BABY MASSAGE WORKSHOPS IN MORNINGSIDE
If you would like to attend a workshop please e-mail me and I will wait until I have enough interest then set a date that suits everyone.
Our one (ish!) hour workshops are very friendly and biscuit filled. Each workshop will give you the confidence and skill to give a basic massage and you will also be shown special routines for different problems like colic and teething. The class costs £10 and this includes all notes and oil to take away with you. Please see my contacts page for details.
Baby massage is an important aspect of baby care in many cultures around the world. Touch is the most developed of the senses at birth and is key in the development of relationships with a newborn. Baby massage has a wide range of benefits from encouraging better sleep to strengthening the body's primary systems, but it is also a fantastic opportunity for parents to spend special time with their baby while creating bonds that can last a lifetime.
BENEFITS OF BABY MASSAGEBaby massage has many benefits. Massage releases both oxytocin and endorphins which are natural pain relievers. As a result and general guide it can help with the following...
Teething - this has been described as a painful struggle for babies and in conjunction with the parent's choice of care, massage can relieve some of the pain as well as offering comfort.
Chest congestion - this can be 'broken up' by using the Swedish massage technique of tapping or tapotement. When practised properly this breaks down the mucus in the lungs making it easier for the infant to eliminate the excess. Sinus congestion - this can be cleared by massaging around the sinuses. This is helpful to infants as it eases the process of ridding the nasal passage of excess mucus.
Colic - this affects many babies and although harmless can be very distressing to both baby and parent. The cause is not known although painful abdominal gas may contribute. Massage can calm and soothe a colicky child and aid the elimination of gas.
Sleep - Some infants sleep for longer periods following massage and appear to have deeper, less interrupted sleep.
Massage strengthens the immune system.
Massage teaches infants that positive touch is a form of expression.
Massage enhances the bonding process.
Baby massage can also involve the father - dads are commonly neglected in the first few months of a new baby being in the house and can often feel slightly resentful of all the attention the mother and baby receive. A father who massages his newborn immediately feels useful and more involved and crucially gets a chance to bond with the baby in those important early weeks.
Massage gives parents more confidence in their new role. Parents who massage regularly are also more likely to notice any change in the child's physical condition and are more in tune with their child's emotional needs.
Massage increases the parent's ability to relax their child in times of stress.
Baby massage is fun! When parents are observed massaging their child, the enjoyment is definately reciprocated.