OAs you anticipate the arrival of your new baby, you are probably also pondering the reality of how you will cope with many upcoming sleepless nights and other challenges that every new parent must face.

Keeping this in mind, every new parent should add the skills of Infant Massage to their bag of tricks. This program empowers the parent and offers them some hands-on practical tools to help them cope with many of the common challenges of parenting. It also provides valuable understanding of infant cues which allows a parent to respond to their child's needs with less frustration and thus enhances the bonding that occurs between a parent and child. Similarly, massage can also help improve the bond between siblings. It is wonderful to watch a toddler who at one time was inquiring about how to send back this new arrival and is now tenderly massaging his brother or sister thus forming a very special bond.

Research published by the Touch Research Institute, at the University of Miami has shown that regular massage for babies offers diverse benefits. It helps to promote growth and development, improves sleep patterns, decreases the intensity and frequency of colic episodes, decreases pain from teething and induces overall relaxation. Studies have also shown that, with massage, babies born premature gain 47% more weight and were discharged 6 days earlier from the hospital.

It is important to massage your baby when they are in a quiet alert state. Since the pattern of behaviour of young children may vary from day to day, or from moment to moment, it is essential to take the baby's lead and perform massage only when the baby is content and willing to accept touch. As touch is a very powerful thing at any age, showing respect for your baby will ensure that the experience will be most beneficial for both you and your child.

Now that we are aware of when to massage our children, it is important to understand what oil to apply during a massage. There are a lot of massage oils on the market, however it is important to only use a cold pressed edible oil with no nut extracts as children tend to put their hands and feet in their mouth. Olive oil is a safe option which is readily available in your home.

There are many massage techniques that can be applied all over the body. Two very popular strokes are those applied to the tummy. Regular massage given to the tummy can help to alleviate pain due to gas and constipation. "Waterwheel" a paddle type movement and "sun and moon" a powerful clockwise stroke are both performed on the stomach and focused on the area around the belly button. Applying firm yet gentle pressure will help to mechanically stimulate movement in the intestine.

The International Association of Infant Massage has certified instructors who offer workshops in Infant Massage across the country. Although the name suggests that this program is only for infants, the reality is that the benefits of this program will continue to grow with your child. Touch can continue to play a very important role in parenting throughout the years. From coping with temper tantrums and growing pains to communicating with your teen, touch is often a very effective and practical parenting tool.

So sit back, relax and enjoy as there is no better way to communicate your love than through touch!

For more information on Baby Massage visit www.wallisforwellness.com Or contact Margaret Wallis-Duffy R.M.T., C.I.M.I. @ (905) 840-3486