I massaged my babies when they were tiny for as many months/years as they would allow me to do so. Eventually they stop being receptive to it and just want to explore their new world so I had to accept that.

However the benefits obviously lasted because now at the age of 11 and 8 my son and daughter ask me for nightly back-rubs as they go to bed, are openly affectionate with me in front of their friends, and we have a very close relationship.

Long may this continue as the teenage years approach. Bonus…they are now both excellent at giving, as well as receiving, positive & healthy touch!

Go for it all new mums & dads, even if they squirm and try to get away once they can crawl. They will come back for more in a few years when both you and your child will appreciate (more than ever!) the long-lasting effects of having massaged them when they were tiny babies.

Kate Carlisle
Advanced Therapeutics Ltd
Apollo Health

Baby Massage

"Being touched and caressed, being massaged, is food for the infant. Food as necessary as minerals, vitamans and proteins." Dr Frederick LeBoyer.

Parents throughout the world know that their babies need to be held, carried, rocked and touched. The gentle art of baby massage has been part of traditional baby care giving in many cultures, passed on from parent to child for generations.

Why Massage Your Baby?

Clinical evidence shows that loving, touching, nurturing contact between parent and infant has a positive impact on subsequent development. For your baby, a massage is far more than a luxurious experience or physical therapy. It is a tool for maintaining health and well-being on many different levels as well as providing you both with one to one time to bond, relax and communicate with one another.

Five benefits for you and your baby.

*	Helps to strengthen and regulate the digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems.
*	Enhances loving communication, helping you to understand and respond to your baby's non-verbal language.
*	Relief from the symptoms of colic, gas and constipation.
*	Soothes and relaxes both parent and baby and relieves the stresses which build up daily from baby's new encounters with the world.
*	Teaches babies to be aware of their body's tension and how to release it. An invaluable gift as they grow into adulthood

The Importance of Bonding & Attachment.

Baby massage includes all the critical elements of bonding. Eye to eye contact, smiling and other facial expressions, soothing sounds, cuddling, smell and interaction. Another important benefit is the quality of closeness between parent and baby that massage brings about; these benefits are life long. Parents find that a daily massage and the interaction that it provides is a wonderful way to "stay in touch" with their growing child.

Positive, loving touch from day one, contributes to the development of a compassionate, respectful, loving being.

Learn to massage your baby at Jo's Mum & Baby Yoga Class.

Nourish your baby's skin with Perfect Potion's Beautiful Baby Massage Oil.

Further Information

The International Association of Infant Massage - www.iaim.net