Baby Massage from a mum’s perspective!

Posted: 21st June 2017

By Steph Bradley, Owner, Gymboree Play & Music Jersey and Gymboree Play & Music UK Operations & Programme Manager

I never realised the impact Baby Massage would have on my baby. Having trained as an IAIM instructor and taught baby massage for over a year, I had seen many babies come and go and absolutely love the sessions. However, it wasn’t until I had my own little girl that I have really seen the amazing benefits and impact this simple massage could have.

My daughter was born 5 days after my due date and after a challenging labour, spent 4 days in the amazing Special Care Baby Unit at Jersey General Hospital. After 9 months of waiting to meet her, we were so delighted to have the most perfect little girl. For the first 2 days, Edie spent her time in an incubator where she was having a little help with oxygen. As a first time mum, this was quite tough as all I wanted to do was get her out and take her with me – as all mothers know, the first few days can be challenging with all those emotions and hormones flying about!

I decided that I would practice what I had been preaching for the last year and placed my hands in the incubator on my baby’s leg. It was amazing … I instantly started crying with happiness. The bond I felt at this moment was incredible. Although I couldn’t get my baby out and hug her, I was still able to have that same special moment. From then on we continued with this still touch until we were able to progress into the massage. From 1 week old my little girl has been having her massage every night before bed and she absolutely loves it. After 10 weeks, we finally managed to get daddy to have a go and we now do the massage together every night. The joy on her face when we rub our hands with coconut oil above her face is priceless.

Touch is something that we all have the ability to use. It is the first sense we experience when in our mother’s womb and the last sense to leave us when we pass.

baby massage

Reviews

Both of my children (3.5 years and 11 months) go to Gymboree Play & Music and love it. My toddler goes to their drop-off Lego class which she raves about. It's very creative, working not only on Lego skills but also painting, drawing etc. My infant son loves his Gymboree Play & Music Crawlers class - particularly loves crawling all over their props, through the tunnels, etc. Great way to get the infant crawling over obstacles! Gymboree Play & Music is part of our weekly schedule for both kids and we look forward to participating every week. Invaluable!

Natalia, Hampstead

Gymboree Play & Music was a lovely and positive experience for my son Leo. We started when he was 9 months and he is now 3 years old, I wish we had started sooner.
He loves the songs (which is part of our daily singing at home), the freedom to explore and he was happy there. He looks forward to class every week and once class is over he will tell everyone about Gymbo and what he did.
For me, I liked that it taught him how to get down safely from a height, how to learn to use his body, and touching on different topics every 2 weeks. It gave me confidence in other environments to trust that he has the ability that he learned from Gymboree Play & Music and to trust him.

Sheena, Sevenoaks

I’ve been taking both my newborn and toddler to Gymboree Play & Music for a couple of months now and both boys are really loving the classes and open gym sessions. It’s a great way to meet other mums, entertain toddlers at witching hour(!) and get ideas for sensory play with babies. Sophie and Cat are fantastic and have so much energy and loads of different ideas for the classes, plus make sure the activities it’s help children meet their development milestones as well. Highly recommend this if you’re thinking about joining!! Thanks so much Sophie, Cat and the wider team :-)

Pippa, Tunbridge Wells