Massage therapy has been accepted as part of health and wellness care for adults for a long time—it is only recently, in western civilization, that it has become recognized as being beneficial for infants (and children) as well. Throughout many parts of India, Africa, and the South Pacific, however, massage has been part of regular parenting practices for centuries. Other than the many physical benefits for both the baby and parent, one of the main purposes of infant massage is building a better bond and relationship between infant and caregiver. For that reason, we prefer do not actually massage the babies—but instead, teach the parents to.
As a caregiver, infant massage allows you to:
- Have focused time together with baby
- Establish or deepen your bond with baby
- Relax & unwind with baby, relieving stress & tension
- Have an opportunity for skin-to-skin contact & eye-to-eye contact
- Be more competent in reading baby’s verbal & non-verbal cues
- Become more “in sync” with baby
- Feel more confident & competent in caring for baby
- Be more comfortable handling your baby
- Provide an opportunity for baby’s siblings to bond with newborn
For a baby, infant massage can:
- Promote secure attachment, self-esteem, & self-confidence
- Promote physical self-awareness
- Aid in the bonding process with the caregiver, building trust & intimacy
- Provide special time for communicating verbal and non-verbal cues
- Build awareness of loving touch & caring affection
- Relieve the pain of teething, colic & other illnesses
- Provide babies that are premature or have special needs with many psychological & physiological benefits
- Help to maintain a baby’s health by improving the functioning of all systems of the body (see potential benefits listed below)
| Muscular/Skeletal Systems
Improved posture/balance Digestive System Relief of constipation/gas Circulatory System Stimulation of blood & lymph flow |
Respiratory System
Improved breathing patterns Nervous System Relaxed nervous system: calmed baby Hormonal System Raised endorphin levels promoting healing
|
Precautions
If your child is experiencing any of the below conditions, please consult with your child’s physician and have a release form signed PRIOR to participating in infant massage.
- High fever/temperature
- Acute infection/illness/disease
- Contagious skin disorder
- Open sores or lesions
- Any life threatening medical condition
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Blood clots or other serious blood condition
- Intense diarrhea or other sickness
If your child has had a recent immunization/vaccination wait 48—72 hours before participating in infant massage lessons. If your child has an unhealed umbilical cord stomach massage is NOT performed until it has healed.
Lessons
Infant massage is taught as a series of lessons, so as not to over stimulate the babies with too much massage at once. Lessons can be done through private instruction or in a group setting. Babies should be between 3 weeks old and crawling—it is still very possible to massage older babies/toddlers/children, however, it is easiest for you to learn the massage strokes before your child can crawl away. For the lessons, expect to spend approximately 15—20 minutes of hands-on time with baby, with the remainder of the time allotted to discussion of basic infant massage protocols & relevant baby/parent/massage topics, as well as a clarification/question period.
Private Instruction
- One-on-one lessons allows us to focus on you and your baby’s individual needs
- Best option for babies/parents that are over stimulated/overwhelmed in group settings
- Partners/baby’s sibling(s) can participate at NO EXTRA CHARGE
- Lessons can be at your home, allowing both you and baby to be as comfortable and relaxed as possible, or at our clinic
- Series of three or four 45—60 minute lessons, preferably weekly (amount of lessons needed varies individually)
- You will receive a complimentary bottle of massage oil and an instruction package full of many helpful handouts
- Anytime during or after the series of lessons, you will be welcome to contact us for any clarification needed
IF THE LESSONS ARE AT YOUR HOME, you’ll need to provide a warm preferably carpeted area with enough room on the floor for adults and baby —space should be comfortable and free of stimuli as it can be distracting for the baby (few sounds/smells, soft lighting, warm room temperature as baby will be undressed, etc). Also make sure you have a receiving blanket for baby to lie on during the massage, a pillow or yoga mat for yourself to sit on as well as anything else you might want (water bottle, etc)—if the baby’s sibling(s) will be there please ensure they have toys/books to entertain themselves.
Group Lessons at Home
- Allows caregivers to learn from each other and see how different babies react to the same massage strokes
- Provides a fun opportunity to get together with other moms/dads/caregivers/babies
- Partners/ baby’s sibling(s) can participate at NO EXTRA CHARGE
- Lessons are at the home of one of the participating caregivers—we can rotate homes if desired
- Series of four 45—60 minute lessons, preferably weekly
- Each family will receive a complimentary bottle of massage oil and an instruction package full of many helpful handouts
- Anytime during or after the series of lessons, you will be welcome to contact us for any clarification needed
HOST(ESS) NEEDS TO PROVIDE: a warm preferably carpeted area with enough room on the floor for babies and their entourage (caregivers, siblings) to be in a circle—space should be comfortable and free of stimuli as it can be distracting for the babies (few sounds/smells, soft lighting, warm room temperature as babies will be undressed, etc)
EACH CAREGIVER NEEDS TO BRING: a receiving blanket for baby to lie on during the massage along with all its usual outing necessities, a pillow or yoga mat for themselves to sit on as well as anything else they might want (water bottle, etc)—if the baby’s sibling(s) will be there please ensure they have toys/books to entertain themselves
Group Classes at Calm – (currently not available)
- Allows caregivers to learn from each other and see how different babies react to the same massage strokes
- Provides a fun opportunity to get together with other moms/dads/caregivers/babies
- Partners/ baby’s sibling(s) can participate at NO EXTRA CHARGE
- Lessons are in a small studio at our clinic with a maximum 8 babies/families
- Series of four weekly lessons, 45—60 minutes in length
- Each family will receive a complimentary bottle of massage oil and an instruction package full of many helpful handouts
- Anytime during or after the series of lessons, you will be welcome to contact us for any clarification needed
EACH CAREGIVER NEEDS TO BRING: a receiving blanket for baby to lie on during the massage along with all its usual outing necessities, a pillow or yoga mat for themselves to sit on as well as anything else they might want (water bottle, etc)—if the baby’s sibling(s) will be there please ensure they have toys/books to entertain themselves
