Paediatric Obstetric Osteopathy

Previously living in Clapham, which has the highest number of under 5's in Western Europe, Ashling had an inordinate number of babies and pregnant patients presenting to her clinic - for the mums rib pain, lower back pain, pelvic pain and nausea mostly.  Simultaneously she was also working at the Osteopathic Centre for Children "OCC" charity in Harley Street.  One day, prior to having children herself, she had a lightbulb moment whilst treating a baby who had been deprived of oxygen at birth.  Listening to the mum give the case history, Ashling realised that there had been many missed opportunities for positive intervention during the pregnancy.  It started with the mum feeling terrible for most of the pregnancy due to nausea, fatigue and pain.  She was told it was "normal".  It's not.  From that point on I decided to learn everything I could about pregnancy and birth to support a better outcome.  If a mum is well and pain-free during the pregnancy she is likely to have a baby that is positioned optimally inside her and then has a higher chance of an easier, safer, quicker delivery for both of them. I was already a registered osteopath and medical acupuncturist and decided to enhance my knowledge by attending every pregnancy and birth course going, which I continue to do for my obligatory Continued Professional Development "CPD".

​

MY BIRTH STORIES - WARNING - TRIGGERING!

I got pregnant during what was a particularly stressful time.  We had just moved home.  The clinic I was working at closed.  I had to set up a new practice from scratch, knowing I was then going to go on maternity leave.  We needed to make structural alterations to the house.  I was nauseous throughout the pregnancy. I had terrible migraines. I was exhausted constantly.  I was really dizzy and kept feeling as though I was going to pass out.  I developed two slipped disks in my lower back. I was in lots of pain.  Then I developed pubic symphysis diastisis "PGP" "SPD" - I was on crutches or in a wheel-chair; I couldn't turn over in bed by myself; I got very little sleep because of the pain.  Having always had very low blood pressure, I suddenly developed very high blood pressure and almost over night put on over four stone - 25kg - in fluid.  I looked like a sumo-wrestler on steroids!  My bump was enormous!  I no longer had ankles.  I was told I had "pre-eclampsia, but not".  My symptoms didn't quite fit the picture 100%. My blood ferritin levels were through the roof but no-one picked up the link with this and auto-immune flare-up - there would just be jokes about how I must eat lots of spinach!  I was in and out of hospital, all the while still working, because I had to.  It was the hottest summer for years.  I was exhausted, in pain and miserable.  The NHS told me to use a slide sheet, the crutches and the wheelchair, gave me some exercises I couldn't do, and said to get some ramps installed as I may never walk unaided again.  My complementary medicine colleagues were scared to touch me.  It was a very lonely scary place.

​

One day a lovely friend came round to paint the nursery for me, something I was really looking forward to doing.  He was procrastinating about getting started and I thought he was acting weird.  Eventually he said, "I think you're having a stroke".  I was admitted to hospital for the rest of the pregnancy - every day being a balancing act between my health and that of the baby.  The aim was to get the baby to 37 weeks gestation.  

After a few failed attempts at induction prior to 37 weeks, I finally gave birth "naturally" with ventouse and an episiotomy.  It wasn't a great experience and must have been very scary for the midwives with my blood pressure soaring!  My birth plan went out of the window!  Little did I know that I had undiagnosed autoimmune "Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome" "APS" and that I'd been very lucky to carry a baby to term and even more lucky that he was "normal" despite my clotty blood.  It would take a few more little strokes to finally get a diagnosis 20 years later.  Luckily it's a very rare condition and even now, each time I get admitted to hospital, I find myself teaching the medical staff about what APS is and how it affects me.  The positive takeaway is that despite being told not to get pregnant ever again, I ignored the advice, suffered the same symptoms, was admitted to hospital again, but I gave birth by to c-section to a healthy girl and I'd do it all again.

​

So why share with you my sorry tale?  I felt I had no-one who understood what I was going through.  I was gaslit all the way - told everything was due to stress - that I should stop being stressed.  Just like that.  So easy!  No-one was willing or able to help me.  The thought of going through labour when I was already in pain was inconceivable.  That's why I want to help pregnant women to never have to go through what I went through.  There are things that help.  There are ways I know I have helped other women.  You are not alone.

​

Osteopathy is a gentle and effective hands-on approach to healthcare, based on the principle that the way your body moves influences how it functions and vice versa..   We are all taught both structural and "cranial osteopathy" techniques.  I use both methods as appropriate.  Osteopaths are highly competent Allied Health Professionals, recognised by the NHS as fully qualified to diagnose and treat independently.  

Osteopaths are statutorily regulated.  No-one can call themselves an osteopath if they are not on the osteopathic register, fully-insured, and up to date with their Continued Professional Development, CPD.

Over 30,000 people every day visit an osteopath suffering from a variety of conditions including neck or back pain, joint or muscular pain, sports injuries, recurring headaches and more. Many patients are pregnant mothers, unsettled newborns, or those with work strain, or pain and stiffness related to advancing years.

​

Western medical acupuncture is a therapeutic modality involving the insertion of fine needles with or without an electric current; it is an adaptation of Chinese acupuncture using current knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathology, and the principles of evidence based medicine.  For those who are a bit squeamish, needles can be replaced with a device that stimulates the same points.

As you don’t need a referral from your doctor, you will typically be able to see an osteopath/medical acupuncturist quickly, without the long waiting times that often occur with other treatment options.

Whatever your age and no matter what challenges you may have with your health, there is probably something an osteopath/acupuncturist can do to help.