Osteopathy for babies in Sheffield
Could colic be behind your baby's crying and discomfort?
We can help explore what may be contributing to your baby’s crying and discomfort, so that you can feel clearer about what’s going on, and confident about what to do next.
Testimonials
What our clients say
Helping you understand why your baby is unsettled
Few things are more upsetting as a parent than watching your baby cry for long periods and feeling unable to comfort them.
Colic is one of the most common reasons parents bring their babies to see us. Many families tell us they feel exhausted, overwhelmed and worried that something must be wrong because their baby seems so unsettled.
While colic can be challenging for the whole family, understanding what may be contributing to your baby’s discomfort is often the first step towards helping them feel more comfortable.
At The Osteopathic Practice, we take the time to listen to your concerns, understand your baby’s story and help you make sense of what you’re seeing, so you can feel more confident about the next steps.
Supporting babies with colic
Colic is often used to describe babies who are particularly unsettled, cry frequently and seem difficult to comfort.
Parents commonly tell us that their baby:
- Cries for long periods
- Appears uncomfortable or distressed
- Doesn’t like being put down
- Has a bloated tummy
- Is particularly windy or gassy
- Seems generally unsettled much of the time
These symptoms often begin within the first few weeks of life and are particularly common during the first three months, although some babies can continue to struggle beyond this. From an osteopathic perspective, colic is often viewed as a symptom rather than a diagnosis in its own right.
Rather than asking “How do we treat colic?”, we ask “Why might this baby be finding life uncomfortable?”
That question forms the starting point for understanding your baby’s individual needs.
How we think about Osteopathy
Parents often come to us because their baby has been given a diagnosis such as tongue tie, reflux, colic, plagiocephaly or torticollis.
From an osteopathic perspective, we’re less interested in the diagnosis, but more in the baby in front of us.
We want to understand your baby’s pregnancy, birth and early experiences, and how their body has adapted along the way.
Rather than treating a condition, we use gentle osteopathic techniques to identify and address patterns of tension, strain or restriction that may be affecting a baby’s comfort and function.
By helping babies feel more comfortable in their bodies, we aim to support their natural growth, development and ability to adapt.
What is Osteopathy and how can it help with colic?
Osteopathy is a hands-on approach that focuses on how the body functions as a whole.
Every Happy Baby Check begins with a listening session, where we take time to understand your baby’s story, including:
- Your pregnancy
- Your baby’s birth
- Feeding and sleeping
- Any concerns you may have
We may discuss questions such as:
- Were there any difficulties during pregnancy?
- Was your baby in an awkward position?
- Was labour particularly long or difficult?
- Were there any interventions during birth?
The second part of the appointment is the comfort check. This is where we gently assess your baby’s movement, comfort and overall function.
We look at areas where your baby may be holding tension, which could include the head, neck, chest, abdomen or elsewhere in the body. Sometimes we identify areas where a baby appears less comfortable or where movement is more restricted than we might expect. If a baby is carrying more tension than their system can comfortably manage, it may affect how well they settle, feed or digest.
Understanding these findings helps us build a clearer picture of how your baby is adapting to life outside the womb and whether osteopathic care may be appropriate.
Osteopathic treatment for babies is extremely gentle. Many babies relax deeply during treatment, and some even fall asleep.
A gentle approach to understanding your baby
Your Happy Baby Check is designed to give you time to talk, ask questions and understand what may be contributing to your baby’s unsettled behaviour.
We’ll gently assess your baby’s movement and comfort, explain what we notice and discuss the best next steps for your baby.
If appropriate, and with your permission, treatment can often begin during the same appointment.
Benefits of osteopathic treatment for babies with colic
When parents ask about osteopathy for colic, we explain that our aim is not to simply manage symptoms, but to understand what may be contributing to their baby’s discomfort.
1. Relieving tension and restrictions
A key part of osteopathic care involves identifying areas where a baby may be holding tension or experiencing reduced movement.
These areas may include the head, neck, chest or abdomen. By supporting greater comfort and ease within the body, we aim to help babies feel more settled.
2. Supporting comfort and digestion
Many parents seek support because their baby appears uncomfortable with wind, bloating or feeding. By improving overall comfort and reducing areas of tension, we aim to support your baby’s natural function.
3. Helping babies feel more settled
One of the hardest things for parents is seeing their baby distressed and unable to settle. Many parents tell us their baby appears calmer, more comfortable and happier following treatment.
Every baby is different, but some families notice changes relatively quickly, with two or three treatments often being enough to support babies who are struggling with tension or discomfort.
What happens during a Happy Baby Check?
Your appointment begins with a listening session, where we’ll take time to understand your baby’s journey so far, including pregnancy, birth experience, feeding, sleep and any concerns you may have.
We’ll then carry out a gentle comfort check, looking at your baby’s movement, comfort and overall function, talking you through anything that we notice.
If osteopathic care may be appropriate, we’ll explain everything clearly before beginning any treatment. Babies’ bodies are still developing, so we use very gentle techniques adapted to their age and stage.
There is always an opportunity for feeds, cuddles and breaks whenever they’re needed. We’ll make a recommendation about how many sessions we think will be required to have your baby feeling comfortable in their body.
Our aim is to help you better understand your baby and provide reassurance that comes from feeling listened to, supported and informed.
How we work together
Book an appointment
Share your experience and feel heard
Get started on your baby’s customised treatment plan
Other approaches parents may try
Alongside osteopathic support, many parents try different approaches to help their baby feel more comfortable, including:
- Infacol and other over-the-counter remedies
- Changing formula milk
- Support from health visitors, lactation consultants or feeding specialists
- Using dummies
- Holding and carrying their baby more frequently
Many babies settle more easily when they are being held, moved or comforted. While this can help, it can also become exhausting for families who are already coping with broken sleep and a distressed baby.
Frequently asked questions
Every baby is unique, so there is no fixed number of sessions. After the initial assessment, we’ll discuss what we find and recommend the most appropriate next steps for your baby. We often find that improvements occur relatively quickly, with many babies showing positive changes within two or three sessions.
Many parents seek osteopathy for babies with colic because it provides a gentle way of assessing patterns of tension and restriction that may be affecting their baby’s comfort.
Rather than focusing only on the diagnosis, we look at your baby as a whole, considering their pregnancy, birth and early development.
Every baby responds differently. Some parents notice changes after the first appointment, while others see more gradual improvements.
Many babies go through periods of increased crying or unsettled behaviour, particularly in the first few months. However, you know your baby best, so it is always appropriate to seek support if something doesn’t feel right.
No. You can book directly with The Osteopathic Practice without a referral.
Further reading
If you’d like to learn more about how osteopathy can support your baby and family, you may find these pages helpful:
