“Baby massage is now becoming more popular and is recognised as being a very helpful aid within the NHS. A recent survey showed that it costs the NHS around £65m a year within the first 12 weeks of baby’s life for crying, colic and sleeping problems.

• Early bonding is an essential first step towards ensuring that babies are able to form strong emotional attachments to others in later life and to develop good communication skills

Bonding and attachment is a two way relationship and it gives parents the motivation to develop positive interaction with their baby, which leads to self-confidence and self esteem in the parenting role

• Through bonding with your baby the parent becomes more aware of the baby’s need to be touched and more understanding of baby cue’s verbal and non-verbal

• Stimulates the circulation, respiratory, nervous and immune systems

• Stimulates the digestive system (which can help to relieve colic and constipation)

• Improves the appearance and texture of the skin through stimulation of the circulatory system (which can benefit eczema in some babies)

• Encourages muscular co-ordination and improves joint mobility

• Reduces stress, anxiety and birth trauma, in both baby and parent

• Promotes relaxation and helps induce a longer and deeper sleep.

Baby massage provides the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with your baby that doesn’t include any of the other regular baby needs of the day i.e feeding, changing etc. It should be a quiet time when baby and parent (mum or dad) can relax and enjoy the experience together. No phones, no pets, no noise, just a nice warm familiar space with soft lighting and some gentle background music.

However, you must also gain the consent of your baby to the massage. If he is not happy about it he will tell you so, by either turning his head away from you, frowning, arching his back, clenching his fits or starting to cry. If this is the case, treat your baby with respect and stop. It is not the right time and no enjoyment or benefit would be gained for either baby or parent. On the other hand when baby is ready for interaction, he will hold eye contact with you, smile, move his limbs in an excited but relaxed way, make gurgling noises etc.

Baby massage is a sensory experience and it helps young babies to feel secure and develop sensitivity to touch which is the most highly developed sense at birth.

In addition, baby massage makes for a more rounded child who is able to deal with adult interaction, giving him the confidence to explore and gain his independence because of the loving, bonding attachment that has been made between baby and parent."

June Harris is a member of the Federation of Holistic Therapists and offers baby massage with all its benefits in and around the area of Solihull, West Midlands.

She is contactable through her website: http://babybliss-info.co.uk

If you are interested in baby massage, try our natural baby oil here!