In my experience with arching babies and babies with facial, cranial or
postural asymmetries, there is something amiss in bony alignment and
neurological areas. Cranial-sacral therapy and/or osteopathic manipulative
therapy has been wildly and wonderfully successful in helping these babies
in my area.

Whenever I encounter an arching baby or one with poor suck, I look for
overlapping or overriding or uneven cranial sutures, any non-symmetrical
body part (eyes, ears, mouth, shoulders, hips, spine) or any restriction in
range of motion in any joint especially shoulders. If any asymmetry or
restriction is noted, the client is referred to (or recommended to) one or
more qualified therapists in my community for further evaluation and
possible treatment. In the meantime, I continue to work with her to support
her milk supply and keep the baby fed with her own milk while treatment is
underway. The majority of these babies need 1-4 treatments to resolve the
suck problem and/or arching. Working with muscles (like in physical therapy
or suck training) is less effective than correcting the bones/connective
tissue issues first.

The biggest problem in helping these babies is political. Some of the
pediatricians are "believers" and eagerly refer to (and support) the
providers of these therapies. Others have attempted to forbid the local LCs
(especially the hospital-based LCs) from even mentioning these therapies to
the clients. This, of course, puts us in an ethical bind. (Same issue with
how to handle babies we find with a short frenulum.)

Linda J. Smith, BSE, FACCE, IBCLC
Bright Future Lactation Resource Centre
Dayton, OH USA
http://www.bflrc.com