What is Baby Massage?

Baby and infant massage is an ancient tradition that is commonplace in many cultures on the continents of Africa and South America and in the Far East. Research shows that the nurturing touch and focused attention that baby massage provides has a positive impact on the development of the child and on the relationship between the baby and the caregiver.

Benefits of Baby Massage

Research by bodies such as The Touch Institute at the University of Miami, leaders in the field of touch research, has concluded that massage to infants has the following benefits;

Benefits to the baby;

• Develops their first language, which is that of touch
• Develops feelings of love, security and respect (bonding) - providing the foundation for a self confident and self assured child and adult
• Develops body-mind coordination/motor skills
• Helps babies to gain healthy weight – in preterm babies by up to 47%
• Increases sociability
• Helps decrease the discomfort of colic, trapped wind, constipation and pain of teething amongst other ailments
• Teaches the baby to relax both in terms of its emotions and its body

Benefits to the parents/caregivers;

• Helping parents to get to better know their babies and their non verbal communication
• Helping to create a routine- massages before bedtime for example
• Providing a safe place for parents and their infants to just ‘be’ together
• Promotes lactation in breastfeeding mums through stimulating hormones
• Promotes lactation in breastfeeding mums through stimulating hormones
• Fathers who massage their infants are greeted with more eye contact, smiling, vocalising, reaching, and orienting responses
• Massage can help alleviate the effects of post natal depression and create a more positive interaction between mother and baby
• Develops confidence in first time parents

Why learn baby massage with Positive Touch?

Baby massage classes with Positive Touch are designed so that the massage is something you do with rather than to your baby. We build the classes upon respect, both for babies and parents.

Baby massage classes with Positive Touch seek to teach you basic, safe strokes whilst building your confidence in massaging your child. We seek to empower you to take confidence in your own abilities to respond to your babies needs.

The classes will stimulate you and your child to develop your communication through helping you both better understand non-verbal cues; to understand over-stimulation of the baby and why babies cry, and to learn calming techniques.

You will be taught specific massage and gentle stretching sequences aimed at easing certain conditions such as colic, wind and restlessness.

We also utilise early play with music and nursery rhymes, both of which have been demonstrated to enhance brain development.

Where do we teach?

We primarily teach in parent’s homes. This suits parents as we can teach at a time that suits you and in an environment in which everyone is comfortable and relaxed. It also suits those who may find it difficult to travel elsewhere to learn.

We can also arrange classes for NCT groups, groups of friends who wish to learn alongside one another, at doctor’s surgeries or anywhere else that suits you.

How are classes structured and what are the costs?

Our course covers 5 sessions of 1 ½ hours, at a regular time each week.

Private courses at home cost £150 for the course (location dependent). Concessions apply for groups, usually bringing the class to around £12 per class or £60 for the course.

Mats, oils and refreshments are included. You will also receive notes detailing the strokes and including other useful resources.

Daddy classes (also suitable for any other person who spends a lot of time with baby) are available at the end of the course where he has been unable to attend. By this time baby is accustomed to the massage so daddy can learn the entire sequence in one class. These are available outside of normal working hours.

Contact us to discuss your requirements or if you have any questions.

Positive Touch are trained by and members of the International Association of Infant Massage (www.iaim.net). The I.A.I.M. is considered by many as leaders in their field and they provide an exceptional level of research in the field of baby massage, training, continued professional development and support to their members.

The I.A.I.M seeks to ‘promote nurturing touch and communication through training, education and research so that parents, caregivers and children are loved, valued and respected throughout the world community.’

All of our facilitators are all I.A.I.M trained and undertake regular professional development.

Soon to be parents and those working with parents may also be interested to know that Positive Touch also provide pregnancy massage/Doula services.