Benefits of baby massage and yoga
Infants who experience more physical contact with caregivers demonstrate increased mental development in the first six months of life compared to young children who receive limited physical interaction. Furthermore, this improved cognitive development has been shown to last even after eight years, illustrating the importance of positive interactions. Infants who receive above-average levels of affection from their mothers are shown to be less likely to be hostile, anxious, or emotionally distressed as adults.
(Coleman, Daniel. “The Experience of Touch: Research Points to a Critical Role.” New York Times. February 1988 and Gardner, Amanda. “Can a Mother’s Affection Prevent Anxiety in Adulthood?” CNN.com. July 2010) Taken from Urban Child Institute
Benefits of a holistic approach for pregnancy and childhood
A holistic approach to health can have huge benefits for you and your family helping to promote wellbeing through the treatment of the body, mind and spirit.
We have listed some of the many benefits of attending our classes, workshops and enjoying our treatments.
Baby Massage – What is it and how can it help?
Massage is a wonderful and special gift that you can share with your baby. Baby massage is an ancient art used in many diverse cultures to help with a variety of physical and emotional needs and to promote relaxation. Babies crave skin contact. Touch is your baby’s most developed sense at birth and through it you can communicate love, security and trust to your baby immediately. Everyone has the ability to touch and massage another. You do not need any qualifications to massage your baby. Baby massage is simply a method that helps to reinforce the natural power of touch.
Baby massage will allow you to understand your baby’s subtle non verbal language and develop your ability to listen to your baby through the creation of a special intimate time together.
When you massage your baby you lay down the foundations of trust and security which will help you to build a happy and confident relationship with your baby for the future.
Specfic benefits for you and your baby include:
- Baby massage can help relieve wind, colic, constipation, teething and much more
- Baby Massage may help create and develop the bond between you and your baby
- Baby Massage provides relaxation for you both
- Baby Massage stimulates and supports your baby’s physical, emotional and social development
Baby Massage is great fun to learn and a brilliant way to meet other parents and spend special time with your baby.
Baby Yoga – What is it and how does it help?
Baby Yoga is based on the principles of adult yoga; breathing, stretching and relaxation. Baby Yoga classes help to get babies to stretch and move and to discover their abilities and bodies. Parents also practice gentle yoga stretches too which can help the body recover after birth. Yoga helps balance the body and mind and can help boost circulation and digestion, strengthen joints and muscles, and encourage removal of waste and toxins in the body.
Baby Yoga is a fantastic way to support your baby’s development by improving muscle strength and tone, co ordination, and balance. It is also a wonderful way to bond with your baby and have fun together. It encourages instinctive parenting and promotes many well- used techniques for calming, soothing and reassuring baby. A session of baby yoga stimulates all baby’s body systems and helps to integrate all of baby’s senses. Baby Yoga sessions use fun rhymes and songs to help you learn the simple movements and to help relax baby.