Marlborough House

Though sometimes we may wish it was not, it is an effective way of getting our attention.

Usually it is to communicate a basic need: hunger, love or some sort of discomfort.

Sometimes feeding and cuddling are not enough to settle the infant. If there are other symptoms, such as persistent vomiting, diarrhoea, fever or laboured breathing, a medical opinion is essential.

Thankfully, much more often the discomfort is caused by less serious reasons, such as colic, wind or reflux.

Osteopathic treatment can help these problems, which commonly do not respond to other remedies.

Colic is defined as ‘persistent crying for more than three hours a day for longer than three weeks’.

The cause is presumed to be of digestive origin as the infant’s tummy is often swollen and tense.

The infant may pull their knees up, have a red face and clenched fists, and the evening is commonly the most unsettled period.

Approximately 30% of babies suffer from colic.

Wind is also a common problem. If the baby has difficulty burping the gas stretches the intestine and is painful to pass.

Reflux is the upward movement of stomach acid into the oesophagus, which is the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.

It is very uncomfortable for the infant and will affect approximately 5% of babies.

Sometimes the acid is not regurgitated and this is known as ‘silent reflux’.

Why do babies get these difficulties?

From an osteopath’s point of view the birth may have much to do with it.

The infant’s head is designed to change shape to allow passage through the birth canal, but the forces are great and the strain can affect the soft cartilage at the base of the skull.

Too much pressure here from a fast or prolonged birth can affect the Vagus nerve, which passes nearby and controls the infant’s digestion.

The production of stomach acid, the valve at the top of the stomach, the burp reflex and the waves of muscle contraction are controlled via the Vagus nerve.

Caesarean births may also be stressful for the baby, and this can affect their developing intestinal tract.

An experienced cranial osteopath can work gently on the infant’s head and tummy to release these strains, which helps their nervous system relax and their gut to function normally again.

If this is happening to your baby, book in for a free chat with Dan Hayward to find out how we can help.