Ceri James is a fully qualified baby massage and baby yoga instructor. Here she gives an insight into the power and benefits of soothing touch
Image courtesy of Milan Jurek
Baby massage is a centuries old tradition and is much more than a method of simply relaxing your baby with soothing music and oils. Its benefits for both parent and baby are both profound and long lasting. In this article I will try to cover as many of the ‘major’ benefits of baby massage but this list is practically endless.
Firstly, massage is a way in which you can communicate with your baby right from birth. Long before babies are able to speak, or even respond to sounds and sights, they communicate with the world around them through touch. The power of touch to soothe and heal is instinctive. If a baby cries, for example, we may cuddle them or rub their back. Massaging your baby is an extension of this natural impulse and helps to deepen that parent and baby bond.
Just a little time spent massaging each day can help your baby become calmer and happier as the loving touch of massage releases those ‘feel good’ hormones that help us all reduce stress. Baby massage could also make your child smarter; as well as massage stimulating your baby’s nervous system and encouraging brain development; studies have shown that babies with lower levels of stress hormones in their blood do better at mental and motor ability tests.
There is good news for you tired mums too: a few simple strokes can lull your baby into a deeper, more restful sleep. A massage just before bedtime can be more effective than rocking at helping your baby fall asleep and stay asleep – for more tangible evidence, just witness a group of babies after a baby massage class!
It has also been proven through research that Mum’s who suffer from postnatal depression improve when they incorporate infant massage into their daily routine. Those ‘feel good’ hormones come out in us too! Perhaps one of the most significant benefits of baby massage is that it incorporates all the important elements of being a great parent; child bonding, skin contact, eye contact, hearing your voice and quality one-to-one time with your baby.
For mums who have experienced a traumatic birth or early separation from their baby, this can play an important role in developing your own confidence and securing the bond with your newborn.
Massage is also well known for its relaxing and soothing routines that can help relax the immature digestive system, relieving young babies from the pain and discomfort caused by colic, wind, constipation and teething.
The benefits of baby massage are uncountable and endless. It offers far more to parents and baby than simply a series of massage strokes and techniques. In the words of one of my past Mum’s who have attended a course “It is a wonderful skill that I believe every parent should be taught!”.
To learn more about baby massage or to sign up to massage classes, contact Little SnuggleBugs on: 07841 483 078 email: info@littlesnugglebugs.co.uk web: www.littlesnugglebugs.co.uk
