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In this episode of Behind the Latch, Margaret interviews Meaghan Beames, Registered Massage Therapist, educator, and infant craniosacral therapy specialist based in Toronto. Meaghan shares her journey into craniosacral therapy following her own early breastfeeding struggles and explains how this gentle, hands-on modality can support infants experiencing feeding difficulties, poor latch, weak suck, reflux, tension patterns, and post-birth dysregulation.

Together, Margaret and Meaghan unpack what craniosacral therapy actually is—and what it is not—moving beyond common misconceptions of it as “woo” or energy work. Meaghan offers a clear, physiology-based explanation grounded in fascia, cranial nerve function, nervous system regulation, and developmental biomechanics, helping clinicians understand how subtle tension patterns from gestation and birth can profoundly affect infant feeding and behavior.

Throughout the conversation, they explore the clinical intersections between lactation care and bodywork, including the role of cranial nerves in suck function, the relationship between birth mechanics and oral dysfunction, and how craniosacral therapy may improve outcomes before and after frenotomy. Meaghan also provides practical language clinicians can use with families, guidance on practitioner training and safety, and insight into when referrals to other disciplines are appropriate.

🔍 What We Talk About

• How Meaghan entered infant craniosacral therapy after her own postpartum and breastfeeding experience
• What craniosacral therapy is, how it works, and how it differs from chiropractic, osteopathy, and physical therapy
• Fascia, tension patterns, and why the body must be viewed as a single integrated system
• The role of cranial nerves in infant feeding, suck strength, and oral coordination
• How gestational positioning, birth interventions, and delivery mechanics influence feeding outcomes
• Why babies may feed well on one side but struggle on the other
• Weak suck, poor oral sensation, and why some infants “can’t feel” the nipple
• The limitations of appearance-based tongue-tie assessment and why function must come first
• How craniosacral therapy may improve frenotomy outcomes and reduce reattachment risk
• Why cutting a dysfunctional tongue without addressing body tension can worsen feeding
• What a typical infant craniosacral session looks like, including assessment and treatment flow
• How many sessions are typically needed and why “snapback” can occur
• How craniosacral therapy supports nervous system regulation and reflex integration
• What families may notice after treatment, including emotional release and behavior changes
• How to talk with parents about craniosacral therapy in clear, non-alarming language
• Safety considerations, training standards, and how to identify qualified practitioners
• What the current research does—and does not—tell us about craniosacral therapy
• Options for families who cannot access or afford bodywork services

🧠 Key Takeaways for Clinicians

• Infant feeding difficulties are often rooted in whole-body tension patterns, not isolated oral anatomy.
• Cranial nerve dysfunction can impair suck, coordination, and sensation even when oral anatomy appears “normal.”
• Craniosacral therapy uses extremely light touch to identify and release fascial restrictions affecting function.
• Birth mechanics, including fetal position and obstetric interventions, can significantly impact feeding.
• Frenotomy without addressing underlying body tension may destabilize tongue function and worsen outcomes.
• Craniosacral therapy may support feeding both before and after tongue-tie release.
• Language matters: explaining the work in functional, observable terms builds parent trust.
• Practitioner training and infant-specific education are critical for safety and effectiveness.
• Craniosacral therapy is low risk when performed appropriately, but not interchangeable with adult-based bodywork.
• Supporting parental intuition and confidence is an essential part of infant care.

👩‍🏫 Guest

Meaghan Beames, RMT

Infant Craniosacral Therapist & Educator, Toronto, Canada

Beames CST

MyBaby Craniosacral Podcast

MyBaby Instagram

📝 Connect with Margaret

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📸 Instagram: @margaretsalty

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🎙 Podcast: Behind the Latch

Hosted by: Margaret Salty

Music by: The Magnifiers – My Time Traveling Machine

#BehindTheLatch #CraniosacralTherapy #InfantFeeding #IBCLC #BodyworkAndLactation #CranialNerves #TongueTie #InfantRegulation #BreastfeedingSupport #LactationEducation #WholeBodyCare

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