Breastfeeding family stories
My friend, Kim, told me about Catherine and craniosacral therapy because our baby was just frantic at the beginning of a nursing. She was not able to be in new situations or with new people, when she would look like a deer in the headlights.
More rest for me
I can’t thank you enough for all you taught us and helped Savannah with. She slept for five hours straight last night, something she has NEVER done before! Even today when I had to leave her with a babysitter (first time), she was calm and not hyper-alert. I feel tremendous relief after your visit. When we visited our family in the Dakotas over the holidays, it was such a joy that she could be held by other family members – more rest for me, as well!
After our first visit, I told Kim, the baby whisperer is coming. Every baby needs this work done. – Kathleen
Shortly after our daughter was born, she started having trouble latching on whenever it was time to breastfeed. We were discouraged after just having the most beautiful, natural and easy birth. A few days later I got mastitis. It was awful and so painful; I could barely hold my new baby girl. My midwife encouraged me to keep on breastfeeding and recommended craniosacral therapy to help with her latch.
Finding our rhythm
After seeing Catherine, we have had such a big improvement in breastfeeding. Now that I have recovered from mastitis and breastfeeding doesn’t hurt, we are finding our rhythm. Our daughter is doing really well. She is happy after eating, getting plenty and getting big.
My husband, a chiropractor, is adjusting her regularly and is continuing to use the home program for our daughter that you gave us. He and I both know how important a properly aligned spine and cranial bones are.
Our midwife spoke so highly of Catherine and we are so thankful and appreciate the help we got from both you and her to get through this rough start. – Gina
I was hurting top & bottom
Grace’s story
We are really grateful for what Catherine did for us. By our second night of breastfeeding, our little newborn had torn apart (bitten) one nipple & bruised the other. I was engorged, and had stitches, so I was hurting top and bottom. I was discouraged and anxious about not wanting to feed baby, because it hurt so much. It felt like we were not going to be able to do this.
Seeing tension in his little body
Seeing Catherine was such a positive experience for my family. She was so intuitive and clearly saw how we could relieve Jett’s tension. She helped us track with what is going on in his body that we never even noticed. Her goal was to see him a few times and to give us a home care plan so we could help him ourselves.
Baby is sleeping & feeding well
It has been much better since we saw Catherine. Now our baby Jett is sleeping, feeding well and just so much more relaxed. He is latching much better, eating a lot, and had regained his birth weight in good time. I am feeling much more confident now.
When she sat with us, Catherine took the time to acknowledge how hard everything was for me. I was feeling very vulnerable, physically and emotionally. Her sensitivity meant a lot to me.
I was ready to give up. Now I’m confident
At end of the session, we had a successful feed that was pain-free after the initial latch. Every day I am healing and have less pain. We made a game plan of how to manage feeds, limit engorgement and pain, and how to take it one feed at a time, with specific goals. I felt, ‘Oh, I can do this’.
My husband, Carlos, learned how to provide hands-on help for breastfeeding and set-up for feeds, so I can focus on feeding Jett. Just 3-4 days ago I was ready to give up. Now we are nursing well, and Jett is happy and satisfied. I feel connected to him.
Now that we understand how the baby’s little bones move around to get through the birth canal, we know that craniosacral therapy is totally helpful for newborns. I’ve told all my friends about craniosacral therapy. I’ll call Catherine next time I get pregnant and have her come within 24 hours of giving birth to help my next baby. – Grace Espinoza
I was relieved that I could help
Carlos’ story
It was difficult for me to watch my bride struggle with breastfeeding. She was in so much pain that by the second day, she was struggling with maybe giving up breastfeeding. I felt helpless.
Our midwife gave us Catherine’s number. We called that night in desperation, and she came the next morning. She spent a couple of hours with us, did therapy and taught us simple hands-on activities. Catherine was very clear & concise, and took time to explain everything.
What really helped was Catherine’s holistic approach. She showed us pictures and had us feel for ourselves how displaced his bones were. Catherine explained how this creates problems with latch and breastfeeding.
We saw immediate results
Catherine showed me and Grace how to massage her breasts to relieve engorgement, to use the Haakaa to collect milk, and how to make laid back nursing work. This position was much more relaxing and comfortable for Grace. We saw immediate results, just from very light touch, that made our baby’s jaw more conducive to latching.
Now we don’t need surgery for tongue or lip ties
I felt relieved that I can do something to help my wife and my baby. It’s good to know that we didn’t need surgeries or procedures for lip tie or tongue tie. Everything has been better after one session, and we have not had any problems since then. – Carlos Espinoza
In the first days my son’s latch had been so extremely tight that I had toe-curling pain and bruising. During craniosacral therapy our baby must have felt how he could open all his little bones and relax his jaw. After Catherine left, every nursing gradually improved, until his latch was open and wide by the next afternoon.
Surrounded by goddesses
People have come forward with such kindness to open up a whole new world of support as my husband and I are becoming parents. Our home birth midwives, Emme & Clare, have been so generous and connected us with such valuable helpers. Catherine turned breastfeeding around for us in one home visit. I am surrounded by goddesses. – Stephanie
In late June we welcomed our son into the world, a completely peaceful, natural birth. We were both instantly in love and we marveled at Thor as he readily nursed at my breast just moments after he was born. He was an easy baby from the start, barely fussing, only when he needed something. He slept three or four hours at a time most nights, nursing easily and regularly.
I was at my wits’ end
When Thor was eight days old, everything changed; his latch disintegrated, getting worse and worse with every passing day.
By day ten, I was at my wits’ end. It was taking Thor a minimum of fifteen minutes to latch so that he could even start nursing. Sometimes he took up to an hour or more! He had fits at the breast, crying, punching, and scratching my breasts and already sore nipples. He would swallow air during his tantrums and spit up all the milk we fought so hard to get down him. He would be starving and mad. I would be exhausted and mad. I visited a lactation consultant, read books, watched online tutorials on breastfeeding, anything to help us get the latch down. Finally, I called our doula. She referred us to a cranial-sacral therapist. I had no idea what that was, but I was desperate.
Still confused but willing to try just about anything, we called that night and got an appointment for the next day. Then I got a vague idea of what ‘cranial-sacral therapy’ was by doing a quick internet search.
Feather light touches
When we arrived, Thor was hungry. I tried to feed him. He rioted, as he had been doing for days. Catherine went straight to work. As she gently worked his hips and scalp with feather light touches, she explained that the bones in the skull and the small openings between them can sometimes adversely affect the nerves that control a baby’s ability to suck, swallow, and latch. Honestly, it didn’t look like much was happening. Sometimes Thor would be calm, sometimes he would whimper as she gently stroked his head. By the end of the session, I tried to nurse Thor again. Much to my and my husband’s amazement, Thor latched on instantly and began nursing!
Was it just a fluke?
I was in awe but wondered if it was just a fluke. Either way, I was thankful to have had it gone so well, if only for one time. When we got home, Thor cried for food. I pulled out my breast and held my breath. Again, he latched on instantly and began sucking. I was so excited! I called my mother, I called my sister. I texted the doula. My baby was nursing!
Back to our happy, easy baby
Thor continued to improve and though he still had some issues after that first session, it never took him an hour to latch again. It was at most fifteen or twenty minutes, most times less than five. I was ecstatic! We went back for two more sessions to fine tune things. He continued to make strides with every visit. After the third session, he was nursing like a normal baby. We are so happy to have our son back to the happy, easy baby that we knew from birth. – Elaine
Fast birth, painful breastfeeding, resolved
Baby Lokken made an early, fast entrance into the world. She and her mother, Jenna, labored for just five hours, had a quick transition and fast arrival. Covered abundantly with silky hair, little miss Lokken’s head was cone-shaped from her fast descent. This created nursing problems.
Jenna felt a lot of pain on her nipples and saw that her baby was latching on with a small mouth. This biting latch can be a nursing nightmare. Not only is a biting latch excruciating for mom, but sucking with a bite doesn’t bring in the milk supply properly. Many moms give up nursing when it’s just unproductive pain and their baby is not gaining well.
With just two craniosacral sessions, baby Lokken opened wide, took in the breast and easily found a full suck rhythm. Now nursing successfully, Jenna and her baby have painless feeds with abundant milk supply.
Help for your child’s journey
Gentle bodywork & lactation counseling
The light touch of craniosacral and myofascial therapy resolves compression forces of birth that cause problems with breastfeeding, colic, sleep, tension, and alignment.
Parent education
Comprehensive online Natural Breastfeeding video series, created by an IBCLC and an MD.