascular health, interfere with healthy digestion, suppress deep breathing for optimal oxygen intake, and result in muscular tension, discomfort, and pain.

Homeopathy takes into account all these variables.  A homeopath not only listens to all the concerns a woman might have during her pregnancy but also investigates how she responds to her environment.  He/she wants to know what stresses her and how does she respond to this stress.

The homeopathic remedy is a good match if it addresses her particular likes, dislikes, fears, joys, aches and pains, physiologic responses to the environment such as the climate, sunlight, or sound, as well her physical complaints such as digestive discomfort, difficulty breathing, musculoskeletal complaints, previous difficult pregnancies or miscarriages, as well as believes and perspectives that may affect how she experiences her pregnancy.

The homeopath takes into account the indiviudal nature of your symptoms when choosing the remedy that best fits your needs.  While homeopathic remedies are noninvasive and safe, they may cause an aggrevation of symptoms for a short time, requiring an adjustment in dosage and/or type of remedy by a homeopath.  

Thus, consult with a homeopath rather than self treat with homoepathic remedies.

Miscarriage at any time during the pregnancy is probably the most feared adverse event for most woman.  Therefore, I will list below homeopathic remedies that are known to help minimize the chance of a miscarriage.

ALETRIS

  • weak uterine tone
  • previous miscarriage or threatened miscarriage
  • uterine prolapse
  • difficulty conceiving
  • frequent infections
  • uterine heaviness
  • nausea and/or vomiting
  • menses when not pregnant — pale, scanty, black clots, fatigue, weakness, anemia, confused, poor concentration, vertigo (room spinning), fainting

CAULOPHYLLUM

  • weak uterine tone
  • previous or threatened miscarriage
  • bleeding
  • uterine heaviness
  • severe uterine cramping
  • pain darting in all directions
  • trembling and weakness
  • feeling of exhaustion, mental fatigue, insomnia, and appetite loss after miscarriage
  • menses when not pregnant — early, heavy, long duration

CIMICIFUGA

  • threatened miscarriage in third month
  • cramping uterus with pain going from side to side and down the thighs
  • fainting spells
  • nausea
  • sense of bearing down, back ache
  • mental/emotional – doubles over with pain, cries out, and feels likes she’s going insane; deep depression and fear of something bad happening
  • menses when not pregnant — dark, clotted, irregular, offensive; pains worse as blood starts to flow

HELONIAS

  • weak uterus
  • previous miscarriage
  • uterine prolapse, heaviness and/or soreness of uterus
  • malposition of fetus
  • discharge
  • mental/emotional — depressed, irritable, critical
  • feels worse when in open air or when applying pressure to womb

SABINA

  • previous miscarriages in the first trimester; retained placenta
  • labor like pain
  • pain/pressure from sacrum to the pubic bone which becomes worse when moving or in a warm room but better when walking or in fresh air
  • mental/emotional — sensitive to music and noise
  • menses when not pregnant — bright red blood with clots, heavy bleeding, bleeding between menses

SECALE

  • threatened miscarriage in the third month; retained placenta
  • accompanied by heavy flow of  watery oozing very dark blood
  • skin is cold, blue with cramps in fingers
  • feeling very weak
  • pushing pains bearing down
  • menses when not pregnant — excessive bleeding, blood is watery and dark, bleeding between menses (periods), icy cold skin but feels hot and wants to remove covers or clothing
  • generals — thin, weak, anemic, pale

SEPIA

  • miscarriage in fifth to seventh month
  • morning sickness
  • feels like there’s a ball in the uterus
  • severe pain bearing downward
  • uterine prolapse, fibroids
  • cannot bear fetus moving inside
  • severe itching in vulva; yellow discharge
  • symptoms worse in the morning and evening and in damp conditions
  • mental/emotional — chilly and exhausted, feeling worn out, weary, depressed, indifferent, averse to sex, desire to be alone

Also see
“Craniosacral Therapy During Pregnancy — For The Mom”
“Craniosacral Therapy During Pregnancy — For The Developing Baby”
“Craniosacral Therapy During Labor & Delivery — For The Baby”
“Craniosacral Therapy — Supporting The Mom During Labor”

 

Craniosacral Therapy during Labor & Delivery — For The Baby

By Andrea Hambly, N.D., Portland, Oregon | Published: August 9, 2012
This entry is part 27 of 32 in the series Craniosacral Therapy For Many Conditions

Craniosacral therapy not only eases pain and discomfort during labor and delivery for the mom but, as importantly, for the baby.

Labor and delivery often is a most exhausting, drawn out, and painful process for the woman.  We don’t really know how the baby experiences this same process.  We pay attention only to signs of stress that signal imminent danger to the baby.

The baby has no way to communicate how it is doing.  We do know that babies often spend a considerable amount of time in the birth canal in various positions.

Depending on the position, pressures come to bear on the mom’s sacrum, coccyx, or pubic symphysis, often causing tremendous discomfort or pain in the process.  Fracture of the coccyx (tailbone) is a relatively common occurrence.  (click on any picture for larger image)

    

These same pressures are caused, and absorbed by the baby’s head as it comes to rest on these bony structures.   Fortunately for the baby, the bones of its head (cranial bones), and the sutures between them, are relatively soft and pliable, with plenty of space between them at various places, called the fontanelles.  These features permit movement of the cranial bones relative to each other, even allowing them to overlap one another along the suture lines.

  

If the baby finds an optimal position within the birth canal of the mom, the labor process is not drawn out for too long, and the delivery proceeds smoothly, the baby is well equipped to recover from these temporary anatomical changes to its head.  The cranial bones will slowly “glide” back into place and the fontanelles will close over time.  The sometimes quite distorted head takes on a harmonious shape.

If the baby is stressed too much during the birthing process, its ability to recover optimally may be compromised.  The head bones will glide back into position but may be slightly misaligned, exerting stresses not only on the head but also on the facial bones, the spinal cord, and the rest of the body via the connective tissue that holds it all together.

We observe in the baby restlessness, difficulty sleeping, inconsolable crying, digestive upset, or colics, as well as failure to thrive and/or difficulty meeting its milestones on the emotional, mental, or physical plane.

How can craniosacral therapy help?

Tense muscles in the mom’s body, whether skeletal or smooth (as in the uterus), impede the birthing process, by firing incoherently, i.e. out of sync with each other, like a team of unruly children.  This incoherent firing of uterine muscle cells may affect the baby’s trajectery through the cervix and into the birth canal.  Tension in the skeletal muscles may exert uneven stress on the mom’s skeletal system, including the pelvis and birth canal, affecting the position the baby finds itself in, potentially for a very long time.

Craniosacral therapy helps to release the tension held in the mom’s musculoskeletal system and her uterus, as well as the birth canal, thus helping the baby to find a more optimal position and meet the world outside its mother’s womb with less stress.  Labor is often shortened and less painful for the mom as well.  A baby less stressed will be better equipped to recover from its strenuous journey and face the many joys and challenges that lie ahead.

Craniosacral therapy helps the mom during labor and delivery … read more

Craniosacral therapy during pregnancy — for the mom … read more

Craniosacral therapy during pregnancy — for the developing baby … read more

Craniosacral therapy for postpartum difficulties/pain … read more

Craniosacral Therapy — Supporting The Mom During Labor

By Andrea Hambly, N.D., Portland, Oregon | Published: July 27, 2012
This entry is part 26 of 32 in the series Craniosacral Therapy For Many Conditions

Labor is the last great effort made by the mother to bring the new life into this world.  It may very well be the most daunting effort for her, physically as well as emotionally.  It truly is a labor of love.

Labor begins with the onset of sustained uterine contractions at regular intervals, initiated and supported by the release of the hormone oxytocin.

  

Uterine contractions exert downward pressure on the baby to move it toward and eventually through the cervix.  The cervix has to soften, thin, and open up to allow the passage of the baby into the mom’s pelvis.  This thinning and widening of the cervix is facilitated by the release of the hormone relaxin.

Depending on the position of the baby’s head during labor and delivery, the mother may experience tremendous pressure and/or pain in the lower back (lumbosacral joint, sacroiliac joints), as well as the tailbone (coccyx).

  

Throughout pregnancy the fibers of the pubic symphysis have lengthened to increase the normal gap between the pubic bones by an additional 2-3 mm.  Thus, this gap may increase to measure almost 1 cm.  It may further widen slightly during the birthing process.  The pictures illustrate the potential pressure exerted by the baby’s head on the mom’s sacrum, sacroiliac joints, coccyx, and pubic bone.

Throughout the pregnancy, but especially during the third trimester, the uterus has had to grow and expand to accommodate the growing fetus. After birth, it will contract to expel the afterbirth (placenta) and regain its original size prior to pregnancy.  Oxytocin stimulates these contractions, helped by breastfeeding the baby.

Thus, pregnancy, labor, and delivery put a tremendous toll not only on the musculoskeletal system of the mom but also the connective tissue that holds it together, in the form of ligaments, tendons, and fascia.  Fascia is the “fabric” that holds together the cells into tissues and the tissues into organs, muscles, and other body structures, such as glands, blood and lymph vessels, meridians (energy pathways of the body), and nerves.

During pregnancy, labor, and delivery, the connective tissue accommodates the changes in size and shape that necessarily occur during these times.  Call it the “spandex” of the belly (uterus, abdominal muscles, and the skin above) that allows the expansion of the belly during pregnancy, the thinning and widening of the cervix during labor, and the return of the uterus to pre-pregnancy size thereafter.

Muscular tension anywhere in the body, including the belly, induced by mental, emotional, or physical stresses is held, and often trapped, in the connective tissue as well.  The connective tissue may become distorted and less resilient, leading to prolonged labor, increased pain during labor and the birthing process, and delayed recovery after birth.

Craniosacral therapy is ideally suited to help the mother through pregnancy, labor, and delivery because it releases tension, distortion, and restrictions in the connective tissue that may have accumulated during pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

Regular craniosacral therapy sessions throughout pregnancy, and even during labor, promotes a relaxed and coherent musculoskeletal system, calm mind, and balanced emotions.  Craniosacral therapy thus helps pave the way to a healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery for the mom and the baby.

Also see
“Craniosacral Therapy During Pregnancy — For The Mom”
“Craniosacral Therapy During Pregnancy — For The Developing Baby”
“Craniosacral Therapy during Labor & Delivery — For The Baby”
“Craniosacral Therapy — Postpartum Difficulties/Pain”

 

Craniosacral Therapy During Pregnancy — For The Developing Baby

By Andrea Hambly, N.D., Portland, Oregon | Published: July 15, 2012
This entry is part 25 of 32 in the series Craniosacral Therapy For Many Conditions

Craniosacral therapy during pregnancy for the mom promotes the healthy development of the baby by supporting the becoming mom’s mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

A woman who is healthy on the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level will be in an optimal position to provide the best possible environment for the development of the growing life inside her.

The developing baby (embryo for the first 8-9 weeks of development, fetus thereafter until birth) is totally dependent on the building blocks of life from its mom.  The mom literally breathes, takes nourishment, and eliminates metabolic toxins for the baby.  When she sleeps, her body does repair and maintenance that supports her own life preserving processes, as well as those of the baby.

      

A new life begins inside a woman’s body and remains there until it is ready to meet the world outside it.  While safely ensconced inside the uterus (womb), it receives from the mom all that is needed to allow it to develop from a single cell to a fully formed human being.

 

The developing baby receives oxygen and nutrients from the mom via the blood, which it receives from the mom through the placenta.  The baby eliminates carbon dioxide and other metabolic toxins via the blood, again through the placenta.  The placenta is the life-giving and life-preserving interface between the becoming mom and the developing baby.

While pregnancy is a natural process, it nevertheless challenges the woman’s body to the fullest.  Common symptoms experienced during pregnancy are difficulty breathing, and digestive distress, as well as neck, back and pelvic pain, swelling of the face, neck, arms, and legs, and so forth.  These symptoms are caused by hormonal changes and the expansion of the uterus resulting in postural changes and pressure on the internal organs, as well as the spine..

Craniosacral therapy helps the mom to adjust to the physiological and physical changes of pregnancy, supports cardiovascular function, facilitates deep breathing, improves digestion, and alleviates much of the musculoskeletal pain and discomfort so common during pregnancy.  Moreover, craniosacral therapy helps to balance her emotions, tonify her mind, and calm her spirit.

The developing baby benefits by

  • improved delivery of oxygen and nutrients
  • improved release of its metabolic toxins
  • a generally more relaxed physical environment in the mom’s abdomen
  • less stress transmitted to it by the mom

Craniosacral therapy thus helps to pave the way to a successful pregnancy and delivery while promoting the health and well-being of the becoming mom and the developing baby.

Craniosaccral therapy can facilitate labor & delivery for the mom…read more

Craniosacral therapy helps the baby to cope with the stress of labor & delivery…read more

Craniosacral therapy helps mom to heal from postpartum difficulties/pain …read more