Infant Massage Training

Are you looking for certified infant massage education? Then you’re in the right place.

Join our infant massage training and learn baby massage techniques from the best!

If you’ve ever watched a baby receive a massage, you’ll know how peaceful, content and happy that child is after their experience. Imagine being able recreate that positive feeling time after time.

The IAIM training includes everything you need to know in order to share the benefits of nurturing touch. Come and learn with us and you’ll leave with a variety of infant massage techniques to use personally or as part of your therapy work. Our trainings are accredited by the International Association of Infant Massage, who operate in 48 countries worldwide and are the world’s leading provider of infant massage training.

My personal ambition is that every parent of a newborn is offered classes in baby massage. I invite you to consider whether, with the appropriate training, you would have the skills and passion to spread the news about nurturing touch.
Kate Pigeon-Owen, Founder of Childways

What is infant massage?

"I believe that every parent, regardless of personal philosophy, and every infant, regardless of birth history or disposition, should have the opportunity to experience the lifelong benefits that come from early bonds that are loving, healthy, and secure."
Vimala Schneider McClure

Vimala McClure pioneered infant massage training in the UK after working in India in the 1970s, where she witnessed mothers of all social classes, massaging their babies as part of their daily routine. While in India, Vimala learned the art of baby massage and came to appreciate the benefits of positive touch through massage, on the physical and emotional wellbeing of babies. Vimala's vision was to see infant massage become an ingrained part of the parenting tradition of all cultures throughout the world.

Benefits of infant massage

The art of massage has existed for thousands of years and has been used by many cultures including the ancient Greeks, Romans and Chinese to promote good health and wellbeing for adults and children. And there’s lots of numerous studies have shown that children also benefit greatly from receiving a gentle back-rub every now and then.

Some of the key benefits of massage for babies are:

  • Reduces physical, mental and emotional stress experienced by babies after a traumatic birth
  • Reduces anxiety and increases the bonding between mother and child
  • Induces deep relaxation and improves a baby’s sleeping patterns
  • Relieves the discomfort associated with colic, teething and tummy troubles
  • Improves a baby’s immune, respiratory, nervous and other systems
  • Enhances cognitive and physical development
  • Unique part of the IAIM training is that the instructors start working with real mothers and babies within the four day training enabling them to teach mothers how to read their baby’s cues.

Mothers with postnatal depressions did have improved relationship with their young babies, after attending a training on IAIM baby massage."

However, giving a massage is just as rewarding as receiving one and the benefits for parents include:

  • Increased confidence, competence and self-esteem in your role as a parent
  • Alleviates the symptoms of post-natal depression
  • Provides skills to help parents calm a child when she/he is distressed
  • Facilitates quality bonding time with your infant and better communication between parent and child
  • Improves the level of intimacy between a father and child
  • Creates opportunities for improving the bond between working parents and their children
  • It’s fun and relaxing

A significantly greater proportion of mothers who attended baby massage classes showed a clinical reduction in their scores on the depression questionnaire."
(Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale)
Richard Bowlby, University College London

I personally feel that the IAIM infant massage classes should be offered as a routine part of the postnatal process – they should be available to every mum as standard."
Linda Pollock, Midwife

On the training you’ll learn about:

  • The history of infant massage and its cultural origins
  • A variety of infant massage techniques to use for babies
  • The physical, psychological, emotional effects and benefits of infant massage for parents and babies
  • Teaching and communication skills that will help you create effective lesson plans and confidently facilitate groups or one-to-one sessions
  • How to empower and support parents to give baby massage
  • How baby massage enhances the bonding process between parent and child
  • The relationship between massage and infant and child development, anatomy and physiology
  • Infant communication – behaviour cues and crying  - practical experience on the training
  • Massage techniques for Special Needs babies – dealing with premature babies, colic and other special needs
  • How to handle and position a baby to receive a massage
  • Research on touch, child and infant massage
  • Marketing and promoting baby massage to the wider community
  • Using oils – which oils are OK, which are not and safety guidelines for their use
  • Contra-indications - when it’s not OK to give infant massage
  • Practical and theoretical activities incorporating all learning styles

When & where?

You can attend our infant massage trainings throughout the year at venues across the UK. Use this link to find out when and where the next training is and book your place today

What’s included in the price?

Our 4-day infant massage training costs: £545.00 and the price includes:

  • 4 day intensive instruction and practical work
  • Training manual and comprehensive training notes
  • Vimala McClure's book 'Handbook for Loving Parents'
  • 1 year's membership to the I.A.I.M. UK Chapter
  • Refreshments

This is a very popular training and spaces get snapped up quickly, book your place now.

Benefits of training with Childways

Attending one of our infant massage trainings means you get to learn from the best! We are one of the leading infant massage training organisations in the UK and our trainings are accredited by the International Association of Infant Massage. Learning with us will give you all the skills and knowledge you’ll need to become a first-class baby massage instructor. Our trainings are engaging, energetic and fun! Book your space today!

Click here to see the IAIM trainers working with Childways

The IAIM is the world leading authority in baby massage training, offering an international qualification, endorsed by independent experts such as Dr Vivette Glover and Sir Richard Bowlby."