IFIM

Ancient Art of Infant Massage

Mothers have been practicing the art of infant massage for centuries. Based on this historical fact, it is very clear that all babies should be massaged, touched and loved to promote their social-emotional-cognitive and physical development. As an early intervention strategy and therapeutic tool, infant massage is becoming a specialty therapy in the United States. Infant massage is being embraced by a wide variety of professionals who are incorporating it into their practices to help families cope with children with special needs as well as healthy full term newborns. Techniques are simple and effective and are most likely performed by parents and primary caregivers who have been taught by certified infant massage instructors. The approach is empowering and improves the parent-infant attachment process. There is a growing body of research that supports the therapeutic benefits. Infant massage is a crucial and routine part of infant care around the world and has the ability to create great benefits for both parents and the newborn. I teach infant massage. Let’s all teach infant massage.

“Being touched and caressed, being massaged, is food for the infant; food as necessary as minerals, vitamins, and proteins” ~ Frederick Leboyer

Dr. Frederick Leboyer, M.D., was the first physician to challenge Western society’s deeply held beliefs about awareness in the newborn. He was one of the first doctors to record the ancient art of baby massage. His Book Loving Hands: The Traditional Art of Baby Massage was first published in 1976 from his trip to Calcutta and gives us a good example of this ancient parenting tradition. From the creation of his book, infant massage began to spread across the world, becoming more embraced and accepted.