Baby massage is a loving, nurturing touch. Some of the most intimate and deeply communicative moments between a parent and their baby are often spent in utter silence as they stroke a back, smooth a belly or run a finger under the arch of a tender baby foot. There is no substitute for a parent’s loving touch. Through touch, babies first learn the comfort and security of loving and of being loved.

Baby massage has a wide range of both psychological and physiological benefits. Numerous studies have found that baby massage not only helps develop the natural parent-child bond but it also plays a significant role in promoting the healthy growth and development of infants. It is also a useful tool for everyday situations – it can relieve a host of childhood complaints from colic to constipation – and essential for enhancement of the infant’s wellbeing.

An ancient tradition and still a ‘must’ in many cultures baby massage had not been practiced widely in the West until the 1980’s. Even today European parents often lack confidence to carry out even the simplest of massages.

As a Certified Baby Massage Instructor you will be able to introduce parents and carers to the joy of baby massage and lead them step by step through the suitable ‘routine’. You will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to run both groups and one-to-one sessions enabling parents or carers to massage their baby confidently and safely.

By introducing this practice into your portfolio you will rapidly open up new areas of business, this will result in a new group of clients, many of whom will come to you for other treatments. Your business will soon grow.

Course Details

This course involves both practical and theoretical work in the following areas.

~ ASSESSING THE NEEDS OF THE PARENT/CARER AND INFANT

•  Effective communication and consultation skills
•  Full assessment of relevant physical and emotional background
•  Clients’ expectation and goals
•  Accommodating clients with special needs e.g. partially sighted/blind
•  Parents’ right to choose

~ MASSAGE TECHNIQUES FOR INFANTS

• Origins of baby massage
• Baby communication – cues and reflexes
• Benefits of baby massage – for the parents and the baby
• Contraindications
• Conditions requiring adaptation of the massage routine or timing
• Setting up for baby massage – safe environment
• Baby positioning
• Baby massage techniques
• Physical and psychological effects of baby massage movements
•  Baby massage mediums

~ TEACHING SKILLS

• Presentation vs. teaching
• Communication and teaching skills
• Lesson planning
• One-to-one and group facilitation

~ BUSINESS SKILLS

• Marketing – identifying client base
• Selecting a suitable venue
• Pricing
• Insurance

Assessment

In order to qualify in the above certificate you will be required to:

• Demonstrate the ability to run a Baby Massage Workshop during day 2
• Deliver a 10-15-minutes Microteach session during day 2
• Complete and write up a Baby Massage Workshop following the course

Who Can Attend?

This workshop is designed for practitioners, qualified in any form of Body Massage Therapy.

Recognition by Professional Associations

Validated by IPTI – (Independent Professional Therapists International) and widely accepted by most Professional Bodies

More Information

The workshop will be largely practical in content and you will be required to wear appropriate clinic workwear for the duration of the course. During the session you will practise on each other under the supervision of the tutor who will offer guidance and feedback.

Duration: 2 days

Course fees include:
~ All class tuition
~ A comprehensive course manual
~ An MSCM Certificate of Competence for your professional portfolio
~ 10 cpd points

Exam Fees:  – £50.00 (+VAT)

Payable prior to course commencement.

Includes:
~ Practical assessment
~ Marking of workshop write-up
~ Issue of certificate