What Is Infant Craniosacral Therapy?
Infant craniosacral therapy is a gentle, non-invasive modality that helps regulate the nervous system, relieve muscular tension, and promote health and comfort within the baby.
Topics
Introduction To Craniosacral Therapy
What is Craniosacral Therapy (CST)?
Benefits of Infant Craniosacral Therapy
Is Infant Craniosacral Therapy Safe?
Conditions That May Benefit from CST for Infants
Why Choose Allay for In-Home Craniosacral Therapy?
Experience the Allay Difference: In-Home CST for Your Baby
Introduction To Craniosacral Therapy
As new parents, you’re likely looking for the best ways to support your baby’s health and comfort. One therapy that’s growing in popularity for its gentle and calming effects is Infant Craniosacral Therapy (CST). This natural, non-invasive treatment can help ease common infant issues like colic, sleep problems, and birth-related tensions. But what exactly is CST, and how can it benefit your baby? Let’s explore how this therapy works and why it might be a helpful option for your child.
What is Craniosacral Therapy (CST)?
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on technique that helps regulate the nervous system and ease muscular tension within the body. Using light touch, CST practitioners work to release restrictions and encourage balance, promoting overall health, relaxation, and homeostasis within the body.
For babies, CST targets areas of the body that may have been impacted during childbirth. The birth process, whether through vaginal delivery or cesarean section, can exert pressure on an infant’s head, neck, and spine, leading to muscle tension and nervous system dysregulation, often influenced by the adrenaline rush and cortisol release during birth. Factors such as prolonged labor, the use of forceps or vacuum extraction, or positioning in the womb can contribute to these issues. CST gently helps release this tension, supporting the baby’s ability to regulate their nervous system and promoting overall comfort and well-being.
Benefits of Infant Craniosacral Therapy
Better Sleep: Infants often have trouble sleeping due to discomfort or tension in their bodies. CST helps to calm the nervous system, promoting deeper and more restful sleep for your baby.
Relieves Colic: One study found that craniosacral therapy was effective in treating infantile colic, offering a promising complementary approach for alleviating discomfort in infants with this condition.
Digestive Discomfort: If your baby struggles with digestive discomfort, CST can assist by addressing the nervous system and supporting the musculature around the abdomen, improving the functioning of the digestive tract and reducing excess gas or discomfort.
Addresses Birth Trauma: Some babies experience physical stress or misalignment during birth. CST can help release tension from the skull, neck, and spine to alleviate discomfort caused by the birth process.
Supports Developmental Milestones: By releasing restrictions and improving alignment, CST can enhance coordination and support your baby’s growth as they meet key developmental milestones.
Helps with Head Shape Concerns: Some infants develop flat spots on their heads, a condition known as positional plagiocephaly. CST may help reduce pressure on the skull, promoting more symmetrical head growth.
How Does Infant Craniosacral Therapy Work?
During an infant CST session, the therapist uses light touch — often no more than the weight of a nickel — to feel for areas of tension or restrictions in the baby’s body, especially in the head, neck, pelvis and spine. The therapist then uses gentle, soothing pressure to release any restrictions and encourage the free flow of movement whether in the joints, nerves, muscles, or fluid within the body. Typically, babies find this process calming, helping them enter a parasympathetic, relaxed state that supports nervous system regulation. Craniosacral Therapy can be comparable to a very light massage for babies, optimizing movement and promoting overall body function—similar to how physical therapy helps with mobility and alignment, but through gentle touch and relaxation techniques.
Is Infant Craniosacral Therapy Safe?
Absolutely! CST is known for its safety, especially when performed by a trained practitioner who specializes in working with infants. The technique’s light touch ensures that there’s no discomfort or harm to the baby. It’s also non-invasive, which means there are no medications or equipment involved, making it a great option for gentle healing and optimizing comfort.
Conditions That May Benefit from CST for Infants
Infant Craniosacral Therapy can be especially helpful for the following conditions:
Birth trauma or difficult labor
Excessive crying or colic
Trouble breastfeeding or latching
Tight jaw or facial muscle use for latching
Sleep disturbances
Digestive discomfort
Positional plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome)
Torticollis (neck stiffness or head turning preference)
Muscular tension
Nervous system dysregulation
If any of these sound familiar, CST may provide a gentle way to help your baby feel more comfortable and relaxed.
Why Choose Allay for In-Home Craniosacral Therapy?
At Allay, we recognize that your baby’s health and comfort are your top priorities, and we understand the importance of having access to personalized care in a calm and familiar environment. That’s why we offer in-home Craniosacral Therapy services, so you can receive the benefits of CST in the comfort of your own home.
Our craniosacral therapist is also a trained lactation consultant, blending her expertise in breastfeeding support with gentle touch to make feeding sessions more comfortable for both mom and baby. We take the time to understand your baby’s unique needs and move at a pace that works for you and your child, all while helping you achieve your breastfeeding and developmental goals. Whether addressing sleep issues, digestion, or promoting relaxation, we offer gentle, personalized sessions to support your baby’s well-being.
Experience the Allay Difference: In-Home CST for Your Baby
Every baby is unique, and at Allay, we approach each session with the gentle care and attention your child deserves. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach, we tailor each experience to support your baby’s development and comfort in a calming and nurturing way, in line with our mission to provide personalized holistic care to prenatal and postpartum families, supporting, educating, and empowering them every step of the way, while enhancing pregnancy, postpartum, and infant care within the United States.
If you’d like to learn more, feel free to reach out. We’d love to support you and your baby on your journey to well-being. We serve families throughout the Bay Area including San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, San Mateo, Burlingame, Hillsborough Palo Alto, Los Altos, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, San Jose and more!
Schedule An Appointment With Allay for In-Home CST
Welcome to the Allay Blog! Your go-to resource for articles about craniosacral therapy, massage therapy, lactation support, and other holistic care during pregnancy and postpartum. At Allay, we strive to provide personalized holistic care to prenatal and postpartum families while supporting, educating, and empowering them every step of the way!
