Sunday, December 20, 2015
Friday, March 20, 2015
The Big Apple Experiment
The Big Apple Experiment
Based on the work of Hidden Messages in Water! If our thoughts, words, and emotions can affect change in water and apples, how much more so can they affect change in us and those who we interact with!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw8CL4pC__A#t=77
Based on the work of Hidden Messages in Water! If our thoughts, words, and emotions can affect change in water and apples, how much more so can they affect change in us and those who we interact with!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw8CL4pC__A#t=77
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Introducing: Skype massage class
In an effort to reach more moms, I would like to try giving my massage class via Skype. Fee would be $75 for five 45 minute sessions (half of regular price). Only one mom at a time, so you can have my personal attention. Hey if personal trainers can do this, so can I!
Email me to arrange your course.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Friday, February 7, 2014
Power of a Mother's Touch!
When
Carolyn Isbister put her 20oz baby on her chest for a cuddle, she
thought that it would be the ONLY CHANCE she would ever have to hold
her. Doctors had told the parents that baby Rachel only had only MINUTES
TO LIVE because her heart was beating once every ten seconds and she was not breathing.
"I didn’t want her to die being cold," Carolyn says, "so I lifted her out of her blanket and put her against my skin to warm her up. Her feet were so cold. It was the only cuddle I was going to have with her, so I wanted to remember the moment.”
Then something remarkable happened: the warmth of her mother’s skin kick started Rachael’s heart into beating properly, which allowed her to take little breaths of her own.
"We couldn’t believe it – and neither could the doctors. She let out a tiny cry. The doctors came in and said there was still no hope – but I wasn’t letting go of her. We had her blessed by the hospital chaplain, and waited for her to slip away. But she still hung on."
And then amazingly the pink color began to return to her cheeks. She literally was turning from gray to pink before our eyes, and she began to warm up too.
The sad part is that when the baby was born, doctors took one look at her and said ‘no’. They didn’t even try to help her with her breathing as they said it would just prolong her dying.
"Everyone just gave up on her,” says Carolyn.
At 24 weeks a womb infection had led to her premature labor and birth. Says Carolyn (who also has two children Samuel, 10, and Kirsten, 8 ): “We were terrified we were going to lose her. I had suffered three miscarriages before, so we didn’t think there was much hope.”
When Rachael was born she was grey and lifeless. Ian Laing, a consultant neonatologist at the hospital, said: “All the signs were that the little one was not going to make it and we took the decision to let mum have a cuddle as it was all we could do.
Two hours later the wee thing was crying."
"This is indeed a miracle baby," adds the doctor, "and I have seen nothing like it in my 27 years of practice. I have not the slightest doubt that mother’s love saved her daughter.”
Rachael was moved onto a ventilator where she continued to make steady progress and was tube and syringe fed her mother’s pumped breastmilk.
“The doctors said that she had proved she was a fighter and that she now deserved some intensive care as there was some hope," says Carolyn. "Rachael did it all on her own – without any medical intervention or drugs. She had clung on to life – and it was all because of that cuddle."
The cuddle had warmed up her body and regulated her heart and breathing enough for her to start fighting. At 5 weeks she was taken off the ventilator and began breastfeeding on her own. At four months Rachel went home with her parents, weighing 8lbs – the same as any other healthy newborn.
Because Rachel had suffered from a lack of oxygen doctors said there was a high risk of damage to her brain. But a scan showed no evidence of any problems and today Rachel is on par with her peers.
"She is doing so well," says Carolyn, smiling. "When we brought her home, the doctors told us that she was a remarkable little girl. And most of all, she just loves her cuddles. She will sleep for hours, just curled into my chest. It was that first cuddle which saved her life – and I’m just so glad I trusted my instinct and picked her up when I did. Otherwise she wouldn’t be here today.”
"I didn’t want her to die being cold," Carolyn says, "so I lifted her out of her blanket and put her against my skin to warm her up. Her feet were so cold. It was the only cuddle I was going to have with her, so I wanted to remember the moment.”
Then something remarkable happened: the warmth of her mother’s skin kick started Rachael’s heart into beating properly, which allowed her to take little breaths of her own.
"We couldn’t believe it – and neither could the doctors. She let out a tiny cry. The doctors came in and said there was still no hope – but I wasn’t letting go of her. We had her blessed by the hospital chaplain, and waited for her to slip away. But she still hung on."
And then amazingly the pink color began to return to her cheeks. She literally was turning from gray to pink before our eyes, and she began to warm up too.
The sad part is that when the baby was born, doctors took one look at her and said ‘no’. They didn’t even try to help her with her breathing as they said it would just prolong her dying.
"Everyone just gave up on her,” says Carolyn.
At 24 weeks a womb infection had led to her premature labor and birth. Says Carolyn (who also has two children Samuel, 10, and Kirsten, 8 ): “We were terrified we were going to lose her. I had suffered three miscarriages before, so we didn’t think there was much hope.”
When Rachael was born she was grey and lifeless. Ian Laing, a consultant neonatologist at the hospital, said: “All the signs were that the little one was not going to make it and we took the decision to let mum have a cuddle as it was all we could do.
Two hours later the wee thing was crying."
"This is indeed a miracle baby," adds the doctor, "and I have seen nothing like it in my 27 years of practice. I have not the slightest doubt that mother’s love saved her daughter.”
Rachael was moved onto a ventilator where she continued to make steady progress and was tube and syringe fed her mother’s pumped breastmilk.
“The doctors said that she had proved she was a fighter and that she now deserved some intensive care as there was some hope," says Carolyn. "Rachael did it all on her own – without any medical intervention or drugs. She had clung on to life – and it was all because of that cuddle."
The cuddle had warmed up her body and regulated her heart and breathing enough for her to start fighting. At 5 weeks she was taken off the ventilator and began breastfeeding on her own. At four months Rachel went home with her parents, weighing 8lbs – the same as any other healthy newborn.
Because Rachel had suffered from a lack of oxygen doctors said there was a high risk of damage to her brain. But a scan showed no evidence of any problems and today Rachel is on par with her peers.
"She is doing so well," says Carolyn, smiling. "When we brought her home, the doctors told us that she was a remarkable little girl. And most of all, she just loves her cuddles. She will sleep for hours, just curled into my chest. It was that first cuddle which saved her life – and I’m just so glad I trusted my instinct and picked her up when I did. Otherwise she wouldn’t be here today.”
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Lessons from "Hidden Messages in Water"
Fascinating book written by Dr Masaru Emoto using amazing high-speed photographs of water to demonstrated that our intention influence every organic being on Earth.
, Dr. Masaru Emoto discovered that crystals formed in frozen water reveal changes when specific, concentrated thoughts are directed toward them. He found that water from clear springs and water that has been exposed to loving words shows brilliant, complex, and colorful snowflake patterns. In contrast, polluted water, or water exposed to negative thoughts, forms incomplete, asymmetrical patterns with dull colors. The implications of this research create a new awareness of how we can positively impact the earth and our personal health.
Check out The Hidden Messages in Water
today!
today!
Monday, December 16, 2013
Baby massage anthem!
Ami Tomake
Bengali chant form India means "I love you, my dear baby." Its wonderfully soothing effect on babies has made it a favorite in infant massage classes, and it has become the anthem for the International Association of Infant Massage. The words are pronounced: aaah-mee toe-mah-kay, bah-lo bah-shee baaaabeee.
Check out this great video of an infant massage class using the song!
Bengali chant form India means "I love you, my dear baby." Its wonderfully soothing effect on babies has made it a favorite in infant massage classes, and it has become the anthem for the International Association of Infant Massage. The words are pronounced: aaah-mee toe-mah-kay, bah-lo bah-shee baaaabeee.
Check out this great video of an infant massage class using the song!
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Indian Bouncing
In her book Vimila describes the way Indian women would calm their fussy babies. She called it Indian Bouncing. I found a video of an Indian women doing it!
It is difficult to see, b/c of the orientation, but after viewing it a couple of times, you can see that the women is bouncing and patting a baby on her lap in a rhythmic bouncing motion. Make sure to use a pillow or towel to support neck. It is my go-to-move for when Baby is overwhelmed and overtired--puts her to sleep in a matter of seconds.
It is difficult to see, b/c of the orientation, but after viewing it a couple of times, you can see that the women is bouncing and patting a baby on her lap in a rhythmic bouncing motion. Make sure to use a pillow or towel to support neck. It is my go-to-move for when Baby is overwhelmed and overtired--puts her to sleep in a matter of seconds.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Give the gift of Baby Massage!
What better gift to give yourself or someone you love? The tools to have a deeper bond with your/their baby. The feeling of confidence as a parent. The sense of empathy and compassion that the baby will develop.
I feel so blessed that I learned these techniques before the birth of my fourth child. I feel that I have a deeper connection with her, then I had with my other children when they were the same age. I also feel that I have become a better parent to my older children.
I wish every parent could share the same joy that I have in parenting, and I looking forward to sharing my knowledge with as many parents as I can!
I feel so blessed that I learned these techniques before the birth of my fourth child. I feel that I have a deeper connection with her, then I had with my other children when they were the same age. I also feel that I have become a better parent to my older children.
I wish every parent could share the same joy that I have in parenting, and I looking forward to sharing my knowledge with as many parents as I can!
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
As Seen in "The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Harvey Karp, M.D.
Dr. Karp devotes a section in his book,
, to baby massage. He posits that "a baby is fed with milk and caresses." He suggests that massage be used along with the 5 S's (swaddeling, side/stomach, shhhing, swinging, and sucking).
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Meet Baby Vimala!
Baby V helps me out with teaching massage class. She sits in for sleeping babies during class--so moms can still practice strokes.
She is named for Vimala Schneider McClure "mother of modern baby massage who wrote Infant Massage--Revised Edition: A Handbook for Loving Parents
. She is sporting her awesome Tummy Trouble onesie! Diagram of the intestines helps make teaching the stomach "I Love You" stroke easy!
. She is sporting her awesome Tummy Trouble onesie! Diagram of the intestines helps make teaching the stomach "I Love You" stroke easy! Monday, November 18, 2013
Song to Massage With
There is a good reason our culture is rich with lullabies and silly
songs. Children love singing and being sung to. Songs can be soothing
and relaxing, but also can be engaging and exciting. Having soft music during
an infant massage can add to the relaxing nature of the massage. For
older children doing the massage to fun music will make the massage
engaging and even more enriching experience. This is a fun silly song
that matches the stomach massage strokes perfectly! Great for distracting and engaging
your little one when he/she has tummy troubles.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Weight Gain--A Proven Effect of Infant Massage
Found this awesome blog post on ergobaby.com
Written by Dr. Henrik Norholt is a member of The World Association of Infant Mental Health.
Extensive research has been conducted on the effects of infant massage on stable pre-term infants. Certainly, premature birth is no trivial matter. At present approximately 14% of infants in the United States are born prematurely, according to The National Center for Health Statistics. Prematurity, in turn, is one of the leading causes of infant morbidity and mortality, and it results in approximately 15.5 billion dollars in hospital costs per year.
Following intensive care treatment, weight gain becomes the main criterion for hospital discharge. Thus, several interventions have been designed to promote preterm infant weight gain, including massage therapy.
Several independent, randomized, controlled studies confirm the efficacy of infant massage in promoting weight gain in premature babies, leading to earlier discharge from the hospital.
The infant massage protocol, in studies on the effects of massage therapy on neonatal intensive care unit preterm infants, involves moderate pressure stroking (tactile stimulation) and flexion and extension of arms and legs (kinesthetic stimulation). These sessions have varied between 10 and 15 minutes and have been held two to three times a day for 5 to 10 days.
Mothers as massage therapists
The question occasionally arises whether infant massage can be done by mothers or if professional physiotherapy is required to achieve these desired increases in weight gain.
An elegant study investigated this issue by assigning preterm infants to three groups. These three groups included one treatment group in which the mothers performed the massage, and another, in which professionals unrelated to the infant administered the treatment. These two groups were then compared to a control group. Over the 10-day study period, the two treatment groups gained significantly more weight compared to the control group suggesting that mothers were able to achieve the same effect as that of trained professionals.
Maternal depression
Benefits on the infant massage were not just observed for the babies involved. Interestingly, the mothers who massaged their infants in one study experienced a decrease in depression symptoms, which are often seen in mothers of preterm infants. In another study using mothers as the massage therapists, even one session was effective in lowering both the mothers’ depression and anxiety symptoms.
Moderate pressure is critical
The question of whether light or moderate pressure in the massage therapy is most effective in promoting weight gain has also been addressed in several studies. The evidence to hand suggests that moderate pressure is most optimum. Moderate pressure massage has also been shown to reduce stress behaviors in the massaged infants, compared to the control group.
Infant massage for full-term babies
Weight gain
The effects of infant massage on the baby’s weight gain are not just seen in premature babies.
In one study, parents delivered the massage to their full-term newborns from day one to the end of the first month. Those infants gained more weight and gained more length, as well as performed better on the thoroughly validated “Brazelton Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale,” by the end of the month that the parents provided the massage.
The parents involved were taught by massage therapists in infant massage classes whereupon the parents could continue the massages at home.
Link to NIH research: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2844909/
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Ancient Art of Infant Massage
Mothers have been practicing the art of infant massage for
centuries. Based on this historical fact, it is very clear that all
babies should be massaged, touched and loved to promote their
social-emotional-cognitive and physical development. As an early
intervention strategy and therapeutic tool, infant massage is becoming a
specialty therapy in the United States. Infant massage is being
embraced by a wide variety of professionals who are incorporating it
into their practices to help families cope with children with special
needs as well as healthy full term newborns. Techniques are simple and
effective and are most likely performed by parents and primary
caregivers who have been taught by certified infant massage instructors.
The approach is empowering and improves the parent-infant attachment
process. There is a growing body of research that supports the
therapeutic benefits. Infant massage is a crucial and routine part of
infant care around the world and has the ability to create great
benefits for both parents and the newborn.
"Being touched and caressed, being massaged, is food for the infant; food as necessary as minerals, vitamins, and proteins" ~ Frederick Leboyer
credit: http://lovingtouch.com/about-infant-baby-massage
"Being touched and caressed, being massaged, is food for the infant; food as necessary as minerals, vitamins, and proteins" ~ Frederick Leboyer
credit: http://lovingtouch.com/about-infant-baby-massage
Monday, November 11, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Massage increases emotional and physical health
As mammals we crave touch. Through infant massage we strengthen the bond with our babies that will have a life long impact.
Physical Benefits for the baby:
Massage
has benefits for everyone, and especially for infants. Touch is one of
the first sensations babies are aware of, so it is valuable for helping
babies physically, mentally, and in many more ways. There are numerous
medical studies and scientific research proving that massage has a great
impact on all babies and children. Massage is more than just a way to
relax. It can greatly influence the way babies' brains and bodies
develop. Studies show that there are relationships between touch and
intelligence, so the more skin-to-skin touch a baby receives in its
first year of life can impact the way their brain works and develops for
the rest of their life.- Strengthens digestive system
- Improves immune system
- Develops and improves muscle tone
- Helps develop coordination
- Increases sense of being loved
- Developps trust
- Increases self esteem
- Enhances relaxation and releases stress
- Creates awareness of self and surroundings
- Improves respiration
- Helps relieve colic
- Improves sleep patterns
- Reduces discomfort from gas, constipation, congestion, teething, and more.
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