I love massages, I really do. Whether it’s an intense, hour-long rubdown, or just a simple neck-rub – it’s the therapeutic touch that eases tension and alleviates stress. So I was especially intrigued to speak with Ms. Jade Lee, who is not only a masseuse – but a practitioner of Infant Massage. Maybe you’re thinking to yourself this just another silly Hollywood fad – I sure did. But it’s not! In fact, it is as far from a passing fad as can be: these techniques and methods are thousands of years old, having been used by Parents and Caregivers throughout history within a great many cultures.
Jade and I recently spoke about Infant Massage. She spoke of the strong bond it can create between the infant’s Parent or Caregiver – and I wanted our ModernMom readers to be aware of its rewarding – and reciprocal – benefits. As always, please check with your pediatrician before starting any sort of new process.
Much like adults, the simple yet familiar touch of massage both relaxes and stimulates children and infants, with the added benefit of cultivating an increased alertness and self-awareness as their bodies grow and personalities form. There are benefits for Moms too! By knowledgeably massaging the child, she expresses an intimacy that both nurtures their relationship as well as builds confidence in parenting abilities. And by relaxing the anxious and nervous child, you actually relax yourself – and who doesn’t need more of that!
Jade observes that, “Massage for wind, colic, and constipation will come in handy for any parent out there; infants of low birth-weight and those with respiratory and circulatory conditions, to name but a few, will all benefit from these techniques of Infant Massage.”
There’s nothing more important than the connection between parent and child – and we, as Parents and Caregivers, ought to remember that such a bond can be immeasurably strengthened with the more we learn, the more we know, and the more we do.
Written and Edited by Heather Ames Berkowitz and Rabbi Eric M. Berk
