Do you enjoy a good massage? I have a massage therapist who I find provides me with a little slice of heaven (www.kmiatlanta.com). And if you have experienced a great massage you must also understand how much a baby who has been so used to being constantly touched by his mother's body while in utero would love to be massaged once out.
We teach a quarterly class on infant massage. We are not massage therapists: for some reason we have come to believe you need to be an expert in order to touch your baby. So often we feel we have to learn a ton of stuff before we can "officially" touch our babies. Our class offers a short video and discussion about the benefits of infant massage. We actually create our little nest in the classroom for you to practice these techniques on your baby. Here are some links to help you understand the importance of massage and even some techniques for doing so. It is also a great time for dad's to connect and bond in a special way. There is a part of the link below that shows specific disorders that may benefit from massage.
Massage Research
Specifics on the research on infant massage
Parents should consider these things- here is an acronym to remind you...
C contact- make contact with the baby
L look- make eye contact
A ask- respect them and ask permission
S swish- put oil- not an oil you would not use in eating - since baby's will put their hand in their mouths- and warm the oil up in your hands
S show - show them your hands so they know you are ready
Baby Zone Techniques
You may want to teach your baby the ASL sign for massage- and do this sign before beginning to do the massage.
Massaging your baby regularly will help make this ritual an important part of your daily or weekly routine to help your baby and you benefit the most.
If you want to consider joining our class to help you see hands on techniques and practice on your infant, please contact Teresa to let her know- teresa@alaboroflove.org. Thanks!
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