From Vimala McClure, author of “Infant Massage: A Handbook for Loving Parents” and founder of the International Association of Infant Massage:
“We all have sleep associations, we don’t bat an eyelid about our own quirks or needs around what helps us sleep. Yet, with even a very young baby, there is pressure to ‘teach your baby to self-settle’ – to fall asleep without any help from you.
‘Self-settling’ has become the holy grail of sleep training. One of the main reasons, apart from the sheer convenience of having a baby who falls asleep without help, is that once your baby can ‘self-settle’, she will put herself back to sleep without disturbing you if she wakes during the night. This is rubbish – apart from the fact that you are growing a little person, not simply managing an inconvenience – many babies who happily fall asleep after being put into bed wide awake will call for help or reassurance if they wake during the night. They don’t have the brain structures to physiologically ‘self soothe’ yet, and they won’t develop these for several years.
There are many reasons for babies waking, from hunger or discomfort to separation anxiety and, just as your baby needs food to grow, she also needs the stimulation of your touch to help the development of her nervous system, her brain, her digestive system and for emotional reassurance. These are all legitimate reasons for your baby to signal that she needs you, day or night.”
Article: Self Settling – Why It’s Not the Holy Grail of Baby Sleep
Do you know the benefits of baby massage?
Communicate with confidence, understand baby’s cues, sleep more, enjoy less crying and improve baby’s health, digestion, and all-over bodily functions. Loving massage can increase muscle tone, improve motor skills, IQ, teach respect and trust and much more… Soothe, repair, bonding and relaxation for baby and you! Come take a class with us!
Parent-Baby Class April 20th 10:30-Noon or 6-7:30pm
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