BABY MASSAGE

Benefits

Baby Massage provides benefits for both the baby and the parent and is wonderful way to enhance the unique relationship you have with your child. Evidence shows that loving nurturing contact between care givers and infants has a significant impact on their physical, emotional and mental development. Infant Massage includes all the elements of attachment, including eye contact, smiling, soothing sounds, touch, smell and interaction. The quality of the closeness between parent and baby has been proven to have lifelong benefits.

Benefits of Infant Massage can include:
> Improved sleep
> Aiding of digestion, colic and constipation
> Helping to develop muscle tone and co-ordination
> Strengthening the immune system
> Enhancing the bond and attachment
> Improved communication
> Calm babies emotions and relieve stress
> Regulate breathing and relieve nasal congestion

Above all - its relaxing and fun!

What to expect

Baby Massage courses are sociable, relaxed and fun. The course is open to infants from birth up to pre-walking (it gets a little hard to keep hold of them once they are properly on the move!). Courses are run for five consecutive weeks, each class lasting approximately an hour. You will be guided through a step by step massage routine which combines a balance of relaxing and stimulating massage, reflexology techniques together with principles of yoga movement.

You are the only one massaging your baby, if you baby does not want to participate then demonstration dolls are available for you to practice on. The instructor demonstrates all massage on a demonstration doll and will explain clearly each stroke along with their benefits.

Having a relaxed and informal environment is hugely important so the classes are very much baby led, meaning that all baby behaviour is welcome, no matter how unpredictable! An area is provided where you can feed baby if they are hungry, with a bottle warmer should you need one. There are changing facilities including the provision of nappies, wipes and cream. There is also a small library of books that may be of interest to parents that are available for class participants to borrow for the duration of the course. So all you need to bring is baby, a towel and you!

At the end of each class refreshments are provided along with time for you to socialise and get to know the other parents on the course.

Should this not be your first baby, and you have older siblings to think about, please be assured that baby's older siblings are welcome to the class. Please advise the instructor in advance and provision of toys to keep siblings occupied during the class will be provided. Siblings are also welcome to join the classes and learn along side their parents how to massage a baby through using one of the demonstration dolls provided. This is a wonderful way of engaging an older sibling in bonding with the new baby and has proved to be a great success in many classes.

Included in the course fee a 50ml bottle of either Organic Sunflower Oil, or Fractionated Coconut oil is provided along with a take home manual and weekly handouts on topics relating to babies and their development. On completion of the course each parent and baby is awarded a Certificate of Attendance and Participation.. definitely something to be added to your baby's keepsake box!

Don't forget the Dads!
Specifically for Dads who tend to work Monday to Friday and are therefore unable to make the week-day courses, Toe to Top Taster sessions held periodically on Saturday mornings. Dads will learn the principles of baby massage, a shortened version of the full body routine (one stroke for each part of the body). They will also be provided with a Toe to Top Manual and infant massage oil.

Please note that these sessions are held on a ad hoc basis dependant on demand. So if you would like to come along, contact me to find out when the next session is arranged for, or register your interest.

When and where

Classes are currently scheduled

Places available - Jan / Feb 2010 - Commencing Wednesday 13th January then weekly each Thursday on the 20th January, 27th January, 3rd February and finishing on the 10th February
Time
11.30 - 12.30
Venue
St Pauls Church Hall, King St, Morley

FULLY BOOKED - Jan / Feb 2010 - Commencing Thursday 14th January then weekly each Thursday on the 21st January, 28th January, 4th February and finishing on the 11th February
Time
11.15am - 12.00pm
Venue
Gildersome Childrens Centre, Town St, Gildersome

Places available - Feb / Mar 2010 - Commencing Thursday 25th February, then weekly each Thursday on the 4th March, 11th March, 18th March and finishing on the 25th March.
Time
1.00pm - 2.00pm
Venue
Morley South Childrens Centre, Seven Hills Primary School Community Room, Morley

Private group classes
Perhaps you and a few of your friends would like to get together and host a 5 week course in your own home (alternatively, the use of a venue can be arranged at a time to suit you and your group).

Prices
35.00 for a 5-week course (5 x 1 hour classes) - Partial funding may be available for some courses run through Children's Centres - please contact me for further information
10.00 for Saturday morning Dads class (1 x 1hour class)

Baby Massage Booking Form (right-click and 'save-as')