All parents dream of a harmonious beginning.

Imagine: shortly after birth, you gently place your baby on your chest and offer her your breast – and she immediately knows what to do, happily takes the nipple and easily starts sucking. Did you expect such a sight?

And now – how many of you have encountered a completely different reality there? The baby cannot latch on properly, struggles, turns his head away, is upset or gives up quickly. Days and nights alternate as you try different positions, listen to advice from your midwife or friends, search for information on the internet and at one point, perhaps in tears, you ask: “Why is it so difficult for us?”

This blog is created specifically for you, for all parents who know how hopeful but also challenging the beginning can be, how much tenderness is mixed with uncertainty and fatigue. Because you are not alone – and your experiences, feelings, every question and every doubt are real and valuable.

Breastfeeding is considered a symbol of closeness and tenderness between mother and child. That first shared rhythm – the baby lying trustingly next to the mother, calming down to the sound of her heartbeat – makes all the effort worthwhile. But when things don’t go smoothly, parents are often overwhelmed by worry, doubt or even guilt. And these thoughts, even when they are uncomfortable, are completely normal.

Osteopathy proves to be a valuable support in such situations. Its uniqueness lies not only in the techniques and treatments, but also in the way it looks at the child – as a whole. Every tension, every blockage, every trace of the challenges of pregnancy or childbirth can affect the baby’s ability to suckle and enjoy the safety of breastfeeding. With a gentle approach, the osteopath, together with the parents, seeks out and resolves the hidden causes of the difficulties so that mother and baby can find their rhythm, trust and peace again.

You are here, in the right place, to find understanding, patience, and encouragement. Because your persistence, your attention, and every minute of fighting for your baby's well-being – are the greatest courage of parenthood.

The sucking and swallowing chain

When a baby is born, sucking and swallowing are not random actions, but a complex reflex chain that connects the brain, nerves and a series of precisely coordinated muscles in the mouth, jaw and neck. The brain sends impulses that are transmitted via nerves to the muscles of the tongue, cheeks, lips, jaw and neck: each muscle has a specific role – some hold the nipple, others create a vacuum, still others move the tongue towards the palate, and still others stimulate rhythmic swallowing and breathing.

If any of these small links is weakened by tension, birth trauma, stretching or pressure, the entire system is disrupted. The baby then fails to latch on to the nipple firmly, cannot create sufficient suction or coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing. Such disorders can manifest as the baby tiring quickly during feeding, frequent nipple loss, a tendency to cry, occasional breath holding or a shaky, irregular sucking rhythm.

These seemingly minor difficulties are actually the result of a delicate connection between the brain, nerve connections, and muscle balance - which is why after a difficult birth, especially with a lot of mechanical stress, it is important to recognize the first signs and seek professional support.

How much negative pressure does a baby create while breastfeeding?

You know that small, round bruise on the neck that many people get as a "souvenir" from their younger days 😉?

This bruise is created by a vacuum of approximately 0.1 ATÜ – this is exactly the same slight vacuum that a baby creates while breastfeeding. So, the vacuum that a baby uses to successfully feed is comparable to the vacuum that occurs when the skin is sucked for a long time, and the result is the well-known mark.

In a baby, this negative pressure is perfectly adapted for feeding and if everything is in balance, it leaves no lasting mark – except for the satisfaction after a good meal!

Types of difficult births and their challenges

"Sternengucker" – a gentle name for a demanding position

Sternengucker is a gentle German term that describes a baby born with its face facing upwards – as if it wants to catch a glimpse of the stars for a moment before seeing the world around it. In Croatian, this is called occipital breech presentation.

Although the name “Sternengucker” is gentle and evokes a warm image, the reality of this birthing position is far from gentle. During the passage through the birth canal, the baby’s head, neck and shoulders are subjected to unusual pressure and stretching, and the face is the most stressed. Unlike the classic position, in the “Sternengucker” birth the face, nose and eyes come into direct contact with the mother’s pubic bone – and the human face is not built for such friction, pressure and deformation. Therefore, it is not unusual for a newborn to show scratches, swelling, asymmetry or sensitivity to touch after such a birth, especially if the labor was long or the labor was strong. This position requires additional attention from the medical team, in order to reduce the risk and provide the baby with the necessary care and monitoring after birth.

This is why such a birth often has consequences - the child may have a strained neck muscle or irritated nerves, sometimes a fracture of the collarbone or the formation of a cephalhematoma (swelling on the head), asymmetry of the skull due to irregular pressure, and increased sensitivity of the neck and shoulders. Often, it is after such births that difficulties with mobility occur, but also with basic reflexes: sucking, swallowing, and proper breathing can be difficult.

The mother is not spared either: the risk of tearing the perineum or needing an episiotomy increases, and the second stage of labor can be extremely long and exhausting.

What is important to know is that a baby comes into the world with innate sucking and swallowing reflexes, which depend on the fine coordination of the brain, nerves and muscles of the face, jaw and neck. Any tension, tightness or trauma acquired during childbirth can disrupt these mutual connections and lead to problems with breastfeeding – the child has a poor latch on to the nipple, gets tired quickly or has an uneven sucking rhythm, spending much more energy on basic life functions. This is precisely why the beginning, although full of tenderness and symbolism, is physically and emotionally demanding, and deserves a lot of understanding, professional support and tenderness so that the baby and parents can find their common rhythm as quickly as possible.

Birth with vacuum extension

With a vacuum birthing cup, a vacuum of about 0.8 bar is created on the baby's head - this is a very strong negative pressure, which "sticks" the cup securely and stably to the baby's head. The strength of the vacuum can be compared to the pressure that a person feels when diving 8 meters below the surface of the sea - except that underwater it is an overpressure due to the weight of the water, while here there is a vacuum, or "pull", towards the cup. This way, the doctor has a better "grip" and can help the child during labor when labor is stalled or there is a danger to the baby or mother. The vacuum is created and released in a dosed and gradual manner, in order to reduce possible injuries and make the transitions as gentle as possible for the newborn.

It is important to understand that this method is not the first option and is only used when it is really necessary, for example if the baby is running out of oxygen, if the mother is exhausted after a long labor, or when the contractions are too weak. The goal is always to save life and health - in such situations, a vacuum cup is indispensable.

This strong, but precisely dosed negative pressure can, like any strong physical stimulus, leave temporary traces. Most often, these are mechanical changes on the scalp – for example, swelling (cephalhematoma) or bruising (hematoma). Such findings are usually not dangerous and disappear spontaneously in the first weeks of life. Negative pressure, as well as the pulling of the head itself, can also affect the sensitive nerves, muscles and tissues of the neck and jaw. For this reason, some children may show facial asymmetry after birth, have a preferred side to lie on, have difficulty opening their mouths or have more tension in the neck and shoulder area.

Very rarely, more serious complications such as internal bleeding in the head or, in very sensitive children, problems with the coordination of sucking and swallowing can occur. In most cases, these difficulties are mild and temporary, especially when the child is monitored and, if necessary, included in rehabilitation or osteopathic treatment.

It can be helpful for parents to know that the marks of this procedure are not a sign of someone’s mistake, but rather a reflection of the fact that birth can be challenging at times and that, when necessary, it is important to act quickly and clearly for the baby’s well-being. Although the vacuum cup momentarily applies significant force, most babies recover very quickly with professional support and continue to develop without any consequences. Talking openly with the medical team helps parents understand what happened, what to look out for, and what support options are available if more serious or long-term difficulties arise.

Cesarean section

With a cesarean section, the baby does not pass through the birth canal and does not receive the natural hormonal and mechanical stimuli that prepare the nervous system for the first breath, sucking, and breathing.

Such babies often appear calmer or "more relaxed," have lower muscle tone, and are slower to respond to stimuli. Sometimes sucking and swallowing are not well coordinated because there was no pressure and stimulation during passage through the canal.
In addition, the baby is not in first contact with the mother's bacteria from the birth canal, which can affect the immune system and digestion. It is important to provide skin-to-skin contact, colostrum feeding and, if necessary, support the microbiological balance immediately after birth.

During vaginal birth, the physical pressure and friction created by passing through the birth canal act as natural stimuli that "awaken" and activate the baby's nervous system, muscles, and reflexes. These stimuli encourage the coordination of breathing, swallowing, and sucking - crucial functions for the newborn.

Since these stimuli are absent in a cesarean section, the child may have a milder "delay" in establishing these reflexes or weaker coordination in the first days of life. This is why early osteopathic monitoring is useful: an osteopath can gently detect and balance tensions, blockages or weaknesses that arise due to the lack of physical stimuli, and in this way support the child's development, facilitate and improve sucking, breathing and navigating the new environment.

Forceps delivery and long, difficult labor

When giving birth with forceps or after a long and exhausting birth, there can be strong pressure on the head and neck, which can cause irritation of the muscles and nerves of the skull base. This most often refers to the trigeminal (N. trigeminus), glossopharyngeal (N. glossopharyngeus) and sublingual (N. hypoglossus) nerves.
The baby may then show exaggerated reflexes, have a stiff neck, or always lie on the same side. He may also have difficulty opening his mouth when breastfeeding due to increased tone in the jaw.
Gentle osteopathic treatment can help release tension and improve swallowing and breathing reflexes.

Kristellerov hvat

It is important to emphasize that the Kristeller grip is, according to modern medical guidelines, very controversial. It may only be used in strictly defined situations, with the explicit consent of the woman in labor, and with great care regarding the dose and strength of pressure, as there are known serious risks for the mother and child – from muscle and nerve injuries, to rib fractures, to possible birth trauma in the child.

For a newborn, this procedure can have various consequences. The sudden and strong pressure can cause hematoma, bruising, swelling or even bleeding on the head (for example, cephalhematoma or subgaleal hemorrhage). In addition, the pressure can irritate the nerves and muscles in the neck, face and shoulder area, which can then manifest as temporary weakness when sucking, difficulty swallowing, poor coordination of movements and reduced activity and fatigue when breastfeeding. Children who have undergone this procedure often show tension in the neck, have a preferred side for lying down or seem unusually shy. They may have difficulty latching on to the breast or may not open their mouths well when feeding.

All of these difficulties most often manifest through functional disorders - improper sucking, difficulties with coordination of breathing and swallowing, faster exhaustion during feeding, and weaker spontaneous activity.

After a challenging or traumatic birth, osteopathic care can be a valuable first step for both the child and the parents. A skilled osteopath applies deep knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology and helps where the problem arises – this means carefully identifying, understanding and resolving tensions or difficulties, depending on your child’s individual needs. Every baby deserves a comfortable start in life – so don’t hesitate to seek support and give your child the best chance for a happy start and successful breastfeeding.

Let's wrap up the story.

Different methods of birth, such as vacuum delivery, caesarean section or a long and difficult vaginal birth or procedure, can affect the early physical and neurological development of the baby. In addition to temporary changes to the head, neck or muscles, it is also possible to affect the balance of the nervous system, the coordination of sucking and swallowing, or even the general behavior of the baby – for example, if he is extremely irritable, has a favorite side to lie on or has difficulty latching on to the breast.​

Careful observation of the baby in the first few weeks allows parents to notice small changes or difficulties in time. Early osteopathic assessment is particularly useful because the osteopath, using gentle and precise movements with his hands, can feel tensions, blockages or restrictions of mobility that may not be visible at first glance. Such intervention often helps the baby to more easily establish balance in the body, suck better, sleep more peacefully and develop more relaxedly.​

A calm, supportive environment during breastfeeding further helps the child feel secure and their self-regulation functions as well as possible. Sometimes two or three osteopathic therapies are enough – especially if the treatment is individual and the child responds quickly to gentle stimuli.

Osteopathy is a proven gentle, safe and effective method of helping babies after a difficult birth, but also as a preventative measure for every newborn. The key is always to choose an educated, specialized osteopath – preferably with additional degrees or certificates in pediatric osteopathy. This way, parents can be sure that their child is in expert hands and that each procedure is tailored to their needs. Openness, trust and cooperation with the medical team provide your baby with the best support for a healthy start in life.​

The following applies to every child: the earlier the recognition, the gentler the intervention and the more careful the cooperation, the better for their long-term development and well-being. Osteopathy is there to support the child's natural strengths – gently, professionally and with full respect for the individuality of each little being.

Do you have a question, want to share your experience, or need advice? Get in touch – comment below, send a message, or arrange a chat. Your story and any questions are welcome!

Vasa

Alexandra Marjanovic