Baby Massage Classes
Come and join us at our calm and nurturing Baby Massage Classes for Bournemouth and Poole.
Baby Massage is a nurturing class, enabling you to bond with your baby through touch. Classes are suitable for babies from five/six weeks to crawling, and taught by a qualified baby massage instructor.
The Baby Massage course teaches parents the skills to calm and nurture their baby using gentle, soothing massage strokes. Massage can aid digestion, colic, and wind, and help baby sleep. Classes are completely baby
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led, allowing you to do as little or as much massage as baby is happy to do. If baby cries or needs a feed don’t worry, just continue with the massage when baby is ready and happy to continue.
Baby massage is a five week course. Each class lasts 90 minutes and is split into two 45 minute sections.
The first half of the class is spent on your mat with baby, learning the massage strokes to practice with baby. You will be taught a mixture of Indian and Swedish massage strokes. After baby has enjoyed having a massage and is feeling relaxed, the remaining 45 minutes will be dedicated to the parents. So you can get to know one another and build friendships over tea and cake.
Each week we will be discussing new topics that are relevant for new parents. Please feel free to suggest a topic you would like us to discuss. We want to offer you a sense of community and a support network. If you have any concerns or worries, feel free to ask us for help.
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Touch
Babies thrive on skin-to-skin contact, touch is way of communicating love and security.
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Physical Wellbeing
Massage releases the 'love hormone' oxytocin, allowing stronger attachments and deeper bonds to form with baby. This hormone gives baby a feeling of love and wellbeing.
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Immune System
Massage stimulates and strengthens babies' immune system, through increased stimulation of the lymphatic system.
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Colic
Massaging baby's tummy can aid the passage of any trapped air bubbles in baby's tummy and intestines towards the bowel. The effect of releasing air trapped in baby's tummy will help relieve baby of the pain associated with trapped wind.
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Brain Connections
Massaging babies skin helps make connections in babies brain. Babies' nervous system is developing pathways and making connections in the brain during massage. Massage helps the process of myelination enabling messages to be transmitted to the brain more effectively and at greater speed, along the nerve cells.
Week One
Legs and Feet
We start in week one massaging the legs, as babies are used to having their legs touched. We will be learning both Indian massage and Swedish massage strokes to use on the legs. We will also be massaging the feet and learning some reflexology strokes to aid digestion and help with congestion.
Week Two
Tummy
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In week two we will be learning some massage strokes for the tummy and some strokes that will help aid baby’s suffering with wind and colic. The digestive system is still immature and learning massage strokes for the tummy can help support the digestive system. We will also recap the strokes learnt in week one.
Week Three
Chest and Face
In week three we will massage the chest, learning strokes that can help with congestion. When massaging the face, we will also learn some strokes to help with congestion when baby has a cold. We will also learn some teething strokes. With a recap of the strokes learnt in weeks one and two.
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Week Four
Arms and Hands
In week four we will be learning some Indian and Swedish massage strokes for the arms. Massaging the arms can help with lymphatic drainage, helping to rid the body of waste and toxins. With a recap of the strokes learnt in the previous weeks.
Week Five
Back
In week five we will learn some relaxing back massage strokes and give baby a little tummy time. We will also be massaging the rest of the body going over all of the strokes we have learnt over the course.
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You will be given a bottle of organic massage oil to use at the first session. Please bring this bottle back with you each week. You will also receive a booklet to help you practice the strokes at home.
At the end of the five week course you will receive a Baby Massage certificate and a goody bag with a gift for both you and baby. You will also receive a 10% discount on any other classes you would like to do with us.
Baby Massage and Colic Workshop
This is a 90-minute workshop teaching you both Indian and Swedish Massage strokes, a tummy massage routine and a colic massage routine. This routine will help your baby if they are suffering from wind, colic, or constipation. We will teach you the strokes that you can practice over the course of each day that will stop the air bubbles from building in baby’s tummy and help aid digestion. Babies have an immature digestive system and practicing this tummy routine on your baby daily, will help to move everything along baby’s digestive system and help relieve any discomfort baby suffers that is caused by wind, constipation and colic. This workshop will give you the tools to practice a simple colic routine every day, helping to settle baby. Refreshments and cakes are served at the end of the massage routine, giving you the chance to chat to the other parents and ask any questions or go over any strokes that you are unsure about. This is a completely baby led class, do not worry if baby needs feeding or cries during the class, this is a very friendly and relaxed workshop. This class is suitable for babies from 5 weeks plus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to bring with you?
Wear a face mask when entering the building, you can take this off when you and baby are sat at your mat.
If you need to get up and move about or go to the toilet, please wear your face mask.
A towel for baby to lie on during the massage and a blanket in case baby feels cold.
A cushion to sit on.
Hand sanitiser.
What if your baby cries?
Do not worry, nobody will mind. You may find that your baby cries during part of the massage session. This is completely normal and does not mean that you are doing something wrong or that your baby does not like what you are doing. If your baby begins to cry during the massage you are the best judge of whether to finish the massage or continue. Try to identify why your baby is crying by listening to his different cries. If you feel your baby has had enough try again another day. Remember you are learning about massage and yoga together. If you have an active or sensitive baby, then keep sessions short. A little bit of massage works wonders.
What if I miss a session?
If you miss a session don’t worry, we repeat everything each week and you can catch up with anything you are unsure of. If you need extra help, just ask your instructor.
Remember
If you miss a session don’t worry, we repeat everything each week and you can catch up with anything you are unsure of. If you need extra help, just ask your instructor.
When to massage
Always massage your baby when he is calm and alert. Do not massage your baby if he is unwell, has a fever, upset tummy, sickness, rash, unusual lumps or bumps or any contagious disease.
If your baby has any chronic medical conditions, seek GP consent. Do not massage within 72 hours of jabs.
Covid Advise
If you have been in contact with anybody with Covid symptoms, please do not come to class.
If you are unwell and have a fever, continuous cough, loss of taste or loss of smell do not come to class.
In the event of classes having to be closed due to Covid restrictions, Classes will continue online.