|
About me and baby massage I trained with the International Association of Infant Massage on their first ever UK training in 1997. I have had the pleasure of working with parents and babies ever since. I see up to sixty parents and babies every week via virtual classes as well as face to face through Children"s Centres and home visits. I have been involved in research projects with Sir Richard Bowlby, Dr Angela Underdown, The Coram's Listening To Young Children Project and The Royal London Hospital. I specialise in running classes for families referred by health professionals and I have a particular interest working with parents with babies experiencing surgery or having additional needs. I adapt classes to suit each infant and parent and welcome crying, feeding and nappy changing as a natural part of the class. I am a Birthlight Mother and Baby Yoga Instructor, Massage Therapist, Clinical Aromatherapist, Reflexologist, Reiki Master, Sound Therapist and Massage In School's Instructor. I run Parent and Baby Yoga classes as a natural progression and compliment to Infant Massage and Family Movement and Relaxation sessions for families from birth to 5 years. |
|
My promotional experience has included workshops for The Coram Family Parent Centre, Mothercare, Pampers and the International Association of Aromatherapists. I have appeared in an NHS infant massage information video for Sky TV, talked on a pilot radio programme regarding Infant massage for the BBC and written for the IAIM 'In Touch' magazine. I have been involved in The Young Parent Projects in Islington and Camden, The Bengali Women's Health Project in Camden and worked closely with Al Asharaf Somali Community Women and Children's Welfare Association, Islington. I have facilitated parent relaxation sessions at Great Ormond Street Hospital and received a personal mention in The Kate Greenaway Parents Survey for The London Borough of Islington Early Years Provision. I have also had the pleasure of running a workshop on baby cues for Hackney Council 's Childminders' Conference and run classes on a weekly basis with Brightstart Islington.
Throughout my career I have worked closely with schools and nurseries to promote the importance of touch in infants and young children. Recently I have been working with staff at a local Islington nursery to help develop a daily program of peer massage throughout the nursery.
From September 2017 to March 2024 I was involved with a project at The Royal London Hospital running baby massage and yoga classes for parents with babies on the paediatric ward. The project was set up to audit the effectiveness of baby yoga and massage classes in relieving baby and parental anxiety. The families and staff I had the joy of meeting hold a special place in my heart.
Throughout my career I have worked closely with schools and nurseries to promote the importance of touch in infants and young children. Recently I have been working with staff at a local Islington nursery to help develop a daily program of peer massage throughout the nursery.
From September 2017 to March 2024 I was involved with a project at The Royal London Hospital running baby massage and yoga classes for parents with babies on the paediatric ward. The project was set up to audit the effectiveness of baby yoga and massage classes in relieving baby and parental anxiety. The families and staff I had the joy of meeting hold a special place in my heart.
Photo courtesy of The Royal London Hospital (2018) |
Research Involvement
2018-2024 Continued work and development with the paediatric play team at The Royal London Hospital. 2017- 2018 'Clinical Audit Measuring the Effectiveness of Baby Massage and Yoga in Reducing Parental and Baby Stress Levels'. Carried out with the paediatric play team at The Royal London Hospital (see birthlight.com link above). 2011 'Interventions to support early relationships: mechanisms identified within Infant massage programmes' with Dr Angela Underdown, at Warwick University. 2006 'Investigation Into The Effects Of An Infant Massage Programme' Cochrane Report with Dr Angela Underdown, at The Coram Family Parent Centre and The Bemerton Children Centre. 2002 Babies Attachment Bonds with Sir Richard Bowlby, at The Coram Family Parent Centre. 2002 Listening To Young Children Project with Penny Lancaster, at Coram Community Campus. LUX Magazine life - Best Infant Massage Provider 2018 & 2019 - London |