Infant Massage

What is Infant Massage?

Mothers have been massaging their infants for centuries and utilizing it as part of their daily childcare activities. 
In parts of India and Africa these techniques have been handed down from generation to generation. 

The ideal time to begin massage is when your infant is 1-7 months old.  Colicky, fussy, premature, and disabled or delayed infants can benefit from specific techniques.

Infant massage is a series of massage techniques
especially geared towards infants.  The goal of a CIMT
(Certified Infant Massage Teacher) is to teach the parent/family member/caregiver
to massage their infant.  Benefits include:

·         Strengthens attachment

·         Increase oxytocin (“trust” and “feel good” hormone) for both   caregiver and    infant

·         Decreases cortisol (stress hormone that prevents learning)

·         Relaxation of caregiver and infant

·         Caregiver more aware of infant cues and communication

Temperament, Baby Cues and Infant Massage

When a caregiver takes a few minutes to massage his/her infant, the infant is communicating through body language, gestures and sounds.  Caregiver and infant can get to know each other’s cues through eye contact, repetition and guidance from a CIMT.

A caregiver might also start to notice the rhythms of the baby’s eating, sleeping, playing, and crying.  The regularity/irregularity of these activities is a part of a baby’s temperament.  Temperament can remain consistent from the last trimester of a baby’s life until adulthood.  Awareness of a caregiver and infant temperament can foster the growing relationship between the two.

Why “In Home”?

The CIMT can facilitate infant massage, baby cues and temperament awareness effectively within your home.  The familiar sounds, smells and faces makes learning more comfortable and fun.  Caregiver(s) of a small infant also prefer the privacy and convenience of in-home sessions.

What does In-Home Infant Massage look like?

Because infants are sensitive and usually don’t prefer a full body massage all at once, it is best to divide the sessions into a series of four.  Each session lasts 60 minutes and includes: discussion, techniques of strokes, and a topic of interest.  Each family’s series will look different depending on their goals and questions, but a series may look like this:

Session 1- Tummy and Legs

Topic: Benefits of Massage and oils to use

Session 2- Tummy and Chest

Topic: Temperament

Session 3- Heart and Back

Topic: Infant Cues and Fussiness

Session 4- Face and Head

Topic: Attachment and Infant Mental Health