Good question!
When I was fifteen, my older sister raved about her physiotherapist’s newest discovery: a gentle but surprisingly effective healing modality known as craniosacral therapy, or CST. At the time, I had no idea that one day CST would change the direction of my life.
After training as an RMT, and while anticipating the arrival of my first child, I became deeply interested in all aspects of the birth process. The delivery of my son went smoothly, but his first few months out of the womb? Not so much.
He didn’t put on weight easily, and nursing was SO painful (But breastfeeding is supposed to hurt at first, right? Wrong! More on that later…) it got to the point where just the thought of feeding my baby was a constant source of dread.
But it didn’t stop me from wanting to become a birth professional.
In 2017, I was listening to a podcast as part of my doula training. I tapped on an episode about infant craniosacral therapy. Halfway through the interview with Carol Gray – a CST who works with babies – my future flashed before my eyes (cue the orchestral music!) and I absolutely KNEW, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I wanted to become an infant craniosacral therapist.
Listening to the podcast, I came to understand that with CST, I’d have the chance to make an important and lasting difference in the lives of babies and their parents at a critically important time. For parents, a distressed baby brings up feelings of helplessness and failure, feelings I understood, because I’d experienced them, first hand.
There are medical treatments for lots of postnatal issues like jaundice, thrush, hernias etc. But what about colic? Colic is a catch-all term that literally means crying for no reason. Or nursing nightmares, like the ones I’d experienced – what about those? Turns out those are exactly the kinds of challenges that CST is perfect for.
With training in CST, my fingertips learned to isolate individual cranial plates so that I can resolve any pinching, overlapping or misalignment in a baby’s skull. Using just 5 grams of pressure, I use my fingertips to release other tissues, opening up nerve pathways to facilitate a better latch, and to reduce air-gulping and gassiness – which results in better nursing, bottle feeding and sleep.
In a nutshell, CST can help treat many of the underlying issues experienced by colicky babies. More than once, sleep-deprived parents have told me that my ability to STOP THE CRYING seems less like a skill and more like a superpower!
CST wellness checks are a great idea for all babies. Without years of the ‘holding patterns’ seen in adults, asymmetries in a baby’s body can be easily released. A few CST treatments in the first year can prevent chronic complaints like migraines, ear infections, digestive issues, and even ADHD, later in life.
In May, 2021 I’ll be offering an intensive training opportunity for licenced professionals interested in pivoting in a new direction, or in building on the techniques they already have at their disposal.
Email info@mybabycst.com for more information.
Having seen the results of I-CST in over 250 babies, and watched my practice grow almost exclusively on the basis of referrals, I am a true believer in this work. And, I’m very excited to share what I know about this incredible healing modality with other interested professionals.
