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Infant Massage History & Benefits

Infant Massage History & Benefits
TheraCare Therapeutic Massage and Healing Arts Center 

History of International Association of Infant Massage
Vimala McClure founded the International Association of Infant Massage in the United States in the early 1980’s. The purpose of the organization was to recruit and train instructors to teach parents and caregivers the theory, skills and techniques of parent-infant bonding through infant massage.

While living in India in the 1970’s, Vimala McClure observed the beneficial effects of daily massage with infants. Upon returning to the United States, she began massaging her own babies, researched the effects of touch on newborns and noted her personal observations. She developed an effective massage process that is described in her book, Infant Massage: A Handbook for Loving Parents.

The non-profit organization and its program gradually developed internationally with chapters, trainers and instructors in 35 countries. Infant Massage USA is the US affiliate of the International Association of Infant Massage with a central office located in Sweden (www.infantmassageusa.org).

Benefits for Baby, Parents & Caregivers
The four main categories of benefits, originally defined by founder Vimala McClure as the
four general benefits, are: interaction, stimulation, relief, and relaxation.

Interaction includes:
promotion of bonding, promoting secure attachment, verbal/non-verbal communication,
one-to-one quality time, pre-language communication skills, undivided attention, feeling
respected, using all of the senses, love, tolerance, nurturing touch, early contact with both
parents, empathy, imitation.

Stimulation of:
circulatory system, digestive system, hormonal system, immune system, lymphatic system,
nervous system, respiratory system, vestibular system (coordination and balance), language
development, improved learning ability, muscular development and tone, growth, elimination,
sensory integration, connections between neurons(stroking promotes and quickens the
growth of the myelin sheath), mind/body awareness.

Relief can help with:
gas and colic, constipation and elimination, gastrointestinal (digestive) cramps, excess mucus, growing pains, muscular tension, teething discomfort, disorganization of the nervous system, sensitivity to touch, physical and psychological tension, softening of the skin.

Relaxation may be demonstrated by:
improved sleep patterns, helps normalize muscle tone, increased flexibility, increased environmental coping mechanisms, regulation of behavioral states, being calm, improved ability to calm oneself, reduction of stress levels and stress hormones, higher levels of relaxing or anti-stress hormones (such as oxytocin and serotonin), lower levels of hypersensitivity, less hyperactivity, enjoying positive ‘time-out’.

Benefits for parents/caregivers:
better understanding of baby, reading and respecting cures, promotion of bonding, promoting secure attachment, improved self-esteem and confidence, improved parenting skills, positive activity, early involvement for father, a chance to discover the baby’s uniqueness, quality time, decrease of stress hormones, higher levels of relaxing hormones (such as oxytocin and prolactin), relaxation , improved sleep, stimulates lactation, decrease in postnatal depression, meeting other parents (social aspect).

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