Breast Feeding and Osteopathy

There must have been a baby boom over Christmas because already we’re seeing more than normal numbers of post natal patients (mums and dads!) to start the year.  Interestingly it’s not just the usual pelvic and low back aches and pains which have been presenting to us. There have also been a number of breast feeding related issues.

If you were to do a Google search for ‘Breast Feeding and Osteopathy’ it’s interesting to see that the majority of the articles that come up are related to potential problems with the baby and how cranial osteopathy can be of use.  Whilst that maybe true I find it strange that more emphasis isn’t placed on the mother. The regular feeding routine, especially through the night time hours can leave its mark on mums’ body. Feeding a little one when you’re half asleep in the early hours of the morning can see you slumped and twisted in all sorts of awkward positions, resulting in a stiff and achy back.  The tensions introduced by poor feeding posture along with the constant strains on the system from nursing a baby can lead to a slowing down of milk flow.

Stiffness across the upper back and shoulders along with a slumped posture with rounded shoulders effectively can restrict the flow of milk to the breast(s).  It can also reduce lymphatic drainage away from the breast resulting in an increased risk of mastitis. You may find that one breast seems to be favoured by the baby possibly because the flow of milk seems better on one side.  This can mean that mum ends up holding the baby on one side more than the other which increases the physical imbalance on the body which further complicates the problem.  Osteopathy can work really well with these sorts of problems.

Of course it might also be useful to get the baby checked over to see how he or she is coping with breast feeding.  This is where cranial techniques can be very effective. It maybe that the birthing process has left baby with a preference for turning the head in one direction and struggling to turn the opposite way. This obviously has potential implications for breast feeding so sometimes both mum and baby need some attention.