How can an osteopath help with breastfeeding?

If your baby is struggling to breastfeed there is plenty of information and support out there to help you both. You can seek advice online or from breastfeeding groups, lactation consultants, tongue tie specialists and your midwife. Not to mention tips from friends and family! But did you know that these specialists are increasingly recognising the role that cranial osteopaths can play to help your baby feed?

At an appointment your osteopath will check the muscles, ligaments and joints that are involved in feeding. For example osteopaths check to see if your baby can turn their head comfortably to feed from each breast. Your osteopath will look at the jaw movement to check that they can open their mouth wide enough to feed. He or she will also check tongue movement for signs of tongue tie or weak suck. Osteopaths can also give advice on feeding and winding techniques specific to you and your baby.

Cranial osteopathy is a gentle treatment which may improve the way your baby feeds. Here are some signs to look out for which might make you see an osteopath. Does your baby:

Prefer feeding from one breast more than the other?
Struggle to get enough nipple in their mouth?
Make a clicking noise or break their seal when feeding?
Come on and off the breast at every feed?
Seem uncomfortable during feeds?

Laura Tilson BA(Hons) M.Ost DPO runs a children's clinic at The Putney Clinic on Thursday mornings. Please call 020 8789 3881 or email the Clinic at info@putneyclinic.co.uk for more information.

Neti pot

When I was training to be a yoga teacher, one of the 6 purification techniques taught to us was Jala Neti ( also called Neti or Jaaneti). Purification techniques are sometimes performed as a way of preparing the body for a yoga practice. Whenever the neti pots came out, I disappeared, always needing to be somewhere else at that moment in time… I had many techniques to avoid it: the bathroom, the water fountain, the shop, anything but the Net. Pouring a saline solution up my hooter was really not for me and I have avoided it right up to today. I have got a steaming cold and, as a result, I now have sinus pain, so I have decided to give it another go. Talk about waiting until your back is against the wall! I rushed to the Sivanada yoga studio nearby and bought myself a ceramic neti pot and salt. I had to follow the one photographic image as the instructions were in German!!! Although I did not find it as unpleasant as some people describe, it was not as bad as I remembered. So I will us...

Sharath Jois in London 2013

Sharath Jois will be in London teaching a week of primary and intermediate ashtanga yoga From 25th-30th of August- in a central London location. Booking for this will open mid May. Through http://www.astangayogalondon.com/index2.cfm A rare and wonderful treat to have Sharath in my home town-A big thank you to Hamish Hendry and ashtanga yoga London for organising this. Going to have to set an alarm on my phone- as there will be a lot of takers for this....

All about the balance

A snap from inside my fridge this week. The mix of wine, beer and Vita Coca sort of sums up my family really. The ones that drink wine and beer don't go in for the coco water, and the coco water drinker doesn't go in for wine or beer. In summary, none of us need worry about the other nicking all the drinks. :-)

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