Probably the most obvious and largest benefit of Baby Massage is the development of parent-child attachment or ‘bond’. A difficult birth, breastfeeding problems, postnatal depression – all of these circumstances can interrupt or slow the mother-child bond and Baby Massage is a fantastic way of developing this precious relationship and kick starting the attachment process. [...]
Premature babies and babies with special needs. Premature babies are always so close to my heart as my nephew was born at 25 weeks in 1996 when I was 15. He is now a strapping teenager but I remember so vividly seeing his tiny, bird like body covered in tubes and wires and a tiny [...]
For Adopted and Fostered Babies As we have discussed, massage has been proven to increase closeness as well as all the fantastic benefits for carers and babies. Massage is a great ‘getting to know you’ tool and enforces the power of positive touch. For babies that may not have experienced loving touch, or have experienced [...]
For Dads Dads can be anywhere on the scale from totally hands-on to totally hands-off and most are somewhere in between. Getting involved in a massage routine with their baby can bring benefits such as increased bonding, improved confidence and generally being in tune together. It creates some special time for them (and let’s face [...]
Post Natal Depression PND is a medical condition far from the baby blues that many women experience, and obviously I would advise seeking medical help if you haven’t already done so. It affects 1 in 10 women following the birth of their babies and early diagnosis and treatment will result in faster recovery. A study [...]
Bonding Bonding is a mythical beast – to some it comes naturally, to others it grows over time and anyway it is impossible to define. Like love in the movies, parent and child bonding is often romanticised and dramatised and an image of perfection is projected out from magazines and television. Personally I found my [...]
Trapped Wind/Winding Problems Anyone who has tried to get back to sleep with a squirming, grunting, plain noisy little angel thrashing around in the Moses basket next to your head will identify with this concern. Often simply due to their immature digestive system, wind and the extracting of it can become a family obsession (note [...]
Constipation Constipation and difficulty going to the toilet can be really distressing for both babies and parents. As the child becomes more aware, they can begin to hold back which compounds the problem and to see a child becoming increasingly upset because they do not want to go to the toilet is difficult. Of course [...]
Reflux and Infant Massage A ‘concern’ very close my heart. Having had two children with reflux I think I have most of it covered; Infant Gaviscon (lifesaver – get it on prescription), raised head of the bed, changes of clothes, tea towels to protect clothing (forget muslins – projectile vomiting laughs in the face of [...]
Colic and Infant Massage Enough to strike fear into any parent, colic isn’t even a ‘real’ condition – in that it is a term used when a baby is crying for a prolonged period of time for no discernible reason, and usually in the evening. There is a rule of threes – three hours of [...]
