Newborn infants are dependent on sensory input for their physical, psychological, emotional and social development and well-being. Nurturing baby massage classes provide just what is needed in the early weeks for both you and your baby, you are welcome to join as soon as your baby is born.
The classes include massage, yoga and movement creating a safe haven in which trust can be nourished and a strong bond established. This is achieved through loving touch, gentle exercises and relaxation. There is also time to chat and make new friends helping you to meet the challenges of becoming a new parent. You will be supported physically and emotionally in the weeks after the birth of your little one helping you to gain strength and confidence.
Little babies may need to feed, cuddle or sleep, all is fine in this relaxed class. You will take away ideas, movements and songs to use in the early weeks with your new baby.
Most new mothers have not had the experience of caring for a newborn until they have their own. Birthlight has designed a special kit to equip new mothers with skills to respond to their new babies in positive and enjoyable ways. Very simple instructions to adapt posture and ways of holding babies can make all the difference. Birthlight offers well-tried practices that help mothers to nurture themselves and their newborns over what can be the most wonderful time they have together. Whether pregnancy has been easy or not, the early weeks and months create a foundation that has far reaching benefits for parents and children later in life. For this reason, Birthlight has given special attention to very early nurturing practices.
Birthlight practices for nurturing baby massage include:
- Relaxed holds
- Active bonding through infant feeding
- Baby massage (oil massage on skin. Oil provided, full body massage, therapeutic touch)
- Positive holds (for crying babies or babies who do not sleep)
- Emotional awareness and positive use of voice in mother baby talk
- Napping techniques to compensate for mother’s lack of sleep
- Access to deep rest to overcome fatigue
- Walking relaxation steps with baby
Our overall aim is to impart a feeling of well being, enabling babies and parents to grow and learn together, creating an ever expanding spiral of joy.
Little babies will enjoy mini yoga and massage, feed and sleep whilst you bond and relax. There is some mum yoga for you too to help regain strength and renew your energy.
Nurturing baby massage is generally offered in blocks of 5 sessions, they are designed as ongoing classes so you are most welcome to keep coming until your baby is on the move.
Mother and baby yoga classes follow on from nurturing baby massage classes.
“I’ve really enjoyed learning about baby massage and have definitely noticed the benefits for my baby. Bryony is a great instructor and makes you feel instantly relaxed – even after only having a few hours sleep you leave the sessions feeling refreshed and calm! Thank you!”
Lisa, Sep 2014
“Thanks for running such a lovely baby massage course. I love your relaxed and baby led approach and always feel very at ease in your sessions.”Jen and Harry, 2016
Nurturing baby massage enrolment form:
Please complete this and bring it to your first class. Download form>
Course Cost:
See details on Bryony’s booking system.
These classes are taught in a series of sessions.
(One missed class per block can be credited towards the next block)
Course block dates:
See details on Bryony’s booking system.
Venue:
All classes are currently provided online via Zoom, a cloud-based video conferencing service
Satyam Yoga Centre, 2-4 Hawthorn Way, Cambridge CB4 1AX
Class not currently running
Baby massage and postnatal yoga
Fridays
12.30 – 1.45pm
Class not currently running.
Course Cost:
Please contact Bryony for details
These classes are taught in a series of sessions.
(One missed class per block can be credited towards the next block)
Course block dates:
February 28 March 6, 13, 20 & 27 April 3
Venue:
All classes are currently provided online via Zoom, a cloud-based video conferencing service
Mill Road Baptist Church, 178 Mill Rd, Cambridge CB1 3LP
Opposite the Black Cat Café. Entrance to the room is on Stockwell Street.
Recommended for babies 10 weeks – 6 months.
This is a hands on workshop covering the basics of Baby Massage and Baby Yoga. The workshop will cover moves to aid digestion and sleep, tips for comforting a grumpy baby and give you ideas to take away for playing with your little one. You will also be given a bottle of oil and handouts to take home.
There is a café next door that mums are welcome to relax in during the course, and if little ones need feeding, they can pop in to do so during the workshop.
There are limited places so book now to avoid disappointment.
“As they learn to soothe their babies, fathers notice their own stress levels are lessened. Together, they experience the calming power of touch, and begin to build life-long attachments,” (Tiffany Field, PhD, Director of Touch Research Institutes at the University of Miami School of Medicine, and co-author of a survey on father-infant massage)
An Australian study of infant massage and father-baby bonding, found that at 12 weeks old, babies who were massaged (by their fathers) greeted their fathers with more eye contact, smiling, vocalising and touch than those in the control group, and the fathers experienced improved self-esteem as a parent due to the increased involvement.
Workshop Cost:
£25
Venue:
Satyam Yoga Centre, 2-4 Hawthorn Way, Cambridge CB4 1AX