What you can expect from the programme:

• a one year programme that will take you from a 'novice' in the field (or substantially enhance your current competence) of care of mother and infant from an osteopathic perspective
• high quality educational resources and well developed curriculum at post graduate level
• evidence informed practice guidelines and frameworks
• understanding of scope, roles and boundaries and interprofessional care and a patient oriented approach to care
• critical appraisal of osteopathic constructs and relevant scientific rational and exploration of evidence for and regarding osteopathic care: from the literature in the fields of
  • obstetrics, manual therapy, midwifery, maternal mental health, physiology, psychology, paediatrics and infant development, maternal and infant feeding, transition physiology for mother and infant, neuroscience including the autonomics and developmental neuroanatomy and function, pain science, endocrine immune function, gastrointestinal, cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal medicine, developmental anatomy and other relevant fields.
• Clinical observations and supervised clinical engagement and instruction
• Practical technical sessions to develop and extend your examination and clinical assessment approaches and your technical expertise in the fields of maternal and infant care.
• Regular support and tutorials once a month
• You will leave the programme with your skills considerably enhanced, and with a more developed and critical awareness of relevant evidence in support of the osteopathic approach to the care of mother and infant.
• You will now be competent to undertake osteopathic care of the mother and infant across a range of common clinical presentations and dynamics, and be aware of risks, possible benefit, referral dynamics and be aware of the limits and boundaries to osteopathic interventions in these fields of care
• You will become experienced in approaches to optimal foetal positioning, maternal and infant interaction during pregnancy, the process of birth, musculoskeletal pain and other physiological problems in pregnancy, maternal and infant birth outcomes, management of perineal injury and surgical interventions such as caesarean, infant transition, common birth injuries for the infant, development of the infant, sensory processing and primitive reflexes and infant feeding, latch and breastfeeding dynamics, tongue tie considerations, head shapes and other infant molding and postural dynamics, musculoskeletal movement and development, infant communication, maternal and infant bonding, social engagement dynamics, and neuro-endocrine-immune and visceral function dynamics, unsettledness, sleep dynamics, digestive and respiratory dynamics
• You should expect to set aside at least 20 hours a month, over a 9 month period to cover core learning materials online in your own time, and to be aware that there is additional supplementary material online in support of the programme, all of which is available as a long term resource after qualification.  After the taught programme ends, you should allow 20 hours a month for the remaining 3 months of the year to fulfil all the assessment requirements
• You will be expected to attend the majority of the live zoom tutorials (which are recorded for later review)
• You will be required to attend 6 teaching clinic days, which include half a day clinic, and half a day technique / examination approaches (we can discuss issues of foreign attendance or personal sickness or life dynamics if this becomes problematic after enrolment).
• You will need to complete the assessment requirements of peer and clinical tutor observation, practical labs, 3 written essay / reflective case discussion, to undertake a series of forum chats/ discussion within the group, and to complete an initial and a final learning needs analysis.
• You will be in a collegiate and supportive environment which encourages interaction with all your fellow students, enhancing your learning journey with the CNMO.