By now most of us have heard of baby massage and specifically it’s benefits so I will just say this. “It’s a great way to connect with other parents with similar age babies, a good time to have a coffee and a wind down and an even better activity to bond over with your precious little bundle. Oh yeah and did I mention it promotes better sleep!!
But for those of you who would like a little more info on this, pleas read below. It’s not a full detail on the benefits but you would be reading for days otherwise 🙂

Benefits of Baby Massage
-Communication and Bonding
Babies cannot talk to us but this does not mean they cannot communicate with us. It is becoming more apparent and well known that baby massage improves the communication between parent and baby/child, raising awareness to baby’s needs and enabling them to read their cues.
In turn this improves the bonds between parent and baby, boosts parents self-esteem and for mums this can improve their well-being, particularly if she is suffering from post-natal depression.

–Relaxation, Sleep and Less Crying
Whilst massaging your little one you are both releasing some fabulous feel good hormones called “endorphins” and you are reducing your stress hormones “cortisol”
More endorphins and less cortisol will promote less crying (for both of you) and much better sleep (for both of you), after all, we all sleep better when we are calm and stress free.

-Growth and Development
Baby massage improves skin condition, weight development, circulation, immune system, lymphatic system, colic, wind, constipation, teething, deepens & regulates breathing and helps baby to understand that everything is connected.

What to expect:

The whole idea of these sessions is to create a happy and relaxed atmosphere, for parent and  baby. We focus on babies needs so changing and feeding is encouraged in the class and should your little one be asleep there is no need to wake them. We have dolls you can use to practice on or just enjoy a moment to yourself maybe indulge with a cuppa and a biscuit.
A mat and cushion and organic coconut oil will be provided for the class. We start the sessions with a cuppa and a chat whilst everyone is arriving and settling in so there is no rush or stress. We then move on to some relaxation for parents, followed by some massage for your little ones. We always have nibbles as massage can be hungry work 🙂 and there is always time for a chat as this can be a great way to share thoughts, experiences and any helpful tricks and tips 😊
These sessions last just 1 hour and although I myself trained through the IAIM (International Association of Infant Massage) who are fabulous and offer a much different structure in the form of a 5 week course. I feel that due to Covid, it’s much harder in these times to commit to a course and so have teamed up with some Massage and Baby experts to create a new kind of Massage still including all the benefits listed above but offering some new and incredibly effective yet gentle techniques to aid with digestive discomfort and much more.

What age can I start baby massage with my little one?

From birth to 1 year, however the first month or 2 can be quite overwhelming for both parents and baby. If you feel unsure whether you and your little one are ready to attend please just get in touch with any questions or concerns.
A final word in my experience, to achieve maximum benefit from baby massage, many have found that making it part of your little one’s bed-time routine, particularly after a bath, really aids a good night’s sleep. After all, who wouldn’t want to have a massage before bed?

 

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