Gentle, hands-on care for babies and toddlers with tongue tie. It also brings relief to breastfeeding parents with a painful or hard latch. Tongue tie affects more than the tongue. So craniosacral therapy looks at the whole picture: the head, jaw, neck and nervous system.
Dr. Alex Kaminsky, D.C. · Certified Craniosacral Therapist · Licensed chiropractor since 2000
Light-touch care for babies and parents in a calm, private Midtown Manhattan office. It adds to the care you get from your pediatrician, lactation consultant and dental provider.
Tongue tie happens when the frenulum is too short or too tight. That's the band of tissue under the tongue. It limits how freely the tongue can move. The name can be misleading. Tension that starts at the tongue often shows up in other parts of the body, in both baby and parent.
Two of the most common feeding problems are:
Dr. Kaminsky offers gentle craniosacral therapy for the tension linked to tongue tie. The aim isn't to "fix" the tongue alone. It's to help the whole body relax, so feeding can feel easier.
If you've felt bounced from one provider to the next, you're not alone. In a 2021 study in the journal Maternal & Child Nutrition, mothers of babies with tongue tie described strain on their well-being and relationships. They also shared real frustration with getting care. For gentle care in the newborn months, see infant craniosacral therapy.
Many parents are surprised to learn that a baby's tongue tie can lower their own milk supply. Milk supply runs on supply and demand. The more milk a baby removes, the more the body makes. Two hormones run this system:
When a baby sucks well, prolactin rises and the body makes more milk. A baby with tongue tie who can't latch well may not create enough demand. The body can take this as a sign that less milk is needed. Then prolactin and milk signals may drop.
Over time, less milk can mean shorter feeds and less oxytocin. Then the cycle can get stuck. Craniosacral therapy is a gentle approach that may help support the body's own milk production and ease this cycle.
A 2021 study, "Mothers' Experiences of Breastfeeding a Child with Tongue-tie," found that feeding a baby with tongue tie can take a real toll. It can wear on a parent's body and emotions. Pain, exhaustion and discomfort are common.
Pain and stress during feeding can also hold back oxytocin, the hormone that lets milk flow. A 2019 review, "Oxytocin and Early Parent-Infant Interactions," found that oxytocin plays a big role in bonding between parents and babies. Lower levels can make breastfeeding feel less rewarding. That can start a hard cycle.
Craniosacral therapy aims to support both parent and baby in four connected areas:
Craniosacral therapy is a gentle, hands-on method. It uses light touch at the skull (cranium) and the sacrum. The sacrum is the triangle-shaped bone at the base of the spine. The pressure is about what you'd use to check if a tomato is ripe.
Through this light touch, the therapist feels for tension in the layers and fluid around the brain and spinal cord. The goal is to ease this tension and calm the nervous system. A calm, balanced system lets the body rest, recover and respond the right way when it needs to.
The craniosacral system includes the fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) that cushions and feeds the brain and spinal cord. It also includes the layers and fascia that run along the spine from skull to sacrum. Fascia is a thin layer of tissue around every muscle, bone, nerve and organ. When fascia in this system tightens, it can slow fluid flow and create tension. Adults may feel this as a stiff neck. In a baby, it may show up as a "tight tongue" that doesn't move freely.
Tongue tie affects feeding, hormones, comfort and stress all at once. So care looks at the whole picture instead of one symptom.
Craniosacral therapy is gentle, non-invasive and works with other care. It does not diagnose, cure or replace medical, dental or lactation care. Results are never guaranteed and vary from person to person. Care is coordinated with your other providers.
Tongue tie can cause more than feeding trouble, because the tension can show up in other parts of the body. In babies and toddlers, you may notice:
Pediatric CST is a gentle, hands-on approach to the bones and tissues along the brain and spine. It can help ease pressure and tension in the skull, spine and sacrum. Three thin layers surround the brain and spinal cord. They hold cerebrospinal fluid, which moves in a slow, pulse-like rhythm. Pediatric CST checks that rhythm and uses gentle methods to support fluid flow. Better flow can help a baby's nervous system settle, so the body can support its own healing.
Tongue tie happens when the frenulum is too short or tight. That's the band of tissue under the tongue. It limits how freely the tongue can move and can affect feeding.
CST is gentle, hands-on care. It aims to ease tension in the fascia and soft tissues around the head, jaw, neck and mouth. The goal is easier tongue movement and more comfortable feeding. Results vary.
That decision belongs to your pediatrician, lactation consultant or dental provider. CST doesn't cut or remove a true tie. Dr. Kaminsky sees babies both before and after a release. In his experience, many babies he sees before a release don't end up needing one.
It can. Milk supply runs on a supply-and-demand cycle driven by prolactin and oxytocin. A baby who can't latch and suck well may not create enough demand. Over time, that can lower milk signals.
Yes. It uses very light touch, about the pressure used to check if a tomato is ripe. Sessions focus on relaxation, and many babies fall asleep or smile during care.
The office doesn't take insurance. You'll get an itemized superbill to send to your plan. HSA and FSA payments are accepted.
The office is at 36 East 36th Street, Suite 201, between Park and Madison in Murray Hill. It's about six blocks from Grand Central. Hours are Monday to Thursday 12 to 9pm and Friday 12 to 6pm, by appointment.
No. CST works with other care and does not diagnose, cure or replace medical or dental care. Care is coordinated with your pediatrician, lactation consultant or dental provider. A doctor should always check warning signs.
Call or text the office, or send a request. The office will follow up about your questions, open times and next steps for gentle craniosacral care in Midtown Manhattan.