Maternal and Infant Osteopathic Care Diploma

This is a revised and updated programme – across 16 months – hybrid format.  

Free mini lectures, indicating some of the course content –

Check out the sample lecture page!

What the course covers

Maternal and Peri-Partum Care, Post-partum Maternal and Infant Care from birth and through infancy.

What is the timetable?

Enrolment is for September.

The programme starts in September, and monthly tutorials start in October, ending in the following December.  Modules are released monthly which contains your lectures, resources, quizzes and learning guides.  Allow around 2 evenings a week, or one weekend a month to cover the material for each module.

• there are 16 modules (including introductory and assessment modules) – starting in September – allow 1 evening a week for this overview and introductory module.
• October (module one)- to December (module 15) the following year – content is released covering the lifespan, in 12 modules.
• One hour tutorials (Q and A sessions) run in modules one through 12 – this is from the second month of the programme.  These are for your questions, and discussions of cases and technique approaches.
• Module 1 (October), Module 5 (February, Module 7 (April), Module 9 (June) module 12 (September) and module 14 (November) contain intensive practical blocks and clinic / patient experience where available (see below for details).
• Module 13 includes further evidence recap and critical appraisal of the osteopathic approach and programme content,
• Modules 14 and 15 include clinical summaries and assessment components.
• Assessment is the preparation and presentation of cases, a reflective learning outcomes portfolio, and a mini evidence review in a topic of your choosing.  These are due in module 15 / December at the end of the programme.  There are formative (unassessed mini quizzes each module, to help your learning progression).

Modular content

1. Introductory module – September – osteopathic philosophy and principles – reviewing tradition and systemic concepts for  assessing physiology and creating clinical osteopathic interpretation for modern clinical practice.
   • many programmes do not include a physiological and biological analysis through movement and structure, and this overview module gives you insight to Still’s traditional concepts, which are then explore through evidence throughout the programme.
2. Module One – October – The intrauterine environment and foetal-infant development.  Being born, emergence of self and of physiology and the development for form / anatomy in response.
   • module one contains the practical for the global concepts in the introductory module. THIS IS A COMPULSORY PRACTICAL BLOCK FOR THE GLOBAL CONCEPTS
3. Module Two – November – How heads work, osseous dynamics, venous, CSF and hydraulic fluid dynamics, introduction to birth trauma.
4. Module Three December – transition physiology, the real ‘first breath’, arousal, vestibulo-autonomic dynamics, initial reflexes, airways and tissue perfusion.
5. Module Four – January – immune dynamics, introduction to the body cavities, pressure systems, inter-organ signalling and movement – links between general infant MSK movement and visceral / fluid development.
6. Module Five – February – infant feeding, suck-swallow-breath, stomatognathic, face and mouth function, tongue dynamics, brainstem and trigeminal issues.  Infant pain dynamics.
   1. THIS MODULE INCLUDES A COMPULSORY PRACTICAL BLOCK, covering the preceding material as well.
7. Module Six – March – Metabolic, global visceral, endocrine immune dynamics, hormones, bones and growth.
8. Module Seven – April – Pregnancy – movement, function and embodiment – includes assessment of fluid changes, physiological changes, sense of self changes, and biomechanical / MSK changes and adaptations.
   1. THIS MODULE CONTAINS A COMPULSORY PRACTICAL BLOCK.
9. Module Eight – May Considering optimal foetal positioning, and the emerging relationship between mother and child and how this relates to biomechanical and sensory dynamics for Mum.
10. Module Nine – June – understanding maternal-infant communication the triggers for labour, dynamics of birth and special considerations in the pelvis and pelvic floor, restoration of gynaecological function.  Intraosseous strain dynamics, maternal pelvic molding, and the immune function in the pelvis.
11. Module Ten – July – Post-partum dynamics, including birth trauma for Mum, and restoration of non pregnant neurology and biology and a reconceptualization of ongoing anatomical function and communication post partum.
12. Module Eleven – August – breastfeeding, maternal-infant bonding and maternal mental health.  Includes concepts for maternal body cavity dynamics, diastasis and reorganised trunk and postural integrity and function.
13. Module Twelve September – pelvic floor function, prolapse function (from birth trauma or other causes).
    1. THIS MODULE INCLUDES A COMPULSORY PRACTICAL COMPONENT FOR UROGENTIAL AND PEVIC FLOOR FUNCTION, AS WELL AS INTERNALS WORK – see separate information below.
14. Module Thirteen – October – Global neurology – autonomics, brainstem, spinal cord and various reflexes – overview and summary.  Review of rhythms and oscillations in development and function.
15. Module Fourteen – November – Review of early infant care.
    • This block also contains a COMPULSORY PRACTICAL COMPONENT, – for the internals and sensitive areas work, so you can learn about post partum care and recovery / rehab.
16. Module Fifteen December – Review of 3D body cavities, 3D posture and integrated gravitational dynamics.  Global complex systems integration across the lifespan.  Assignments / assessment due.

ASSIGNMENTS – more details to follow, but will include critical reflection piece, portfolio and a mini literature review / article.

All practical blocks are in Colne, Lancashire.  All are compulsory if you want the ‘Pelvic Care’ endorsement for insurance purposes.

CLINIC MODULE AND COSTS

There is a clinical weekend (TBC) on 2-3-4 June, in Ashby de la Zouch. This is already included in your course fee.

Plus: Following student feedback, and because of the great learning experience of the clinics, and the potential support it gives local practitioners and their patients, additional clinical modules are now also available to be organised separately, with a separate cost.  See the teaching venue / clinics page. Caroline hosts regional clinics – in concert with local osteopaths – to help you regionally, and you own client base.

This is a fantastic way to support your own patient base, to develop networking and regional awareness of your learning journey, and to support your community.  Clinical modules are hosted independently of the Diploma, are available to organise once you have completed your Diploma, and whilst at least one participating clinician must be a full graduate from the Diploma (usually the graduate!) you can then invite local colleagues for observation, so they can gain insight into these approaches.  This means that you complete your programme and assessments, and can then participate in the clinical earning opportunities.

COSTS – see below

Practical components

The practical / technique blocks will be intensive / focused sessions where assessment and management approaches are considered.  Please note, there is no such thing as teaching technique as in ‘deliver this technique for this condition, according to this protocol’.  The concepts for hands on work in this programme follow Still’s original paradigm – which is emergence, ‘seeing’ from a phenomenological and Goethean perspective, understanding intuitive and interpretive clinical appraisal and developing an approach personal to you as well as your patient, so that the person’s biological and embodied self and re-organise and restructure itself towards more healthy function with enhanced agency and personal freedom.

So, you will explore many hands on approaches, and you will have been given many preparatory videos and explanations in your module resources to watch in advance.  This means maximum time is then devoted to guiding contacts, and listening to tissues etc.

For internals work, you can opt out of being a model for your peers on the course.  Some male colleagues may be in the programme, and they will be present by negotiation / being sensitive to the group dynamics but, if they have been part of the programme from the start you will have gotten to know each other through the year.  This usually resolves many issues of uncertainty and helps everyone benefit from the programme.  But you can still opt out of a mixed gender component on the day – meaning if men are in the room, you can select only a female practitioner practises on you. 

If this affects your decision to come pn the course, let me know as there may be alternative options for this part of the programme – you just need to get in touch with me, so we can sort it out to suit all parties.

Caroline steps in as a model for anyone that needs.  Also if you have an issue meaning you do not with to be a model at all – this is perfectly fine and is managed easily and without fuss in the day.  Usually, most student practitioners are women, but this can only be confirmed once all participants are enrolled for that year.   All issues are dealt with compassionately, sensitively and fairly.

This programme enables you to qualify for insurance for internals work through BGI Insurers.

Practical dates:

September enrolment: 23-24-25 October, 2026; 4-5-6 February, 2027; March 5-6-7, 2027; 16-17-18 September, 2027. And an ‘internals and pelvic floor’ block on 25-26-27 November 2027 All the practicals are in Colne, Lancashire.

PRACTICAL WEEKENDS IN COLNE RUN FROM 1PM -5PM FRIDAY, SAT 9AM-5PM, SUN 9AM TO 4 PM SUNDAY.

Clinic dates – included – 2-3-4 June 2027 – in Ashby de la Zouch – all the practicals are in Colne, Lancashire. There is no potential included accommodation for Ashby events. CLINICS RUN 9-5 EACH DAY.

Tutorial dates: Monday evenings at 7pm UK time, dates TBC, monthly, Q and A sessions lasting approx one hour.

COSTS

The full programme is £3750, with an early bird price (ending 31 May, 2026), of 25% – fee is £2815.  (EARLY BIRD OF 50% DISCOUNT FOR THE SEPTEMBER START ENDED – 30 APRIL).  Payable in one amount.  There is a second discount window for September intakes only – for the months of June – July, which is £3500, payable in full. From 1 Aug to 1 Sept, the full fee of £3750 applies.  Enrolments by instalments are £4000 regardless of date and include a £250 admin fee on top of the full course fee – this full amount being due even if you withdraw – payable in 4 equal instalments one when you enrol to secure your place and then end December then end April then end June.  By paying you accept the policy on refunds, and are agreeing to the Student Agreement.  See forms pay for all policies.  This course / programme does not offer refunds after 1 September, or withdrawal thereafter – the full fee due at the time of first payment is still due.  Electronic resources are available for the lifetime of the CNMO.