Infant massage is a great way for you to solidify the bond that you have with your baby. It is great for anyone who is an active part of raising the baby.
Infant massage is specifically designed to promote the healthy development of your baby. Caring human touch is crucial for a healthy, thriving baby, and the benefits of massaging your infant are potent and numerous. To learn more about the numerous benefits of infant massage, please refer to this blog post on the topic.
During a class, you will learn to massage your own baby while I demonstrate on a doll. There will also be time for discussion in each class.
Classes can be taught in private or group sessions. If you know of other parents who want to take class with you, contact me and we can see about setting up a group session. Private classes are usually taught in 4 or 5 sessions, while group classes take 5 sessions. The price includes a bottle of oil, materials, and 4-5 class sessions for you, your baby and up to 1 other adult. Any adults attending the class should be an active part of raising the baby.
Virtual Classes
Interested in learning to massage your baby but unable to take a course in-person? No problem! You can book online courses that will allow you to learn in the privacy of your own home, and I will still be able to watch you and give feedback where necessary. Some items to have on hand are:
It is recommended that you have a space large enough for you to be seated with baby in front of you and a place to set up your device that will allow me to see what you are doing. If you are using an iOS device, you will need to download the free app from the app store, as Safari will only support audio. The recommended browser is Chrome.
Infant massage is specifically designed to promote the healthy development of your baby. Caring human touch is crucial for a healthy, thriving baby, and the benefits of massaging your infant are potent and numerous. To learn more about the numerous benefits of infant massage, please refer to this blog post on the topic.
During a class, you will learn to massage your own baby while I demonstrate on a doll. There will also be time for discussion in each class.
Classes can be taught in private or group sessions. If you know of other parents who want to take class with you, contact me and we can see about setting up a group session. Private classes are usually taught in 4 or 5 sessions, while group classes take 5 sessions. The price includes a bottle of oil, materials, and 4-5 class sessions for you, your baby and up to 1 other adult. Any adults attending the class should be an active part of raising the baby.
Virtual Classes
Interested in learning to massage your baby but unable to take a course in-person? No problem! You can book online courses that will allow you to learn in the privacy of your own home, and I will still be able to watch you and give feedback where necessary. Some items to have on hand are:
- A space large enough for you to be seated with baby in front of you
- A device set up so that I can see what you are doing to provide feedback
- Pillows and blankets to support yourself in a comfortable seated position and to support baby. If you can use a pillow that puts baby at an angle so that they can watch your face during the session, that is even better!
- A washcloth to function as a drape when diapers are off.
- A bottle of oil. This should be an edible oil such as sesame, safflower, sunflower, coconut, grapeseed, jojoba, sweet almond, etc. Olive oil, mineral oil, baby oils, lotions, and creams are not recommended.
It is recommended that you have a space large enough for you to be seated with baby in front of you and a place to set up your device that will allow me to see what you are doing. If you are using an iOS device, you will need to download the free app from the app store, as Safari will only support audio. The recommended browser is Chrome.
Class Format
A typical infant massage class consists of several different sections including introduction/warm-up, review, technique, information/discussion, and question and answer period. It is always important to warm up and relax before starting the massage. If you are tense, the baby will sense it through your touch. Taking some time stretch and breath, if only for just a few minutes can be good for you and the baby.
We usually move on to technique fairly quickly because the baby is generally ready to get started, especially when they learn to know what is coming. Over the course of 5 weeks, we will go over massage techniques for your baby's feet, legs, tummy, chest, arms, hands, face and back. We will also go over some gentle movements and a routine specifically designed to help with colic. Before we start the technique session, we generally do a quick review. We usually go over any techniques that parents have questions about, and will sometimes do a quick run-through of the class before. Usually, the baby's attention span is kind of short when the first start receiving massage, as it can be very stimulating at first, so a full review is generally not something that we do. On the last day of class however, we will do a full massage from start to finish. During class, I will demonstrate on a doll. You are the only one who will ever touch your baby.
During every class, we will have an information/discussion period. This usually consists of me presenting information about a topic and opening the floor to discussion. Some of the topics that we will discuss include what kind of oil is safe to use on your baby's skin, behavioral cycles, how to continue massage as your child gets older, dealing with crying and communication. I am always happy for caregivers to share topics that they would like to discuss later in the course.
Please see the prices page for a full menu of services and rates.
A typical infant massage class consists of several different sections including introduction/warm-up, review, technique, information/discussion, and question and answer period. It is always important to warm up and relax before starting the massage. If you are tense, the baby will sense it through your touch. Taking some time stretch and breath, if only for just a few minutes can be good for you and the baby.
We usually move on to technique fairly quickly because the baby is generally ready to get started, especially when they learn to know what is coming. Over the course of 5 weeks, we will go over massage techniques for your baby's feet, legs, tummy, chest, arms, hands, face and back. We will also go over some gentle movements and a routine specifically designed to help with colic. Before we start the technique session, we generally do a quick review. We usually go over any techniques that parents have questions about, and will sometimes do a quick run-through of the class before. Usually, the baby's attention span is kind of short when the first start receiving massage, as it can be very stimulating at first, so a full review is generally not something that we do. On the last day of class however, we will do a full massage from start to finish. During class, I will demonstrate on a doll. You are the only one who will ever touch your baby.
During every class, we will have an information/discussion period. This usually consists of me presenting information about a topic and opening the floor to discussion. Some of the topics that we will discuss include what kind of oil is safe to use on your baby's skin, behavioral cycles, how to continue massage as your child gets older, dealing with crying and communication. I am always happy for caregivers to share topics that they would like to discuss later in the course.
Please see the prices page for a full menu of services and rates.
"Informative and useful information. Amanda was friendly and helpful. I think that this will become more useful as she gets a little older, and liked hearing about adaptations as a child ages"
-L. M. Infant Massage Student
"Amanda was calm, encouraging, and very easy to learn from. I really enjoyed the discussion about teaching children (even at a very young age) that they are in charge of their own bodies, and that anyone needs to ask their permission to touch them. Also enjoyed the conversations about allowing children to express emotion- even when it's negative."
-B. B. S. Infant Massage Student
"[Infant massage] gave me special time with my daughter. I learned that she already has positive and negative connections with her body. [Amanda] assured me that if there was anything my baby didn't like, we didn't have to do it. She has had abdominal surgery and tummy massage upset her. Now she is cooing and smiling at me more. My baby loves massage!"
-B. G. Infant Massage Student
"I liked learning the techniques. The small class size made it easy to ask questions as we went along. Amanda let us ask questions and never made us feel dumb when we did. Once we started doing massage regularly, my baby started sleeping through the night!"
-C. W. Infant Massage Student
"The class was relaxed, informal, and flexible but still maintained clear direction. Amanda asked questions and shared her knowledge and expertise."
-L. M. Infant Massage Student
