Craniosacral Fascial Therapy, Infant Driven Movement & Rhythmic Movement Training

The goal is to create a strain-free, thriving and happy baby!

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The Who, What & Where of Bodywork:

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Maria Parlapiano RN, IBCLC has been educated and experienced as a practitioner for years in

3 treatment modalities, (CFT) Craniosacral Fascial Therapy,  (IDM) Infant Driven Movement and

(RMT) Rhythmic Movement Training (descriptions below).  She will customize  a bodywork session

just for your baby's specific needs.    

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She may treat baby while you are holding baby or nursing, positioned on a bodywork table, the floor or in a her lap.  Maria will complete hands-on assessment of your baby’s whole body, particularly the feet, hips, trunk, shoulders, head and neck, as well as inside baby’s mouth using a light touch.  Additionally, baby may be moved in different positions to allow the natural forces within the body to help with soft tissue integrity and natural alignment.  Maria will also observe and assist baby’s tummy time skills. use hands-on assessment to locate areas of decreased mobility, tightness or restriction and gently help to mobilize the area using gentle experienced touch.  Bodywork helps baby with body awareness and maximizes baby’s access to postural reflexes and natural movement inclinations through the nervous system.

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Bodywork is gentle and slow movements, Maria pays close attention to baby’s subtle facial expressions, breathing patterns and relaxation response in the body and provides the just right amount of touch to allow the soft tissues to “unwind” and reorganize.  Babies are typically interactive with Maria during the session and ought to experience the touch as pleasant and non painful.  Occasionally babies experience an increase in arousal level and may gently complain during a session. This is natural as a cry is a release of emotion and way babies communicate.

 

If baby needs to feed during the session - no problem! Maria is an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant & feeding specialist with 25 yrs experience.    She will also teach /demonstrate activities you can provide at home to support baby’s continual progress.

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3 Modalities of Therapy:

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Craniosacral Fascial Therapy is performed by using a gentle form of therapeutic touch that is highly effective and non-invasive.  Focusing on the connective tissue and calming the heightened central nervous this modality helps release strain and tension patterns so a child’s body can be supported to self-correct and heal naturally.

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Infant-Driven Movement (IDM) allows the therapist to listen to the infant as s(he) stretches through her/his fascial strain patterns due to birth trauma.  softly feels for connective tissue or fascial restrictions without manipulating the newborn. It is gentle and noninvasive without applying force to adjust the infant.

The newborn drives his/her own movement by stretching, bending, flexing, extending (arching) or twisting while the practitioner gently allows, supports, follows and feels the soft tissues of the body release.

The newborn can beautifully let go of his/her emotional and physical traumas with complete freedom without any adult social filters. Like a tight spring gently unwinding, s(he) can relax and heal. The goal is to create a strain-free, thriving and happy baby.

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Rhythmic Movement Training based, primitive (infant or neonatal) reflex integration program that uses developmental movements, gentle isometric pressure and self-awareness to build the foundations for optimal growth  & development.  RMT is based on the work of Kerstin Linde, a Swedish movement training specialist, who developed movements based on her observations of how infants are meant to move.  

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The movements in Rhythmic Movement Training are based on replicating the movements that infants naturally make.  Using these movements to integrate the primitive reflexes are essential so that learning, communication, behaviour, emotional and general well-being can be given the opportunity to be accessed and developed.

                                                                                                                                                                                       

Bodywork helps with:                                                                                                                                                                                                 

• Gassy/fussy/colic                                                            

• Infant reflux                                                                    

• Poor feeder (breast or bottle)                                       

• Slow gainer                                                                      

• High need baby (cries a lot)                                           

• Pre & post lip/tongue release                                       

• torticollis (neck preference) /plagiocephaly (misshapen head)                                          

• strain/tension patterns  (ie tight hips, arms, legs)                                             

• Bowel issues  (irregular or painful)                                                             

• Sleep issues

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Some improvements you may notice after a session:

• Increased tongue movements and jaw opening

• Increased head and neck turning to both sides

• Improved comfort in babywearing, car seat etc.

• Calm and more relaxed appearance, less tense, more interactive

• Improved gastrointestinal function (easier passing gas, stooling, less reflux)

• Improved latch and breastfeeding abilities

 

How many sessions will my baby need?

Depending upon the severity of the restriction, as well as how fast baby is improving with mobility, latch/breastfeeding and TummyTime!™ abilities.

Could be as little as 2 sessions or as much as 10.

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Sessions are 1 hour, call for pricing (v/mc, venmo, ck, cash)   Insurance reimbursement forms provided.

WE'D LOVE TO HELP YOU - MAKE AN APPT TODAY!

973-701-0606

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