Introduction to Baby Massage

Infant massage seems to be sweeping the world at the moment - it's popularity has exploded within the last few years, much of which is down to the Vimala McClure and the IAIM. But, as with most natural healing techniques, it is by no means a new thing. People have been massaging babies for centuries. Once again, it is the western world that is slow on the uptake. But we are learning, and more and more people are being trained to be able to teach this art to the people who need to know. Who needs to know? Well, the obvious ones are mothers, but also in this bracket are fathers, grandparents and guardians. Equally important are the people who care for children outwith the home, nurses on Intensive Care Units that work with premature babies for instance, and those who work with the disabled. There are many benefits from massage for all babies, and these two groups in particular. We shall go into that in more detail in coming months.

 Infant massage obviously benefits the infant, this is one of the main reasons for giving massage. Caring touch is good for everyone, and infants especially that are new to the world need the reassurance of someone special being there for them. But have you considered that the massage can be beneficial to the giver too? There are some major benefits for the massage giver, including increased awareness of the baby and their needs and it can also aid the bonding process between care giver and baby.

 In this Western Society, healing arts are not automatically accepted, despite being practised for thousands of years. Although relevant research has been undertaken over many years, there is a huge upsurge in the amount of scientific research being done to prove or disprove the benefits of massage, touch and infant massage. It is a sad reflection on the society that, although many people can testify to something's worth, and the benefits that it brings to them and those around them, it will not be trusted until it can be proven scientifically. On the positive side though, it means that there is more and more information available for those people interested in massage and it's benefits.

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