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Infant Massage

Infant massage is a nurturing time for you and your baby.

Stroking your baby’s silky skin, soothing baby’s fears and holding those perfect little hands is a joy and treasure to share. It’s a delightful way to enjoy your little one’s company.

Touch is the first sensation that your baby knows. He touches himself whilst moving in the woomb, he reaches out to touch and grasp whilst exploring his first home. After birth he feels the comfort of your touch and coress. Why not continue this loving experience throughout his life, starting with baby massage.

Baby massage is the most effective way to bond. By spending just a few minutes each day massaging with gentle firm pressure, you can help your baby fully develop their sensation of touch whilst feeling safe and secure. Massage releases endorphins, the hormone that is release when we smile. massaging your baby will reduce stress hormones such as cortisol and this can also have positive effects on brain development. There is increasing evidence that high levels of stress hormones are toxic to infant brains and may have long term negative effects on your baby’s response to stressful events in their growing years.

Infant massage is firmly but gently stroking the muscles of your baby using a variety of specialized massage techniques.

Mothers have been practicing the art of infant massage for centuries. Based on this historical fact, it is very clear that all babies should be massaged, touched and loved to promote their social-emotional-cognitive and physical development. As an early intervention strategy and therapeutic tool, infant massage is becoming a specialty therapy today.

"Being touched and caressed, being massaged, is food for the infant; food as necessary as minerals, vitamins, and proteins" ~ Dr Frederick Leboyer

Benefits of infant and child massage:

  • Provides a special time of communication that fosters love and compassion.
  • Improves general well-being.
  • Provides a special time for children to be with their parents.
  • Improves overall functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Promotes relaxation and helps babies self-regulate calm, which reduces crying.
  • Helps to normalize muscle tone.
  • Improves baby’s circulation.
  • Enhances immune system function.
  • Enhances neurological development.
  • Helps baby/child to sleep deeper and more soundly.
  • Helps to increase oxygen and nutrient flow to cells.
  • Improves respiration.
  • Helps with congestion, gas, and colic.
  • Enhances release of hormones in the body.

    • The growth hormone can be stimulated which helps weight gain.

  • Reduces levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.