Parents and newborns spread out across the James City Community Library's meeting room floor in Williamsburg, Va. Monday sundown, to learn the basics of a developmental, medically-supported program that is gaining popularity in the United States, after years of practice in additional nations.
Certified Educator of Infant Massage Dee Davis has spent more than two decades working with infants, toddlers and their families and as long as training consultation for early childhood initiatives across the country. Davis instructs four- to six-week 60- to 90-small sessions in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia and extols the advantages of massage.
"Benefits fall into four main categories that in recent years have been well researched and documented by early childhood health and developmental professionals," she said. "The categories of benefits are interactive, relaxation, relief and stimulation."
In terms of interaction, infant massage promotes bonding and attachment between parents and their children from an early age.
"The nurturing touch of massage strokes offer a one-on-one experience between parents and their baby [and leads] to understanding verbal and non-verbal communication," Davis said. "Babies like faces and concentrate to the sounds, smells and touches from their parents. The interactive experience of nurturing touch promotes a sense of like, respect, tolerance and empathy in babies as they grow."
Since dads may not have as many opportunities to connect with their children, it is a excellent way for them to get hands-on bonding time as well, she said.
"The slow rhythmic strokes help babies cool and soothe more easily leading to their own ability to cool themselves when faced with stressful or overly-stimulating situations," Davis said. "It normalizes muscle tone and increases baby’s flexibility by promoting relaxed body movements. Numerous studies and testing of mothers and babies using infant massage have indicated reduction of cortisol and norepinephrin, the 'stress' hormone, and raises the 'feel excellent' hormones oxytocin and serotonin."
Relief from a number of ailments can be achieved through infant massage including, constipation, reflux, growing pains, muscular tensions, physical and psychological tension and teething discomfort. It also promotes deeper and more relaxing sleep.
"Stimulation strokes keep beneficial fluids moving properly through the body," Davis said. "Brain development is supported by stimulation strokes that promote the growth of mylein sheathing around neurons. Babies who are massaged regularly benefit from improved learning with more focus to attending to the world around them."
Infant massage is not the only unique developmental program parents can start with children at an early age.
Kim Blackmon is a certified class facilitator at Itsy Bitsy Yoga in Arlington, Va. She teaches baby and toddler yoga classes and a post-partum pilates class for both mom and infant at the Virginia Hospital Center.
Blackmon has seen the benefits of baby yoga as parents and their children progress through the class.
"It helps with colic and sleep patterns," she said. "We have a digestive pose that really helps nutrients to go through the baby's intestinal column."
The eye-to-eye stare and hands-on qualities of both her yoga and pilates classes benefit the children and parents, Blackmon said.
"Babies are really interested in faces and staring at the baby helps to cool them down and help them feel reliable," Blackmon said. "The fact that we are holding the baby really helps them to self-regulate because they get their cues for body temperature from our bodies. Once they get through that biological regulation, we focus on emotional regulation."
The pilates section Blackmon teaches also furthers physical development.
“Pilates uses the thought of the inner ear,” she said. “That fluid moves and it gives their brain a small excitement and that simulation, they're looking for that. So you just have to combine that thought with life a fitness instructor so you can do that safely.”
Both women agree, the positive social aspects of these classes are especially vital for new mothers.
"Moms can relax then and address any physical issues that they have which they couldn't do without this format," Blackmon said. "I really do reckon that draws the parents in. It's such a relief that you don't have to sacrifice yourself to enhance your baby's development."
Davis feels that the social aspect of the class reduces a feeling of isolation and postnatal depression in new mothers.
The knowledge gained also helps parents communicate more fluently with their baby's health practitioners, she said.
“Every experience with parents and their babies continues to teach me more about family,” Davis said. “Parents are incredible.”
Early exposure to music, especially through structured programs and lessons, has also been proven to increase child development, stimulating and strengthening the brain. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that guardians expose children from an early age to music to enhance mathematical acuity.
These and additional developmental programs have become the focus of literature and videos as well, for the parent who cannot make it to classes during the day or cannot afford entrance fees. A variety of stimulation can keep even the youngest children and their caregivers connected and learning.
