Promoting Nuturing Touch
Baby Massage
Learn to Massage your Baby
Rachel is a qualified IAIM Infant Massage instructor.
She is privledged to teach parents to massage their own babies in her home during group classes or in their home in private sessions.
A group course in Baby Massage lasts 5 weeks, each session lasting up to 1½ hours and costs €120. We are back with in person classes.
The full cost is often refunded by Health Insurance.
The Classes are taught in Laytown (10min drive from Drogheda and Balbriggan).
Wondering what a baby massage class is like?
The classes are baby-led so if your baby is asleep or does not wish to receive a massage, life-size dolls are provided to practice on.
The classes are very relaxed and parents can stop the massage at any time and listen to, or answer, their baby's needs. All infants are welcome, along with their sounds and moods. Each class begins with relaxation for parents. Different massage strokes are taught every week, there is also time for discussion (topics include bonding, baby wearing, sleep, benefits of baby massage, transition to motherhood, all while you enjoy a hot cuppa and something tasty. Hand-outs and oils are provided. Massage strokes are demonstrated on a life sized demo doll (Samuel), while you massage your own baby.
Benefits of Baby Massage
Parental (or caregiver) interaction and involvement with your baby in the first year is crucial in helping your baby's health, wellbeing and development. For babies, massage is a wonderful way to assist BONDING and ATTACHMENT.
Infant Massage Classes (newborn to pre-crawler)
This course is designed with your child's health, wellbeing and development in mind; we cover the full infant massage routine, including gentle movement/yoga exercises, touch relaxation and the colic massage sequence, discuss developmental stages and behavioural states, including baby reflexes and cues, introduce songs and lullabies plus a whole lot more!
Benefits of Massaging
The four main researched benefits of massaging your baby and some of the benefits of each include:
1. Interaction - promotion of bonding, communication (both verbal and non-verbal), nurturing touch, empathy
2. Relaxation - improved sleep, settling and the ability to soothe, an increase in oxytocin, lower levels of stress hormones
3. Relief - massage can help with conditions such as reflux and colic, constipation, muscle tension, sensitivity to touch
4. Stimulation - all the major systems of our body, such as the digestive, nervous, lymphatic, vestibular, immune, circulatory, maturation of brain development (connections between neurons), motor development and tone
Nurturing touch such as infant massage supports the parent-infant relationship and promotes sensitive, attuned parenting. Little Ones Baby Massage classes are held in a supportive and friendly environment, whether that be at your home or mine.
Learning infant massage is investing in your child's health and wellbeing. Help strengthen the bond between you and your child through nurturing touch... the benefits will last a life time!