“Is My Baby’s Tension Normal?” A Parent’s Checklist
SEO Keywords: baby tension checklist, is my baby tight, baby only looks one way, baby hates tummy time, newborn stiffness, baby body asymmetry, baby reflux help San Francisco, infant osteopathy checklist
Parents often sense when something feels off in their baby’s body — even if they can’t put words to it. Babies can’t say “my neck is tight” or “my tummy feels uncomfortable,” so they express tension through behavior, posture, and movement.
This checklist is designed to help you understand what tension looks like in infants — and when osteopathic support can make a difference.
⭐ What Counts as “Tension” in Babies?
Babies naturally curl, stretch, yawn, and wiggle. But when movement becomes:
restricted
asymmetrical
effortful
uncomfortable
…it may indicate tension or limited mobility in certain areas.
Research shows that 1 in 6 babies develops some form of positional preference or asymmetry in the early months of life (Hutchison et al. 2004). Many of these patterns respond well to gentle manual therapy.
✔️ The Baby Tension Checklist
If you check multiple boxes, your baby may benefit from osteopathic assessment.
1. Head & Neck
☐ Prefers turning head only one way
☐ Struggles to turn head to the other side
☐ Flat spot on one side of the head
☐ Always sleeps facing the same direction
☐ Hates tummy time or can’t lift head comfortably
☐ Tilts head to one side (torticollis signs)
Why it matters:
Neck and cranial base tension affects feeding, head shape, vision tracking, digestion, and comfort.
2. Feeding
☐ Difficulty latching (breast or bottle)
☐ Clicking sounds while feeding
☐ Jaw fatigue or falling asleep early into feeds
☐ Prefers feeding from one side
☐ Gassy, fussy feeds
A 2017 study found that musculoskeletal tension can directly affect feeding ability in newborns (Herzhaft-Le Roy et al.).
3. Digestive Comfort
☐ Frequent spit-up or reflux
☐ Arching or stiffening during or after feeds
☐ Gassiness that doesn’t improve with burping
☐ Constipation or infrequent bowel movements
☐ Discomfort lying flat
Digestive discomfort is often linked to tension in the diaphragm, abdomen, or vagus nerve pathways.
4. Movement & Posture
☐ One arm or leg is used more than the other
☐ Difficulty rolling to one side
☐ Stiff, extended posture (looks “rigid”)
☐ Body always curls in one direction
☐ Fussy with diaper changes (especially lifting legs)
Babies with asymmetrical movement patterns are more likely to develop motor delays (Salls et al. 2002).
5. Sleep & Settling
☐ Hard to settle despite being fed/changed
☐ Catnapping or short sleep cycles
☐ Seems uncomfortable when lying down
☐ Jerky movements or difficulty relaxing
Tension in babies often expresses itself as restlessness or “wired but tired” behavior.
⭐ What’s Not Normal (But Extremely Common)
These patterns are not harmful in the short term, but they shouldn’t be ignored:
A persistent head-turning preference
Asymmetry in crawling or early rolling
Arching during feeds
Chronic fussiness without explanation
A flat spot that’s not improving
Strain with tummy time
Feeding difficulties lasting more than 2 weeks
These often indicate mechanical or fascial tension that can be gently addressed.
🌿 Why Osteopathy Helps
Osteopathy supports:
cranial mobility
neck and shoulder motion
diaphragm function
digestive comfort
symmetry in movement
relaxation of the nervous system
Research shows that manual therapy can meaningfully reduce:
crying time in colic babies
head asymmetry progression
feeding-related musculoskeletal limitations
(See Works Cited below.)
Babies respond exceptionally well because their tissues are soft, adaptable, and responsive.
📍 If Something Feels “Off,” Trust Your Instincts
Parents almost always sense tension before anyone else.
If your baby shows several signs from the checklist, a gentle osteopathic assessment can help identify what’s driving the discomfort — and support your baby in feeling more at ease in their body.
👉 [Book a baby osteopathy session in San Francisco]
References
Herzhaft-Le Roy, Joel, et al. “Effectiveness of Manual Therapy for Infants with Musculoskeletal or Neuromotor Dysfunction: A Systematic Review.” Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, vol. 21, no. 3, 2017, pp. 643–656.
Hutchison, Brian L., et al. “Risk Factors for Positional Plagiocephaly: A Prospective Cohort Study.” Pediatrics, vol. 112, no. 4, 2004, pp. e316–e322.
Salls, Jeannette S., et al. “Physical Therapy Management of Children with Torticollis.” Pediatric Physical Therapy, vol. 14, no. 2, 2002, pp. 75–84.
Hayden, Carolyn, et al. “Manual Therapy for Infantile Colic: Results of a Systematic Review.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, vol. 29, no. 9, 2006, pp. 682–691.
van Vlimmeren, Leonie A., et al. “Effect of Pediatric Physical Therapy on Deformational Plagiocephaly in Children with Positional Preference: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” BMJ, vol. 336, 2008, pp. 364–367.
