The gentlest touch

Tiffany Brown explains the benefits of infant massage. 

The human body has half a million receptors to pressure and texture, most of which are in our fingertips, and four million pain receptors. So it makes sense that massage evolved as a means to relieve tension or pain. 

The use of massage is widespread throughout the world, beginning with many ancient civilisations and continuing through to modern times. In China, massage is widely practiced and taught in medical schools as an essential part of primary healthcare, and it was Ayurvedic medicine out of ancient India that first recommended the use of massage for the health of infants.

Kathy Chase from Relaxabub in Franklin, an International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM) Certified Instructor, says infant massage courses are not just limited to massage strokes. The nurturing touch and techniques taught during an IAIM course for parents and caregivers includes positioning, holds, movement, aspects of child development, and is influenced by Indian massage, Swedish massage, reflexology and yoga.

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