Childbirth Choices :: Complementary Care
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine | CranioSacral Therapy | Chiropractic | Therapeutic Massage
What is CranioSacral Therapy?CranioSacral Therapy (CST), pioneered and developed by osteopathic physician, John E. Upledger, provides a gentle hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the functioning of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system. This system is comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround, protect and nourish the brain and spinal cord. By complementing the body's natural healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure, in addition to healing existing health problems.
The Upledger Institute, established in 1985, has now trained more than 80,000 CranioSacral Therapists worldwide. Because of its gentle nature and positive effect on so many body functions, CranioSacral Therapy is practiced by a variety of healthcare professionals, from physicians to massage therapists.
Benefits
The gentle touch of CranioSacral Therapy allows pregnant/postpartum women and their babies to release stress and constrictions related to gestation and birth. CST treatment prepares mom and baby's bodies for a healthier, more comfortable pregnancy, and an easier, quicker, more natural birth experience. Specific techniques can optimize the balance of hormones during pregnancy, and increase milk production post-partum. After birth, CST releases physical/emotional trauma i.e. pelvic problems, depression, colic/crying, misshapen head, torticollis, indigestion, breastfeeding problems, tongue-tie, etc. Birth, under the most ideal circumstances, is an intense experience for mom and baby's bodies, and particularly baby's head. This is why Dr. Upledger recommends all babies receive CST as soon as possible after birth.
The extremely light touch makes CranioSacral Therapy a safe approach for children and infants who have experienced early stress, including birth trauma. By releasing restrictions around the central nervous system early, CST may help prevent future learning difficulties or hyperactivity.
What can I expect from a CranioSacral Therapy session?
A typical CranioSacral Therapy session lasts an hour, and takes place in a quiet, private setting. You will lay on your back, (fully clothed) on a massage table. For pregnant women, a wedge pillow to elevate your torso, or side-lying, may be used. The practitioner will stand or sit positioned at various points of your head, torso, or feet.
What you experience during a CST session is highly individual. Some people say they feel deeply relaxed, while others describe feeling unwinding sensations as the body releases tension. You may even recall circumstances surrounding a past trauma or injury. While it doesn't occur in every session, this aspect of the process - called SomatoEmotional Release - is perfectly normal, and helps the body reverse dysfunction and restore optimal levels of mobility.
After a session you may leave in such a relaxed state you feel like sleeping for hours, or you may leave full of boundless energy. You may feel a decrease in pain, or increase in function immediately after the session, or the effects may develop gradually over several days.
Because each individual response to CST is unique, the number of sessions needed to resolve any particular condition varies widely.
How does CranioSacral Therapy work?
Everyday your body endures stresses and strains, and your body structures work to compensate for them. Unfortunately, these changes often cause tension to form around the brain and spinal cord. The result is a barrier to the healthy performance of the central nervous system (CNS), and potentially every other system the CNS interacts with.
Fortunately, such restrictions can be detected and corrected using simple methods of touch. Using about 5 grams of pressure (about the weight of a nickel) the CranioSacral Therapy practitioner uses her/his hands to evaluate the craniosacral system by gently feeling various locations of the body to test for ease of motion and rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid pulsing around the brain and spinal cord. Soft-touch techniques are then used to release restrictions in any tissues influencing the craniosacral system.
CranioSacral Therapy is able to alleviate a wide variety of disfunctions, from chronic pain and sports injuries to stroke and neurological impairment. Common conditions treated by CST are neck/back pain, TMJ, and migraines. You may come to CST to relieve an acute discomfort/injury, a serious chronic condition, or for personal/emotional growth and expansion. The choice is yours. Pregnancy and birth are ideal times to explore and discover the self you truly are. Remember, your body and spirit are the environment for your developing baby. By receiving CST during pregnancy, you are optimizing his/her future, and (a bonus) getting "two for the price of one".
Certification of a CranioSacral Therapy practitioner
When looking for a CST practitioner there is a wide range of skills. Some people have learned a few techniques in a massage class, some have taken 1 or 2 classes, some have taken many classes, and then there are those who have pursued the intensive, challenging path of Certification. There are 2 levels of Certification: CST Techniques Certified, and CST-D Diplomat. Each requires an essay exam, a intensive 2 hour hands-on demonstration exam on a client evaluated by an Upledger Examiner, and an objective exam. Continuing education of 24 hours every 3 years is required to maintain certification.
Resources:
1.
www.upledger.com
2. Your Inner
Physician and You, by John Upledger D.O.,O.M.M.
3.
CranioSacral Therapy: Touchstone For Healing, by John
Upledger D.O.,O.M.M.
4. A Brain Is
Born, by John Upledger D.O.,O.M.M.
5.
The Mind of Your Newborn Baby, by David Chamberlain