Baby Massage

Baby massage can help your baby gain weight, cry less and grow up happier.

Image © Sarah Bush

Massaging your baby has seriously good health benefits. These are all-round benefits for babies, parents and our NHS system.

Hospital research has shown that baby massage can help babies grow, gain weight and develop, lower their stress levels, bond with their parents and help mums with postnatal depression.  The implications of baby massage means babies and their parents spend less time in hospital, thereby saving resources in healthcare.

The feel good factor which comes from skin-to-skin contact and massage comes from oxytocins being released into our system.  There’s research to suggest the psychological benefits from this kind of massage are long-lasting.  Children growing up with baby massage tend to be more confident and self assured.  They are less stressed, less aggressive, are more able to concentrate on their schoolwork.  They generally enjoy greater emotional wellbeing.

On a practical level parents take comfort in having an extra defence for soothing colic, teething pains and having the means to settle their child quickly.  Regular use of baby massage can promote a better quality of sleep and lessen the amount they cry.

Image © Sarah Bush

Baby massage is easy to learn.  Most courses are run locally for an hour per week for 5 weeks with your newborn.  CIMIs (Certified Infant Massage Instructors) are qualified with the IAIM (International Association of Infant Massage).  They are trained to guide you through the process, teaching you when and how to massage and provide professional advice for special situations and contra-indications.

You can find a course in your area by visiting www.iaim.org.uk  If you’d like information on training to teach baby massage please contact Kate Pigeon-Owen of Childways on 01379 677 335 for a chat or visit www.childways.co.uk

About the Author:
Kate Pigeon-Owen has been an Instructor for the IAIM since 2000 (and a MISP (Massage In Schools Programme) Instructor since 2002). Kate is a working mother and owns Childways – an organisation which promotes and trains IAIM and MISP Instructors and co-ordinates training for IAIM.

Kate is passionate about the power of positive nurturing touch for babies through to schooling. Kate was also a founder member of an independent charity school in Suffolk where nurturing touch was woven into the fabric of the school from day one.

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