Infant Massage

Infant massage has been shown to stimulate bonding hormones, such as oxytocin, which are important to the creation of healthy mother-infant relationships and to physiological health and brain function (Porges, 1998). Infant massage also provides an opportunity for parents to learn about their child’s body cues regarding physical contact, and it can produce an increased sense of calm and relaxation for both the parent and the child.

Touch is an essential part of the parent-child bonding process that nurtures the ongoing process of “falling in love with your baby.” Infant-parent massage classes can teach practical techniques to make contact with the baby through the senses by using the voice, the skin, and the eyes to convey safety, security, and love.  

See also:
Attachment
Mutual Regulation/Co-Regulation
Touch

For further reading:
Infant Massage, A Handbook for Loving Parents, by Vimala Schneider McClure. Bantam Books.
www.iaim.net

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