Perth Infant Massage

04/08/2022

Another great morning surrounded by babies 😁

04/08/2022

Another successful morning volunteering my services at the health clinic teaching parents massage skills for their bubs

31/03/2022

Just came back from holding a baby massage session at the Balga Child Health Clinic. Taking parents through some simple calming massage techniques and showing them how they can relieve colic and constipation for bub. Great morning of connecting, chatting and cuddling babies 😁😁

23/03/2022

Are you or a close contact awaiting results of a COVID-19 test?
If you are soon to welcome your new baby or currently breastfeeding, you may be relieved to know that breastmilk provides important antibodies and other immune protective factors for your baby.

If you need support with breastfeeding, or are looking for information to share with your birthing team, contact an ABA counsellor on 1800 686 268 or visit our website to use LiveChat.

Dear Mums, go to
www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/covid-19 for more information on COVID-19.

Dear trusted Health Professionals, you can access our Free Fact Sheets here: https://aba.asn.au/HP_FactSheets.

11/12/2019

So sweet to see this little guy enjoying a good laugh with mum after massage time.
Baby massage is pretty amazing. Just a few minutes spent massaging each day enhances emotions and improves mood for both parent and baby due to increased dopamine levels and the release of endorphins.

06/09/2019

Info about bath time and massage 😁

Contrary to popular belief, bath time isn’t actually the best time for baby massage. If this is the case, why do so many people say to massage after a bath? Because we don’t get too far past thinking 1. It’s convenient because Baby is already undressed and 2. As an adult, the idea of a warm bath, a nice massage and then a sleep sounds awesome.

The thing is, babies are quite different from adults. Adults can handle a lot more stimulation to the nervous system without becoming overstimulated. Most adults find massage very relaxing. For babies, massage is both relaxing and stimulating. They’re not used to all that skin stimulation yet, so it’s a big deal for their nervous system to process.
Bath time also presents a significant process for a baby’s nervous system to work through. There are multiple temperature changes (cold getting undressed, warm in the water, cold getting out, warm after being dried and dressed) as well as different sensations on the skin to process. For a newborn, that’s enough in one go. They’re usually ready for a feed and sleep after all that. A massage at this point only adds more stimulation and can actually make it more difficult for a baby to go to sleep. Many newborns scream when taken out of the bath in any case, and the Infant Massage Information Service recommends parents don’t massage a crying baby unless they are providing a very specific massage routine to help with wind pain/colic.
For massage to provide as many benefits as possible and to ensure massage is an enjoyable time for both parent and baby, it’s best to try massage after Baby has woken from a nap or night time sleep. This will help them be well-rested and ready to handle the stimulation that massage provides for their nervous system. Massaging after a nap or a nighttime sleep usually helps babies fall asleep easier later on and to sleep for longer.
To learn more about timing for massage as well as step-by-step massage techniques, attend a baby massage or request a home-visit appointment with a Certified Infant Massage Instructor or Paediatric Massage Consultant.

26/08/2019

Interesting info 😁

DELAYED CORD CLAMPING - WAIT FOR WHITE
After baby is born we usually think of the umbilical cord as a relic – part a life support system that is no longer needed. But the reality is that the cord has one last job to do, and it’s a big one.

The cord and placenta are a sort of external circulation system: one vein carries oxygen and nutrient-rich blood from the placenta to the baby, and two arteries carry carbon dioxide rich blood and waste away from baby to the placenta for purification. When baby is born, about 1/3 of its blood is in the external part of the circulation system, but quickly makes it’s way to the baby via the umbilical cord. Unless of course, the cord is cut before the transfer is complete.

Delayed umbilical cord clamping (DCC) allows more blood to transfer from the placenta to the baby, increasing the baby’s blood volume by up to a third.

The iron in the blood increases the newborn’s iron storage, which is vital for healthy brain development.

Some new studies have found that DCC can have a positive effect on both preterm and full-term babies. These benefits include an increase in placental transfusion, a 60% increase of RBCs and a 30% increase in neonatal blood volume.

Another advantage of DCC is the decreased risk of iron deficiency anemia.
The extra blood at birth helps the baby to cope better with the transition from life in the womb, where everything is provided for them by the placenta and the mother, to the outside world. Their lungs get more blood so that the exchange of oxygen into the blood can take place smoothly.

Delayed clamping also results in an infusion of stem cells, which play an essential role in the development of the immune, respiratory, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems, among many other functions. The concentration of stem cells in fetal blood is higher than at any other time of life. ICC [immediate cord clamping] leaves nearly one-third of these critical cells in the placenta.

Stem cells may also help to repair any brain damage the baby might have suffered during a difficult birth. 📸

16/08/2019

One of the most overlooked benefits of baby massage is that it’s fun! Having fun reduces stress levels, improves your ability to cope, boosts energy, improves memory and coordination and encourages better sleep - all this while improving your connection with your baby. Try to fit in a little massage time every day - even if only for a few minutes, the benefits are well worth it.