The Infant’s Innate Wisdom

I would like to share an update on our baby with club foot. Barry had posted that we were starting CFT treatments on this newborn, who was referred to us for several reasons including breastfeeding difficulties.  As it turns out, the baby does not have a true club foot. The Dr. suggested that the foot abnormality was from in utero positioning.

At the first visit the infant had severe pelvic strain that twisted and turned through her pelvic girdle and traveled into the right side of her head. When I would work her pelvic girdle, I would watch her turn her head hard to the left. She had severe strain in her mandible, temporal bones and left eye all connecting to her pelvic girdle and right foot (the affected foot ). When I would hold her right foot and pelvis, I could see it pulling on her left eye and mandible. The eye would close and her mandible would shift to one side. Vice versa….when I held her mandible, her right foot (the affected foot ) would raise straight up in the air.

Also, the mother was aware of the possibility of oral ties and wanted to try bodywork first. Plus, she had a good understanding that the oral ties were only a small piece of what was going on in her baby’s body, hoping to address some of the root issues.  The infant has had several CFT treatments, and the breastfeeding issue improved but the symptoms have changed. The family is ready to see a specialist for another assessment (they already had several assessments ) and possible TT revision next week.

However, our post is more to share the importance of connecting the dots in Infant CFT and allowing IDM and the infant’s innate wisdom to guide the practitioner.  Through her treatments, we have been connecting the fascial strain from points in her cranium down through her trunk to the right foot. As the fascia was shifting and releasing through her core from the prior treatment, the baby experienced constipation. The mother reported today that the baby had two bowel movements after yesterday’s treatment. I had found a great deal of strain in the pelvis and lower abdomen which caused a twist in her body and connected to her left eye. It seemed to be contributing or causing the constipation.

After those areas released (and the pattern that was connecting the tightness from her right jaw to her right foot ), the infant fell fast asleep while still laying on the massage table.  Allowing this infant to respond and guide each session has been very valuable. Her strain patterns are literally from head to toe and they are complex. It would be a complete hindrance to analyze or use a “script” of techniques.