Tag: infant massage

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Parents Frequently Asked Questions

Excerpts from the IAIM website

Why should I attend an infant massage class?

While there are many books and videos available on Infant Massage, learning along with other parents from a Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI or CEIM) is a more hands-on, interactive and personal experience. IAIM instructors teach each of the strokes one-by-one so you will feel comfortable and confident that you are doing them correctly. CIMIs also help you understand your baby’s responses and can help answer any questions you may have about touch, bonding/attachment and other topics. During an Infant Massage class, you will also benefit from the interaction, knowledge and experience of other parents. Find a Certified IAIM instructor near you by contacting your local chapter!

Why does a class last 4-5weeks?

We like to introduce babies to massage at their own pace. We watch their cues and introduce new strokes gradually, week-to-week. During our Infant Massage classes, you will be introduced to new information each week and build on previously taught techniques. Classes are designed to build relationships between parent and baby to instill trust and create positive associations. Long term training sessions also encourage engagement between parents fostering opportunities for ongoing support and friendships long after the classes are over.

Can both parents attend infant massage classes?

We encourage both parents to participate in Infant Massage classes. This gives your baby a chance to bond with each parent in his/her own way. Fathers and mothers often develop different styles and unique ways to interact with their babies, and these classes are a great opportunity for both parents to form a life-long bond with their child.

What should I consider when looking for an infant massage class near me?

First, make sure the educator is a CIMI or CEIM (as IAIM CIMIs are known in the US). This designation means that the instructor has attended a 4-day course, completed an exam as well as a practicum to gain the appropriate experience needed to teach parents. Also look for a course that is 4 to 6 weeks long. Infant Massage is best taught over several weeks so that new strokes and information are introduced gradually each week.

What should I bring to class?

Along with your normal diaper bag items, bring an extra receiving blanket and a pillow either for you to sit on or to prop up your baby.

What if my child has special needs?

Infant massage can be very helpful for babies who have experienced challenges in their lives. It is a wonderful way to strengthen the communication between parents and their children. Your IAIM Certified Infant Massage Instructor will be able to guide you as you massage your baby, or refer you to another instructor who has more knowledge and experience in this area. You and your baby are welcome in IAIM infant massage classes.

When is a good time to massage my baby?

We recommend that your baby be in the “quiet alert state” to massage him/her. Your baby will look calm, gaze at you, be happy to lay still, have open body posture, or reach out towards you. As you learn your baby’s cues you will know when it is the right time.

Why should I massage my baby?

There are many benefits for your baby and you. Please look at our benefits page to learn more.

What kind of oil should I use?

We recommend the use of a vegetable oil, which is preferably organic and cold pressed. See our page on massage oils for details.

Why should I ask my baby if he wants a massage before starting?

Babies understand much more than we realize. When babies are quiet and alert, we ask them if they would like a massage. This helps them know that they can say yes or no to touch. We respect their body ownership and watch their cues to know if they want massage or not. More information in our Oils & Permission section.

How often can I massage my baby?

Follow your baby’s cues.

It is wonderful to have massage be part of your daily family routine. Depending on your baby, she may be receptive in the morning, after a bath or before bedtime. Or he may be only open to accepting massage on his legs at one session, may like tummy massage during a diaper change, and like the whole body at bath time.

Many of the benefits are increased with regular daily massages. And some babies happily receive more than one massage a day.

When can I begin massaging my baby?

Introducing touch can be started soon after birth. Start with skin-to-skin care (such as Kangaroo Care). This involves placing your baby on your chest to facilitate close contact between you and your baby. (Dads love this!) You can gradually introduce back and leg strokes and then involve other parts of the baby’s body. By following your baby’s cues, looking for signs of being quiet and alert, you can begin massage during the first few weeks after birth and then gradually develop a nurturing routine that will last a lifetime. You will learn all this in your IAIM Infant Massage class.

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Oils & Asking Permission

Excerpts from the IAIM website

Choosing a Massage Oil Involves
Many Considerations Including:

  • Cultural preference
  • Family tradition
  • Availability
  • Cost

Your class instructor will be familiar with oils available in your area and can help you as a parent select an oil that you and your baby will be happy with.

Cold Pressed Oil and Unscented Vegetable Oils

Generally we recommend cold pressed, unscented fruit and vegetable oils such as safflower, sunflower or fractionated coconut oil because:

  • They are non-toxic and safe if ingested
  • They can contain beneficial nutrients, such as vitamin E, which are good for the skin
  • They contain nutrients that help prevent rancidity
  • These oils are less slippery when applied, so it’s safer to handle your baby after application
  • They have no added scent, so infants can still enjoy their parents’ natural smell, and are not overwhelmed

Use an oil to massage your baby that you would eat on a salad – one that is fresh, natural, pure and unscented. Perhaps you already have an appropriate oil in your kitchen. Put it in a small squeeze bottle, if possible, to prevent spills.

Asking Permission: A Vital Step for Parents

Put just a bit of oil on the palm of your hand, and rub them together to make a swishing sound. Show your hands to your baby, and verbally ask permission from your baby to give him/her a massage Watch your baby to see how she or he responds. Is she saying “yes” or “no”?

Receiving permission from your baby is important before beginning massage. Some people have difficulty imagining how a baby could possibly tell them s/he is ready and willing to be massaged. Of course, answering this question requires an appreciation for the interpersonal capacities of newborn human infants, the meaning of their gaze, their facial expressions, their posture, and other non-verbal or pre-verbal expressions of comfort or distress.

Baby massage instruction helps you recognize your baby’s range of emotional and behavioral expressions. Learning when and how to seek permission before massaging a baby is an important skill  not only for infant massage, but also achieving mastery of the care-giving skills needed to provide what a baby needs most: love and a secure infant-caregiver attachment.

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Massage and Your Growing Child

Excerpts from the IAIM website

The Just Be Baby massage classes accredited by the International Association of Infant Massage are designed for families with babies under one-year-old. Jessica McClain LMT CEIM will share with you some ways to adjust the massage for your growing baby in a way that will keep them interested and involved in their massage.

Massage doesn’t stop when a baby gets big enough to roll or walk away. Sometimes it seems like a relaxing massage is even more necessary when a child’s life gets more active.

“As my children grew up, I looked for those quiet moments when they really appreciated a massage. Sometimes it was when we all snuggled up in bed. Sometimes it was when I was visiting with a friend and a child found my lap was free and crawled in for a rubdown. Or after a bath. Or when they were sick. My youngest, who is now 19, still likes me to give her a massage. And sometimes she gives me one, too.”

– United States mother utilizing infant massage

What can you do as a child gets older to continue nurturing touch?

The Active Baby

When a child learns to roll over, you may find that they become more challenging to massage. Their personal goal has suddenly become to be mobile, and that is what they care about most. Keep a few special toys just for massage, and pull them out to encourage your baby to be still a bit longer. Sing your baby a song as you massage, or attach a few simple nursery rhymes to parts of the body. Your baby will love repetition, and the sing-song quality of your voice.

When a child begins to crawl, you may need to simply massage what is easy to reach. Make the massage more fun by pulling your baby gently and playfully back to you, and using music and nursery rhymes. Look for your toddler’s most quiet and receptive time of day for the massage, such as after a bath, right before bed, or after a long day at childcare. Give them choices such as “Where shall I start the massage?”

Preschoolers

Preschoolers often need imaginative stories or songs to keep them receptive to massage. You may need to do shorter strokes on the legs and arms, or position the child differently to do the massage. They may like it if the massage is connected with certain sports (“soccer player special”) or activities (“ballet dancer massage”) that encourage their imagination. Be aware and supportive of your child’s developing modesty, leaving underwear or clothes on when requested.

School Age Children

School-age children experience a lot of stress, and massage can help them think more clearly in class, relax during tests, etc. Often the older child will begin to talk during massage and tell you about their day and their fears and worries. Be a good listener as you give them a massage. You can use scented oils for children this age. And they may want to massage you too!

Teens

Teenagers vary from liking touch to wanting to be left alone, and this may change from moment to moment. Look for times when they are open to touch – sick, tired, emotional or affectionate, and offer to rub their shoulders or their feet. Perhaps they complain of growing pains or cramps, and are really asking for a little affection – beautifully expressed in a massage. If they refuse a massage, don’t take it personally, or consider it permanent. Tomorrow they may feel different.

The nurturing touch that you learn in your infant massage class can make a difference to your children throughout their life.

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Benefits of Infant Massage

Excerpts from the IAIM website

Parents who take the Just Be Baby Massage Class Series learn much more than just the mechanics of an infant massage routine. Our program, certified by the International Association of Infant Massage, involves many different styles of touch, movement, interaction and communication.

Both research and anecdotal evidence from families have shown that there are many ways that babies and families may benefit from infant massage.

Benefits for babies can be grouped into four categories: Interaction, Stimulation, Relief and Relaxation.

Interaction in Infant Massage May Include:

  • Promotion of bonding and secure attachment
  • Verbal/non-verbal communication
  • Development of trust and confidence
  • Using all the senses
  • Feelings of love, respect, and being valued

Each Massage May Stimulate:

  • Circulatory and digestive systems
  • Hormonal and immune systems
  • Coordination and balance
  • Learning and concentration
  • Muscular development and growth
  • Mind and body awareness

Parents May Find that Infant Massage Helps Relieve:

  • Gas and colic
  • Constipation and elimination
  • Growing pains and muscular tension
  • Teething discomfort
  • Cramps

The Massage Promotes Relaxation which May be Shown Through:

  • Improved sleep patterns
  • Increased flexibility and muscle tone
  • Regulation of behavioral states
  • Being calm and being able to calm themself
  • Reduction in stress hormones

The Massage Promotes Relaxation which May be Shown Through:

  • Improved sleep patterns
  • Increased flexibility and muscle tone
  • Regulation of behavioral states
  • Being calm and being able to calm themselves
  • Reduction in stress hormones

Benefits for others can be grouped into 3 categories: parents, whole family, society.

Parents benefit by gaining:

  • Better understanding of babys uniqueness & the ability to read & respect baby cues
  • Promotion of bonding & secure attachment – Ideal for adoptive parents or caregivers
  • Improved self-esteem & confidence in parenting skills
  • Quality time for positive interaction – an extra bonding opportunity for father
  • Decrease stress hormones & increase relaxation/feel good hormones
  • Improved sleep – sleep when baby sleeps
  • Stimulates lactation & decreases postpartum depression
  • Meeting & building community with other parents

The whole family benefits by:

  • Involvement of siblings – less sibling rivalry
  • Involvement of extended family
  • Increased respect between family members
  • Promotes relaxing home environment
  • Reduction of conflicts
  • Improved sleep

Society benefits through receiving a well rounded human who has benefited early on through infant massage

  • Increase in positive touch & interaction
  • Increased respect & empathy
  • Reduced instances of abuse, violence & crime
  • Reduction in national health cost due to healthier society

Check our calendar of events for upcoming Just Be Baby Infant Massage Class series & single session classes.