Infant massage is a simple, gentle, and fun way to connect with your baby. It can be done during a bath time ritual, after diaper changes, or as a regular part of your daily routine.
Improves Sleep
An infant massage Washington, DC, is a wonderful way for parents to connect and bond with their infant. It also offers a positive and therapeutic touch to promote healthy development in babies, helping them grow up to be well-rounded and happy.
Sleep is very important for infants, especially during the early stages of development. Without proper sleep, infants can become tired and irritable.
Research shows that infants who receive massages before bedtime tend to sleep more deeply and stay asleep longer. This is great news for moms and dads struggling to get their babies to sleep.
Our in-person infant massage classes are cue-based and baby-driven, so the experience is based on your baby’s needs. We encourage you to respond to their signals and meet their needs as often as possible.
Reduces Stress
Learning safe and appropriate infant massage techniques is highly recommended regardless of your child’s age or health condition. This is especially true if your child has an ongoing illness or medical treatment.
Research has shown that massage can positively influence physiological processes, such as oxygen flow and circulation. It can also improve immune function and reduce stress hormone levels.
Parenting classes incorporating infant massage are a great way to promote baby development and support bonding between parents and babies. It can help foster healthy attachment, even if your baby has been in care or has experienced separation from you at some point.
Massage increases the release of oxytocin, which helps create a feel-good reaction in both mother and child. It also decreases stress hormone levels, promoting sounder and longer parental sleep.
Relieves Pain
Infant massage is a safe and effective way to relax your baby. It is especially beneficial for easing common infant ailments like colic, constipation, and teething discomfort.
In addition, it can improve sleep for the parent and the baby by reducing stress hormones and increasing feel-good hormones (oxytocin). It is also known to relieve pain in infants by regulating the digestive, respiratory, and circulatory systems and promoting healthy weight gain and increased immune function.
In parenting classes, infant massage is taught as part of a holistic approach to caring for an infant. It goes beyond just the physical touch of the baby to include critical elements of bonding such as eye-to-eye contact, smiling, soothing, vocal sounds, loving touch, caressing, and mutual interaction.
Increases Bonding
Infant massage is a natural way to connect with your baby. It stimulates the production of oxytocin, the feel-good hormone, and helps to increase bonding.
Parents often report being more confident when handling their babies after learning infant massage skills. They can better understand and respond to their baby’s cues.
Another benefit of infant massage is that it can foster healthy parent-child relationships, regardless of your stage of parenting. This is especially true if you’re a new parent or adopting.
In addition, nurses and other physically demanding health professionals can take an afternoon or morning break from their daily routine to teach baby massage to their clients. This can also give them a mental break and help relieve stress and tension in their bodies. It can also be a great way to connect with their clients and build rapport. It can be done in groups or one-on-one.
