Sydney Infant Movement Classes Help Promote a Healthy Baby

Baby Movement courses are suitable for infants from approximately 5 months to walking.

They consist of 6 weekly sessions, each lasting approximately 1 hour.

Some of the benefits of infant dance and movement therapy include:

feeling relaxed and calm from having fun time with your baby
developing a strong, intuitive connection to help ensure a secure baby
gain support from interacting with other mothers and their babies
extend your movement repertoire to develop confidence in handling your baby
experiencing delight, joy and wonder. Laughter is guaranteed!

In each infant movement session I help you learn to practice being ‘in the moment’ with your baby. It is a chance to pay focused attention to your little one, providing the space and time for shared, positive interaction.

I guide you into observing and responding to your baby’s body language, so you will come to understand his unique personality and his needs. You will experience the joy of sharing a moment of discovery, a spark of connection and the beginnings of a bodily conversation which all feed and nurture his emotional development, most importantly, his unfolding sense of self. I can help you build trust by moving in a relaxed and confident way together.

In each session I introduce you to experience different rhythms. Rhythm has an organising function for us – something that your baby will first experience in utero. Why not build on those familiar beats ‘ex-utero’ to continue your unique connection?

Researchers have identified many rhythms that correspond to human behaviour and function. The steady, even quality of a walk helps to contain our emotions (think marching); the gentle sway or rocking motion found in repetitive actions calms and soothes the nervous system (think lullabies).

An important rhythmic quality is that of ‘Stop/Go’, represented in one of our earliest experiences of containment when we learn to control our bladders, and then in developing our awareness of how to cross the street or patiently wait in a queue. Moving freely and then ‘freezing’ or coming to ‘pause’, sometimes to music and sometimes in silence, provides a fun and light-hearted way of reinforcing this important process.

How the infant movement classes are structured

I keep each infant movement session loosely themed. All the baby’s senses are stimulated and curiosity aroused by engaging with a variety of colourful props and stimuli. The space is styled to reinforce concepts such as roundness (strength of circle), straight lines (direction), things that spin (spiral), things that float (softness) and much more. Moments of surprise and wonder are constantly present resulting in spontaneous responses – all essential elements of play.

What to expect in the infant movement classes

Each session works with elements of a movement system as devised by Rudolph Laban (Laban Movement Analysis) exploring the dynamics of how humans move through space. Many of these are expressed as changes of pace, changes in levels, changes in flow and changes in direction……so, at times we move quickly/slowly; on the floor/at shoulder height or up high; huddled together/spread out in space. There are times of energized activity and times of quiet relaxation accompanied by music, instruments or simply silence.

Moving with concepts such as big/small, hard/soft, loud/quiet and so on, help to make the differences between things obvious for babies, promoting learning and understanding of the world in which they now find themselves.

Each session is developmentally based. The journey from complete dependency as a newborn to inter-dependence as a walker in the first 12 months is supported and encouraged through movement activities that promote:

balancing
hand/eye co-ordination
muscle-toning
rolling
sitting
crawling
reaching and more

Appropriate physical development has major implications for healthy brain growth and the acquisition of language.

Each session promotes a positive and secure attachment. The mother-infant relationship is strengthened through eye contact, rhythm, sound, empathy and sensori-motor experiences. Responding through mirroring, experiencing the rhythmic flow of engagement and disengagement, sharing in play and delight teaches the child that he exists in relationship, not in isolation, and that the world is safe.

He will have the best opportunity to be a happy and healthy baby.

Babies are born looking to communicate, looking for a pair of eyes…a voice…a smell…and a heartbeat. The more we respond, the sooner they grow.

Baby Massage Classes Help You Have a Secure Baby

Create the best loving environment for your new baby with your very own hands!

Touch is a powerful factor in ensuring your baby’s healthy physical and emotional development. As the first sense to develop just days after conception, touch provides a loving interaction and sensory experience that will lay the foundations for feeling and learning, through the stimulation of nerve cells – the benefits of which will last a lifetime.

Benefits of my Infant Massage Courses

Improve communication by learning to read your baby’s behavioural cues and body language
Enjoy uninterrupted one-on-one time with your baby, delighting in each other’s presence and stimulating the energetic bond between you – great for father’s too!
Stimulate muscle development and tone while encouraging co-ordination and balance
Learn how to relieve colic and other tummy irritations
Relax yourself and then relax your baby
Soothe the nervous system to encourage deeper sleep and stimulate the digestive system to encourage weight gain
Bring awareness to every part of your baby’s body stimulating motor skills and brain development as well as reinforcing a positive sense of self.
Learn how to ‘tune in’ to your baby through eye contact, touch, conversations and mutual enjoyment thereby teaching him empathy, curiosity and kindness

What to Expect in an Infant Massage course

Engage in stimulating discussions with other mothers on relevant topics such as co-sleeping, crying, aware parenting, circle of security and more
Learn the complete baby massage sequence as developed by the International Association of Infant Massage
Practice a variety of relaxation techniques so mother and baby feel more relaxed
Learn Gentle Movements including baby yoga to be enjoyed by your little one
Experience alternative ways of soothing and connecting with your baby using music, song and movement
Collect ideas on how to adapt the massage routine for your growing child
Receive a complimentary bottle of massage oil, detailed notes on all massage strokes as well as interesting articles

Group courses are held over 4 weekly sessions of 60-90 minutes in the Eastern Suburbs and Inner West of Sydney. Classes are kept small to ensure calm and focussed attention. Cost is $200 per participant.

Private courses are held over 3 weekly sessions of 60-90 minutes. Classes are held in the comfort of your own home. Cost is $270.

Create your own mother’s group for tuition in your own home and, as host, receive a 20% discount on the course.

Purchase a Gift Certificate for a new mother or mother-to-be and give them the opportunity to experience the magic of touch!

Infant Massage is suitable for all babies (full term, premature, special needs) from the day they are born!
But it is best to attend classes when you feel ready from between birth to approx 5 months (not yet crawling).

Why choose Moonbeam Massage?

I am a mother of four and a Certified Infant Massage Instructor with the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM) – an internationally recognized training body that has been developing and teaching the ‘First Touch’ program for over 30 years around the world, using well-researched techniques and evaluations by independent medical and scientific researchers.

As well, I have extensive experience working as a Dance/Movement Specialist with mothers and babies, encorporating the use of music, rhythm and dance to enhance connection, bonding and attachment.

I continue my important work as a volunteer with Mum-for-Mum, a home based family support program for new mothers offering weekly visits of emotional support and an ‘empathic shoulder’ during the last trimester of pregnancy until the baby’s first birthday.

I have run regular mother/baby movement sessions at Karitane, an infant mental health facility in Carramar, Western Sydney, have completed training in Circle of Security: Attachment Parenting and am a qualified pre-natal yoga instructor.

Would you like to feel more connected, develop a deep bond and have fun with your baby?

If so, here’s what you need to do:

Enter your details in the contact form below to register your interest for either baby massage or infant movement classes at either my Paddington or Enmore studios.
Call me on 0413 444 914 or email me to discuss your needs or to ask further questions.