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All babies have, due to their physiological immaturity at birth, a great need for touch

Without touch an infant will die

TOUCHfirst sensory input in life comes whilestill in the womb

primary means of learning about theworld

critical for children's growth,development, health, mental well-being

What is Infant Massage?

an ancient tradition

a way of communicating

a way to foster mutual trust & understanding

Benefits of Infant Massage

Massage of healthy babies by parents, especially mothers, greatly enhances the bond between parent(s) and child (Underdown, et al., 2006; Serrano et al., 2010).

Massage improves the psychological state, mental and physical development of the child.

Massage greatly helps mother to reduce stress and anxiety especially after labor (Livingston et al., 2007).

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psychological & physiologicalelements of bonding

BondingOngoing process

requiring

nurturing & time

Never too late to

enhance &

promote

Bonding

A unique relationship between two people, this is specific and endures through time

A lifelong process beginning with a reciprocal, interactive system between parent and infant

Attachment

Attachment is an inborn system in the brain that evolves in ways that influence and organize motivational, emotional and memory processes

Intimate attachments to other human beings are the hub around which a person’s life revolves throughout life and into old age

Importance of Bonding & Attachment

Psychological Importance/Benefits for Baby:

learns to trust and will trust more

feels more competent/has more self worth

learns healthy independence

learns intimacy

learns to give and receive love

feels secure and safe

Importance of Bonding & Attachment

Physical Importance/Benefits for Baby:

has healthy development of the nervous system and brain

is better organized learns language easier physically grows better is more receptive to tactile stimulation is able to self regulate, emotions, self-soothe

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Sensory Integration

neural organization of the senses of sight, hearing, touch and balance.

TOUCH is part of this

process

Sensory Integration

ability of the brain to organize these impulses varies from child to child

automatically done in most children and therefore the ability is taken for granted

not all children’s brains manage to localize and sort sensory impulses correctly

Sensory Integration

dysfunction may lead to learning disabilities, even though the child has normal IQ

Behavioral disturbances may also occur in some children, despite good parents and a healthy social environment

Sensory Integration

Senses integrate in four floating levels

continuingprocess frominfancy throughthe preschool years

Integration of Senses

First Level Integrates balance

Second Level Tactile senses are interpreted and correctly

organized in the brain

Integration of Senses

Third Level The prerequisites for learning to speak and

understand language should be formed

Fourth Level The eye and hand specialize

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Infant/Toddler Development

Through relationships infants and toddlers learn what people expect of them, and what they can expect of other people.

Nurturing, protective, stable and consistent relationships are essential to young children’s mental health and development.

A developing

sense of oneself

as competent to

engage in

relationships and to

act in the world is an

Important aspect of

infant mental health.

“Keeping the Connection”, nurturing

touch is beneficial for open and healthy

communication between caregivers and

children.

Massage can be a forum for awareness of

children’s physical, psychological well

being, social status, and spiritual

development, to really “know” their child.

Caregiver & Child Connection:Touch can continue to keep the connection between parent and child.

Establishes a family tradition

Mutual time for parent and child to “talk”

What does Research Tell Us?

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ResearchResearch studies have shown many positive that

touch therapy has many positive effects, including:

facilitates weight gain in preterm infants

reduces stress hormones

aids in length of sleep and decreased latency

alleviates depressive symptoms (for parent)

reduces pain

improves immune function

Does Massage Make Babies Smarter?According to Dr.Tiffany Field, PhD,studies show that afive-minute massageenhances theperformance of babies &children on tasks thatrequire attentiveness

When, Where & How

When to Massage

nurturing touch can be started as soon as caregiver and child become acquainted with each other.

it is always best not to force the start but begin when the time feels right.

it is common to start infant massage when the baby is about 3 weeks to one month old.

The best time to do massage

this is up to every individual to decide however, the best time is that which suits the caregiver and the child.

for some it might be in the morning after finishing the morning routine.

others prefer a quiet moment in the afternoon or before bedtime.

Where

• a warm room

• quiet and calm atmosphere

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Remember that it is

not the massage

technique that is most

important but rather

that the giver of the

massage is touching

the child with warm,

loving hands and with

a total presence.

How often Massage can be done

in principal a child may be massaged everyday.

once the caregiver is aware of the child’s preference, they’ll know when to shorten the session or when to rest for a day.

it is essential to remember massage is done with a child, not to a child.

Massage Adaptations Ages & Stages

Massage Adaptations | Ages & Stages

Active Crawler:

beneficial to have a variety of familiar objects to keep baby busy during the massage

important to expect them not to be still child may need to be positioned so he/she can

see what is going on around them make massage playful and fun adapt the strokes to meet the child’s size and

position

Massage Adaptations | Ages & Stages

Toddler:

child may be quite active

massage at naptime, bedtime, after bath or to soothe child

limit number of strokes, due to shortened attention span

play, sing songs and rhymes, tell stories and other quiet activities

wonderful imagination can be encouraged by introducing fun massage techniques

Massage Adaptations | Ages & Stages

Pre-School Age: child’s growing limbs may need to be supported

strokes may need to be done in sections

child may be experiencing growing pains, slow relaxing strokes may ease this discomfort

child is becoming more independent and selective of how and when he/she wants a massage

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Training in Infant Massage

Certified Infant Massage Teacher

Training offered by Liddle Kidz Foundation

CIMTs may teach parents/caregivers how to massage their infants

Massage Therapists, nurses and other healthcare staff who wish to teach parents/caregivers, or practice infant massage, should become certified

To become a CIMT®

Attend a Liddle Kidz Foundation Certified Infant Massage Teacher Training

Complete recommended reading before the training.

PRACTICUM: Teach Infant Massage classes with parents and obtain written participant evaluations.

When the certification process is complete, the student will obtain certification as a Certified Infant Massage Teacher (CIMT®).

Course Schedulewww.LiddleKidz.com

Video Channel:

www.youtube.com/LiddleKidz

ReferencesAuckett, A. Baby Massage: Parent-Child Bonding Through Touch.1982

Barker, S.E. 2005. The cuddle hormone. Located on the World Wide Web at www.oxytocin.org. Retrieved on July 16, 2008.

Blackwell, P.L. 2000. The influence of touch on child development: Implications for intervention. Infants & Young Children 13: 25-39.

CIMT, Liddle Kidz Foundation, Certified Infant Massage Teacher Manual

Field, T. 2001. Touch. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Field, T., Grizzle, N., Scafidi, F., & Schanberg, S. 1996. Massage and relaxation therapies' effects on depressed adolescent mothers. Adolescence 31: 903911.

Field, T., Grizzle, N., Scafidi, F., Abrams, S., & Richardson, S., Kuhn, C. and Schanberg, S.1996. Massage therapy for infants of depressed mothers. Infant

Behavior and Development, 19: 109-114.

Field, T., & Hernandez-Reif, M., 2001. Sleep problems in infants decrease following massage therapy. Early Child Development and Care 168: 95-104.

Field, T., M. Hernandez-Reif, M Diego, L. Feijo, Y. Vera, & K. Gil. 2004. Massage therapy by parents improves early growth and development. Infant Behavior & Development 27 (4): 435-42.

Field, T, M. Hernandez-Reif, M. Diego, S. Schanberg, & C. Kuhn. 2005. Cortisol decreases and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy. International Journal of Neuroscience 115 (10): 1397-413.

Furman, L., & J. Kennel. 200. Breastmilk and skin-to-skin kangaroo care for premature infants. Avoiding bonding failure. Acta Paediatrica 89: 1280-83.

Heath, A. Baby Massage: The Calming Power of Touch. 2000

Honig, A.S. 2004, September. Read your baby’s body language. Scholastic Parent & Child, 25 – 26.

Jelveus, L. Swedish Child Massage. 2004

Johnson & Johnson, Inc. 1995. Touch in labor and infancy: Clinical implications.

Jones, N., & Field, T. 1999. Right frontal EEG asymmetry is attenuated by massage and music therapy. Adolescence, 34: 529-534.

Moberg, K. 2003. The oxytocin factor. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press

Montagu, A. 1986. Touching: The human significance of the skin. 3d ed. New York: Harper & Row.

Shore, R. 1997. Rethinking the brain: New insights into early development. New York: Families and Work Institute.

Uvnas-Moberg, K. The Oxytocin Factor.

Contact:

Tina Allen

Founder & Director

Liddle Kidz™Foundation

www.LiddleKidz.com