Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
“As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.”
— A.T. Still, founder of osteopathy
Osteopathic medicine is based on the idea that how a body is structured and how it functions are closely connected—and that our bodies have a natural ability to heal and rebalance. This makes it a powerful approach for both you and your baby during pregnancy and postpartum, and your child’s early life.
What Is Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM)?
OMM is a gentle, hands-on approach used by osteopathic physicians (DOs) to assess and support how the body is functioning. Using a variety of light touch techniques, they work with areas of tension, restriction, or imbalance to help the body release and reorganize itself.
Types of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Visits
OMM for Babies
OMM can be especially helpful for babies, whose bodies are still developing and highly responsive to subtle changes. If your baby has experienced tension or restrictions related to pregnancy, birth, or other early challenges, this can affect how they feed, grow, and settle. OMM helps address these underlying patterns, supporting more ease and balance in the body.
OMM for Children
For older children, OMM allows your doctor to assess and treat areas of discomfort or dysfunction through manual techniques—without your child needing to explain what they are feeling.
OMM treats the whole child, addressing the root cause of problems and promoting optimal health and wellbeing.
OMM for Pregnant or
Postpartum Parents
For you, whether you are pregnant or postpartum, OMM can support recovery from the physical demands of pregnancy, birth, and feeding. It can help your body release strain, restore balance, and build resilience.
You may schedule an appointment directly with the osteopathic physicians, or we may recommend it as part of a more comprehensive plan of care.
Insurance
We will provide you with a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. While coverage varies by plan and we cannot guarantee reimbursement, many of our families who submit claims are successful.
It is a great idea to call your insurance provider before your appointment to see what care coverage they provide. When you call, here are some details your insurance provider may want to know to preapprove your reimbursement:
Teaching Babies to Nurse Tax id: 82-4095298
Teaching Babies to Nurse NPI (Billing Provider): 1679246797
Diagnosis code: M99.00 - M99.09
Procedure codes: 98929, 99204 for the initial visits, 99213 for the return visits
If your insurance provider does not approve the care, please contact Annalee, who may be able to work with you to find coverage.
FAQ
Why would my baby benefit from OMM?
Many babies have restrictions and dysfunctions in their bodies resulting from the birth process or other conditions, that prevent them from feeding, growing, and developing to the best of their ability. OMT can address these underlying problems, allowing for the baby’s natural state of balance and health to unfold.
What is the difference between OMM and CST?
While both OMM and craniosacral therapy (CST) use light touch to release tension and address asymmetry, there are important differences. OMM is a medical approach that evaluates and treats the whole body, including all the various body systems (musculoskeletal, neurologic, lymphatic, circulatory, visceral, etc) to address underlying health concerns. There are a variety of osteopathic manipulative techniques, including osteopathic cranial manipulation, balancing techniques and more. CST focuses more specifically on supporting relaxation and symmetry within the muscles, fascia, and fluid systems.
Can I see the osteopathic physicians for other reasons?
Dr. Esmaili sees pediatric patients up to age 18, regardless of whether they are coming in for feeding difficulties. Dr. Conaway provides care for people of any age (infant through adult) for any reason. She additionally offers Breastfeeding Medicine consults.