Maeve offers baby massage tuition

Local woman Maeve O'Reilly is holding a four session programme of baby massage techniques, beginning 20 September.

The programme will be located in the McMahon Centre (KARE) in the former Cross & Passion Convent and will run each Thursday morning between 12pm-1pm.

Baby massage is a technique of interaction between parent and child which, apart from its obvious merits in improved bonding, can provide relief from colic, wind, constipation and provides improved sleeping patterns.

For the mother, the process can help with post natal depression.

Maeve, who also is qualified in holistic massage and deep tissue massage, has trained with the International Association of Infant Massage and is a Certified Instructor from that organisation.

She has used the techniques with great success with her own daughter Siofra apart from teaching them to other people. "I've been doing it since she was born, and on the days I do massage I can see that she is in much better form."

Baby massage came to Ireland in 2003 and there are now a significant number of trainers.

It is a technique which is very much between parent and child, and involves a lot of eye contact as well as the physical massage itself.

"It can begin from just after birth, and done until the child starts to crawl around," Maeve says.

Those attending the class do so with their babies, and Maeve uses a doll to demonstrate the techniques, which the participants copy on their own children.

It is a graduated course, beginning with the legs and tummy in the first week and gradually extending the techniques to all parts of the child's body.

"We also break up the class with some discussion, and with a couple of relaxation techniques for the mothers."

The course numbers are limited to ten, and the cost for the full programme is 80 euros.

If anyone wants further information, or to enrol in the class, Maeve can be contacted on 087 9713979.

Brian Byrne.