Infant and child massage provides a wonderful, nurturing experience for both you and your newly adopted child or foster child. It offers a unique way for you all to communicate, bond and connect. For any infant or child the transition from one home to a new family can be stressful, daunting and overwhelming. Adoptive parents can also feel this as well.

In the early days during the adoption introduction process of meeting your new baby, child or children most of the time is spent on specific and well planned out transitions which includes as much activity of bonding and attachment as possible.

Skin to skin contact is often promoted as much as possible where appropriate, and play activities, as well as taking over the full care over those first few days and weeks.

The benefits to adoptive parents and children are vast. Baby and child massage:

• Enhances bonding and attachment
• Releases positive hormones in both the parent and child such as oxytocin, a great feel good hormone emotional mediator and regulator - often known as the hormone of cuddles.
• Offers an amazing approach to promote positive skin to skin contact in a non threatening way to the child.
• Helps release endorphins the body own feel good hormones
• Promotes relaxation in both the parents and children
• Offers close contact for good eye contact and voice
• Helps build confidence in handling the baby or child for the parent and confidence in being handled by the new parent for the child
• Enables the parent/s and child to get to know each others non verbal cues and build the basis for communication
• Allows babies and children to regress safely to a younger space to ‘catch up’ that time with their new family
• Allows adoptive parents the opportunity to ‘catch up’ on those missed months or years when the child was not living with you.
• Relieves stress and tension in both the parent and child
• Offers parents tools for being able to calm an unsettled baby or child
• Support development and growth
• Can improve muscle tone and co-ordination
• Aids sensory processing
• Helps with ailments such as wind, constipation and teething
• Aids sleep patterns
• Promotes overall well-being and boosts immunity

What we can offer:

One to one sessions in your home :

These sessions offer discussion about baby massage and your adopted child (if matched and placed) or future possible child. They can be tailors to suit you situation. We will however look at: the psychology of why baby and child massage enhances bonding and attachment, safety aspects of baby massage and use of oils, benefits of baby massage, a baby massage routine and using baby massage and skin to skin contact to enhance boning and attachment.

As an instructor I will only demonstrate on my doll. Sessions can take place in your home where possible and if appropriate with your baby or child present so that you can work through the moves with your child. If you have not yet been matched or started placement or feel it is not appropriate I can bring a spare doll for you to practice with. Sessions can support any stage of your adoption journey.

Online baby massage course:

Learn infant massage from your home with our fully online baby massage class. This expert online baby massage tuition will guide you though the basics of massaging your baby or child safely from the comfort of your own home. Ot learn the basic before your baby or child is matched with you.

For more information about our online baby massage course please CLICK HERE

Who are the sessions suitable for:

• For perspective adopters who want to gain skills be able to use when they are matched with a baby/ child or children
  • For newly adoptive families in those early few days, weeks or months when you child is placed with you.
  • For adoptive parents at any time where they feel they need tools for promoting positive bonding and attachment.

Our one to one sessions are offered either face to face in your home or over Skype/ Facetime if distance is an issue or we now have a fully online course.

We are also able to offer workshops and seminar for foster carers, agencies and social workers.

About us:

All sessions are run and facilitated Julie Cleasby an experienced Infant Massage and Parent and Baby Yoga Instructor, Registered Paediatric Nurse and Health Visitor. Julie was also previously a Nurse Specialist for Looked After Children and Young People in the NHS so has an in depth understanding of the issues children and families face along their adoption journey. Julie also has personal experience of adoption.

She also has a wider expert knowledge base around child health issues and can advise or discuss issues you may be facing such as feeding, sleep and behaviour and tailor this to your adopted child or children.