Baby Massage Classes?

[shell96]

Trying to find out a bit about baby massage classes - we've read the stuff online about the benefits of it but has anyone got any advice, experience of these classes, etc. Also how much should we expect to pay for a class?

Thanks

I did a course of baby massage classes and really enjoyed it. I think it was about 6 sessions, once a week when the babies were about 4 or 5 months old.

I found the tummy massage really useful as my ds sometimes suffered from trapped wind. My only negative comment was that by the end of it, half the babies (including mine) were mobile and prone to dragging themselves off half way through! However I'm presuming maybe it's not advised for newborns (though I don't know for sure).

The course I did was run by health visitors, had a tea and biscuit session at the end for mums to chat and was free.

I completed a course a few weeks ago that was free & run by our local children's surestart centre.

You can start from when they are really small but as some of the sessions involve tummy time we found some of the tiny babies didn't cope too well with it.

Also you can't massage just after jabs or if they have just fed or are ill etc.

My dd2 enjoyed it though (she was 5mths at the time) ans we stil do it at home (we got a folder of diagrams and instructions)

I would contact your nearest surestart centre and see if they are running classes as I know there was a waiting list in our area.

Actually wasnt something i was considering until my OH came home from quoting for a job for someone yesterday who mentioned they had just completed training to conduct baby massage classes (after he mentioned we waiting for overdue baby to arrive). He had never heard of it but i had although i didnt know much about it. Got the impression that classes may be offered as part payment for the job he may do so also wondered how much they worth but looks like many places doing it for nothing so maybe not such a good deal for us!

My DS and I enjoyed our free, five-week course at our local Children's Centre so I would recommend it. We met other mums etc. My DS is a bit of a wriggler though so he didn't always get massaged for long. When you looked around the room one baby would be feeding, one would be having its nappy changed, one would be objecting to being massaged, one might even be enjoying it, usually my DS did all of those things in one session!
My DS seemed reluctant at first to any new stage of the massage but once you did it two or three times he started to enjoy it - he likes to know what is going to happen.
I took him because he is very active and I thought it would be good to give him something that would act as a cue for him to settle down for some quiet time, and it works for him. We used to arrive in a mad rush with change bag, buggy, coats etc and then sit down and get started and by the end of it he would be quite chilled, and he would have a two hour nap after the sessions so it was great. Hope you enjoy it.

DS enjoyed it whne we went. He's 3.5 now and still loves to be stroked/massaged just before bed. Mine was free too as we live in a SureStart area - it was a good way to meet other mums and have a chat.

I did a course of 6 weeks for £60.

The teacher taking the class usually takes babies from 6 weeks. I cant remember how old DS was, but I had just missed out on a course and had to wait for the next one think he must of been around 12 weeks.

I remember he was more responsive in the early sessions, he was trying to sit up and roll over (DS was crawling & sitting quite young) in the later ones and didnt enjoy lying flat anymore, so I would do it as early as you can rather than later.

I did some of the techniques at home but not really, however it is a lovely time to spend with your baby & im hoping my mum will look after DS so I can take no2 when they arrive.

I found the therapists number in an NCT newsletter I picked up at a nearly new sale, but my childrens centre have also been running courses for much cheaper as they are partly subsidised.

Mine were provided by the local birth centre and were free, are there any free in your area.
The babies seemed to enjoy it and it was nice to meet other mums (one i still see regularly 4 years later and our dh's have also become friends).

we go to the childrens centre for £1 per hour. ds loves the hour we are there