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| "The Safety of Mother and Baby is The Osteopath's First Concern" | |
| Osteopathy and Pregnancy | Osteopathy for Babies and Children |
| Osteopathy is a gentle way of helping the body adapt to the changes which take place during pregnancy. The safety of mother and baby is the osteopath’s first concern. Treatment may help to relieve the aches and pains caused by both growth in size of the baby and other mechanical changes taking place in the mother. | The small amounts of movement that exist in the infant skull permit the baby's head to adapt to the forces of labour. Occasionally the head may have difficulty in recovering from this distortion. This and other mechanical strains experienced during labour may result in changes in function. |
| Other symptoms common during pregnancy are heartburn, indigestion, constipation and pain in the buttocks, groin or leg, and women often consult osteopaths to help ease these side-effects. | The osteopathic treatment of children and babies is extremely gentle and aims to enable significant improvement in these cases. |
| Osteopathic treatment is also of great value after pregnancy when the mother's body seeks a return to 'normal' state. Lower back pain and neck pain is very common in new mothers, due in part to the postural stresses involved with the care of young babies and children. | As children grow, other problems may become apparent, such as growing pains, sports injuries and postural problems. Osteopathic treatment may significantly alleviate these conditions and will include advice on other factors which may aid recovery such as changes to daily environment, diet and exercise. |
| Parents can be reassured that the osteopath will always advise referral to a paediatrician or other health professional if considered necessary. | |