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A touching moment… Embrace your child and celebrate the benefits of bonding and touch. 
Infant Massage classes are designed for parent(s), grandparent(s) or other caregivers who want to encourage love and bonding with their babies, through infant massage.  In a group session, to be held at Life Cycles Center, we will review a full body massage for the infant, the amazing benefits of massage.  Group sessions provide a fully supportive environment for additional sharing and learning from one another.  Classes are best designed for infants between the ages of two months and crawling, but can be adapted to older/younger children.
 
All classes are taught by Justine Tutuska, MPH, LMT.  Justine is an Assistant Professor and Department Chair for the Health Care Studies Program at Daemen College, and a licensed massage therapist focused in mother/child health.  She has additional training/certification in pregnancy massage (pre/post natal) through Mother Massage, and in Infant Massage Instruction.  She is a Certified Educator of Infant Massage (CEIM) through Infant Massage USA, and a Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI) through the International Association of Infant Massage.
 
Benefits:
Over the years, research has shown that infant massage has many benefits.  These include (but are not limited) to: 

Stimulation: necessary for overall healthy development of every system of the body, including the digestive system, immune system, nervous system (brain development), language development, physical growth, and more  

Relaxation: helps to relieve tension (especially after the introduction to a new world), improves sleep patterns (increasing infant’s ability to sleep through the night), improves ability for infant to calm itself (self-regulation), and decreases levels of stress hormones  

Relief of Physical Discomfort: Gastrointestinal problems, gas, colic, constipation and elimination, excess mucus, growing pains, muscular tension and more.

Nurturing / Bonding: Touch is crucial to the bonding process.  Touch assists in the communication process, and research indicates that it leads to a better established child, leading to positive benefits throughout the lifespan.  

Special Needs: Infant Massage may play a crucial role to the child with special needs, including: adoption (to enhance bonding), substance abuse and drug exposed babies, premature babies, HIV infection, developmental delays, neglected/abused infants, and depressed infants (and mothers).  

 
What to Expect During Infant Massage Instruction:
I will demonstrate on a doll, while you practice on your infant. If a partner is joining you, they can practice on a doll (which I provide), so that you both become familiar with the strokes and massage routine.  All you need is a towel, pillow, and your baby!  You will receive free massage oil and course handouts.
 
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Additional Resources:
 
The International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM), headquartered in Sweden,  promotes nurturing touch and communication through training, education and research so that parents, caregivers and children are loved, valued, and respected throughout the world community. 
www.iaim.net

Infant Massage USA is the official US Affiliate of the IAIM.  They promote nurturing touch through the training and certification of Parent Educators, and classes and one-to-one instruction for parents and full time caregivers.  
www.infantmassageusa.org