About Baby Massage
What is Baby Massage?
Baby massage is a longstanding parenting tradition in many cultures, including Indian and African, and was introduced to the western world during the last 30 years, gaining in popularity in the UK since the late 1990’s.
Baby massage is when a parent or primary carer lovingly strokes or holds their baby. Using a high quality non-fragranced vegetable oil, soothing holds and rhythmic strokes are given on each area of baby’s body, following a sequence that has been developed over many years. The massage offers a wonderful experience and a special time to communicate both verbally and non-verbally with babies, so that they feel loved, valued and respected.
The IAIM baby massage course draws from both the Indian and Swedish massage traditions, as well as incorporating principles from yoga and reflexology.
The Benefits of Baby Massage
Many thousands of parents have already attended our courses and discovered the numerous benefits of baby massage which can include:
For your baby
- Helping your baby to feel securely attached
- Helping your baby to feel more loved, valued and respected
- Reduced crying and emotional distress
- Increased levels of relaxation and longer sleep
- Development of body awareness and coordination
- Relief from wind, colic, constipation and teething discomfort
For you
- Feeling closer to your baby
- Gaining a deeper understanding of your baby’s behaviour, crying and body language
- Providing an enjoyable opportunity to spend one-to-one time with your baby
- Feeling the relaxing effects of giving your baby a massage Increased confidence in your ability to care for and nurture your baby
- Learning a life-long parenting skill