Care for infants
Your baby deserves answers, not "they'll outgrow it."
Craniosacral therapy is gentle, hands-on care that eases tension left from birth, so your baby can feed, digest and rest more comfortably.
Maybe a midwife sent you. Maybe a lactation consultant did. Maybe it was a late-night search with a baby on your shoulder. Whatever brought you here, you're in the right place.
We look past the symptom to what is driving it, and our team works together so you only have to tell your story once.
I'm looking for help with
What we do
We start by looking at your whole baby.
Craniosacral therapy is very gentle, hands-on care. We look at how your baby's birth, feeding, movement and body fit together, so we can find what is driving the symptom and not only treat the symptom itself.
Then we use light touch to ease areas of tightness, and we teach you what to do at home.
We listen first
We start with your concerns and your baby's symptoms, then move on to your baby's birth story.
We assess the whole baby
A gentle look at your baby's head, neck, jaw and body, and how your baby moves and feeds.
We treat and teach
Very gentle touch. It may look like we are not doing much, but you will see your baby's body relaxing. You go home with exercises and massages for between sessions.
We recommend your team
If your baby would benefit from lactation, feeding, occupational or physical therapy, we tell you who and in what order.
Why families choose us
Babies are what we do.
Meaghan, our founder, is an experienced craniosacral therapist who has taken 14 continuing education courses in infant bodywork. She brought everything she learned back to our team, so everyone here has craniosacral knowledge, which looks at the body from a deeper view than most other manual therapies.
MyBaby Unwind is a pediatric clinic, caring for babies and families in Toronto since 2018. Little bodies and new parents are our whole focus.
14
continuing education courses in infant bodywork
1000s
of babies treated since 2018
200
practitioners trained by Meaghan
Reasons for care
What is your baby going through?
Find the group that sounds most like your baby. Many babies with these symptoms improve within a few sessions. Your baby may have more than one of these going on, and that is okay. After your first visit, we'll recommend the right care team for your baby, so you never have to figure it out alone.
Feeding and latch
- Painful latch or nipple pain
- Shallow latch, clicking or smacking sounds
- Frequent unlatching, pulling away or crying at the breast
- Consistently preferring one breast
- Gagging or choking during feeds
- Falling asleep within minutes, or feeds lasting 45 minutes or more
- Slow weight gain, or bottle refusal
Who may help and how to book
Who may help
Start with craniosacral therapy to ease the body tension behind the latch, then follow with lactation support from our IBCLC lactation consultants.
Feeding therapy with our speech-language pathologist can also help. They assess your baby's suck and suggest gentle mouth exercises to improve function.
You're not failing. Your baby's body may need help releasing restrictions.
Tongue ties and oral function
- A tongue tie or oral restriction
- Support before and after a release
- Milk dribbling from the mouth
- Weak oral muscles affecting feeding
- Drooling beyond the typical age
- Gagging on bottles or pacifiers
Who may help and how to book
Who may help
Both feeding and oral motor therapy with our speech-language pathologist and craniosacral therapy. Either one can go first.
You'll also learn gentle ways to work inside your baby's mouth at home. This helps you and your baby get ready for a tongue tie release, and supports healing afterward.
Many families find a few craniosacral sessions around a release helps. We suggest booking 3 to 4 days before and again 1 to 2 days after. Whether to release is always your choice, made with your care providers.
Reflux and digestion
- Colic or constant fussiness
- Reflux, spitting up or projectile vomiting
- Gas and digestive discomfort
- Straining during bowel movements
- Spitting up during or after feeds
Who may help and how to book
Who may help
Craniosacral therapy, with lactation support when symptoms are tied to feeds.
Parents often notice a difference in their baby's comfort within 3 to 4 sessions. You'll also go home with exercises and massages to use in the middle of the night, when you need the support most.
Head, neck and body
- Flat spots or a misshapen head
- Head turning to one side
- Torticollis
- Back arching
- Breech or sunny-side-up position
Who may help and how to book
Who may help
Craniosacral therapy, with physiotherapy and occupational therapy for movement and positioning when needed. We'll recommend the right team for your baby.
Movement and milestones
- Tummy time is hard
- Trouble with head and neck control
- Delays in sitting, rolling, crawling, standing or walking
- Reaching and grasping, or a one-hand preference
- Starting solids, or worries about textures
Who may help and how to book
Who may help
Occupational therapy for ages 0 to 3, with craniosacral therapy when physical restrictions are involved.
Ask about MyBaby In Motion, our small-group workshops for newborns (0 to 4 months) and pre-crawlers (4 to 8 months).
Breathing, sleep, ears and eyes
- Shallow or mouth breathing
- Severe restlessness
- Chronic ear infections
- Chronic sinus infections
- Blocked tear ducts
Who may help and how to book
Birth and feeding are connected
Birth is a big journey for little bodies.
Every birth, including cesarean birth, is a big journey for a baby. Sometimes it leaves areas of tightness in the jaw, neck, shoulders and body. This is very common, and it responds well to gentle support. For some babies, that tightness can make feeding take a little more effort, such as opening wide for a deep latch, turning their head to both sides, coordinating sucking, swallowing and breathing, or staying calm while eating.
However your baby arrived, and whatever choices you have made since, we move forward together without judgment.
Common starting points
Your first visit
What to expect
Every first visit starts with listening. We listen first, advise second. Choose the visit you are booking to see how it goes.
Craniosacral therapy visit
We begin with a full health history and your birth story, then move into a gentle assessment and treatment in the same appointment. Your baby does not need to be still. They can feed, move, rest on your lap or lie on a soft surface. Crying during treatment does not necessarily mean pain. It may mean your baby is releasing tension, and comfort always comes first.
Lactation visit
Your lactation consultant learns your full birth and feeding story, watches a complete feed at the breast or bottle, and looks at your baby's body patterns, including tension and compensation. You get hands-on help with positioning and latch, a plain explanation of what she is seeing and why, a plan with specific next steps, and techniques to use at home.
Most families have 2 to 4 sessions, with email and phone support in between. Visits can be in your home (West Toronto, Peel and Halton), virtual, or at our King St West clinic.
Lactation support is covered by extended health benefits only when your plan includes Nursing and explicitly lists lactation support. To be covered, it must be booked with Jessica.
Feeding therapy visit
Our speech-language pathologist assesses how your baby's tongue, jaw and lips move and work together, watches a feed whether breast, bottle or solids, and reviews oral habits such as tongue position, breathing and resting mouth posture. You leave with a plain-language explanation, a plan with specific goals, and strategies to use at home. She works with our craniosacral therapists whenever bodywork is relevant.
Occupational therapy visit
Our occupational therapist watches your baby move, reach and respond, and assesses motor skills, play, feeding and sensory processing. You practise with your baby during the session with coaching, then take home an activity plan that fits into tummy time, play, feeding and dressing. You are an active partner, and she works at your baby's own pace without judgment.
Your care team
Get to know the people who will care for your baby.
Meet them before you book. Our team works together, so the right person is there for your baby, whether that is craniosacral therapy, lactation support, occupational therapy or more.
Because we are one team under one roof, referrals stay in house, you don't retell your story, and we do our best to stack your appointments on the same day.
Tap a name to book
Lactation consultants (IBCLC)
Jessica DaryawishRN, IBCLC, PNC(c)Lactation supportHome and virtual: West End GTA and PeelS
Sara TomensonRMT, CST, IBCLCCraniosacral, lactationRegistered massage therapists (RMT)
Meaghan BeamesRMT, CST, BRMTCraniosacral, all agesM
Melanie AlcobendasRMT, CSTInfant craniosacral, massageHome visits: West Toronto and EtobicokeS
Sheila YoungRMT, CST, BRMTInfant craniosacral, massageSSara TomensonRMT, CST, IBCLCCraniosacral, lactationOccupational therapy (OT)
Coming soon
Why gentle works
About 5 grams of pressure, roughly the weight of a nickel.
How it works
The tension we address sits in the fascia, the connective tissue that surrounds the body. It responds to light, sustained touch. Holding tight areas gently lets the tissue soften, which changes how your baby feels, moves and feeds.
Craniosacral therapy was developed by Dr. John E. Upledger, an osteopathic practitioner. His research at Michigan State University found that about 5 grams of pressure can release tissues from head to toe.
What you may notice
Results vary, and one treatment may relieve several symptoms. Some babies change right away, with a deeper latch, less clicking while feeding, easier head turning or a change in head shape.
Over time, families may see easier weight gain, fewer ear infections, less reflux and longer sleep stretches. Often 2 to 5 treatments resolve the main concern.
After a session
Your baby may be sleepier or fussier for a few days, or you may see no change at all. Some areas need time to integrate, often after a good sleep or several days of naps.
If nothing changes, another treatment or a different practitioner may help. We will talk through it with you.
Common questions
Questions parents ask us
Anything else on your mind? Call 647-372-0011 and we are happy to talk it through.
Is craniosacral therapy safe for my newborn?
It uses very light touch. Before any treatment, your practitioner asks about your baby's health and birth, and will tell you if something should be checked by your doctor first.
How young can we start?
We can care for babies as young as a few hours old. Craniosacral therapy is so gentle that even the youngest babies can receive care. Tell us your baby's age when you book and we will guide you.
What happens at the first visit?
We listen first to your concerns and your baby's symptoms. Then we move on to your baby's birth story. After that, we gently assess your baby's head, neck, jaw and body, and talk with you about what we find. Then we treat with very gentle touch. It may look like we are not doing much, but what you will see is your baby's body relaxing. Parents often notice their baby has more range of motion in the neck within the first session. Choose the visit you are booking in What to expect above to see how it goes.
How many sessions will my baby need?
It is different for every baby. Parents often notice a difference in their baby's comfort within 3 to 4 sessions, and you will go home with exercises and massages to use between visits.
Which provider do we see first?
Most families begin with craniosacral therapy. Sometimes feeding therapy or occupational therapy comes first. After your first visit we recommend the right team and the order, so you do not have to work it out alone.
Craniosacral therapy for every age
Ready for easier days?
Book online any time, or call 647-372-0011 and tell us what you are seeing. All families welcome.