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A lot of parents I work with are looking for gentle ways to help their baby feel more comfortable, especially when something feels off but hard to explain. Infant osteopathy is a gentle, hands-on approach designed to support your little one’s body as it grows and develops.
What is Infant Osteopathy?
Infant osteopathy is a gentle form of manual therapy focused on supporting the comfort and development of babies and young children. Some babies develop areas of tension or asymmetry while in the womb, depending on how they were positioned. Others experience strain during birth or through the normal challenges of early development. These tensions can affect feeding, sleep, digestion, or movement.
Treatment involves light touch and movement to help ease these areas of tension, support mobility, and encourage balance in the body. It’s a whole-person approach that works with your baby’s natural ability to function and thrive.
Reasons Parents Book Infant Osteopathy
Parents often reach out when they notice:
- Torticollis (baby consistently turning or tilting the head to one side)
- Plagiocephaly (a flat spot or asymmetry on the head)
- Digestive issues like reflux, gassiness, or colic
- Feeding challenges such as trouble latching, poor suction, or causing pain at the breast
- Restless sleep or signs of being uncomfortable when laid down
- Delayed motor milestones, low muscle tone, or increased stiffness
Osteopathic treatment works well alongside care from your pediatrician, primary care provider, lactation consultant, or physiotherapist. It’s not meant to replace medical care, but it can help with structural or tension-related issues that may be part of the puzzle.
What to Expect During a Session?
Appointments are 60 minutes, giving us time to go over your baby’s history, talk about feeding and sleep patterns, and answer any questions you may have. The hands-on portion usually lasts 30 to 45 minutes and can take place while your baby is awake, feeding, or sleeping.
Treatment involves very light touch, often no more pressure than you’d use to check the ripeness of a peach, and focuses on calming the nervous system and gently easing areas of tension or asymmetry. Parents stay close and are welcome to help comfort or soothe their baby during the session. Many babies want to feed or snack a few times throughout treatment, even if it’s not their usual feeding time.
If your baby needs breaks or is having an unsettled day, we’ll follow their lead. And if we don’t end up using the full appointment time, the fee is adjusted accordingly.
Is Infant Osteopathy Safe?
Yes! Infant osteopathy is extremely gentle and always adapted to the needs of your baby. There’s no forceful pushing, pulling, or cracking involved.
I’m often asked if I “adjust” babies or perform any type of spinal manipulation. I don’t. In British Columbia, osteopathic practitioners do not use high-velocity thrusts (sometimes called “cracking”), and even gentler techniques like “osteopathic adjustments” or “impulses” are not used on babies or growing children. My approach relies on subtle, calming techniques that support your baby’s comfort and development without anything forceful or invasive.