| |
|
 |
Baby Massage and
Baby Yoga
|
|
 |
To Book Your
Baby Massage Or Baby Yoga Class
|
|
Call us on 01932 225 253 |
|
Please mention all about Weybridge
website |
|
|
|
Introduction
|
Baby
Massage |
Baby Yoga
|
Exercise for Mums |
Benefits |
Classes |
When To
Start |
Contact |
| |
|
|
|
|
"Orla and I
really enjoyed baby massage and yoga. I
definitely recommend it for baby and
mum!" Geraldine |
|
|
I am Dr. Rita O'Flynn and I can
introduce you and your baby to the
wonderful experience that is baby
massage and baby yoga.
In my
baby massage classes, held at my home in
Walton-on Thames, Surrey, I will teach
you massage techniques which are simple
to learn yet incredibly powerful,
nurturing and comforting to your baby.
Baby massage stimulates your baby's
muscles, increasing blood flow,
invigorating and cleansing the body. It
can relieve the symptoms of colic,
constipation and teething, induce sleep,
and aid digestion. Baby massage also
provides you with a unique way to spend
time and bond with your baby in those
precious early days.
As your baby
becomes physically stronger, my baby
yoga classes will teach you how to
safely perform stretches and actions
that are enormous fun, both for your
baby and for you. Baby yoga will give
you the confidence to truly interact
with your baby in a way that you could
not have imagined. Your playtime will be
more exciting and you will be helping
your baby's physical and mental
development.
In all my sessions
I include gentle exercises to stengthen
and tone your body as well. To help you
get back to your pre-pregnancy level of
fitness, I will teach you specific
exercises to strengthen your stomach
muscles as well as showing you how to
build your arm muscles as your baby
grows. If you want something a little
more active, I also run postnatal
exercise classes or I could tailor a
personal training plan just for you.
Over the last ten years it has been
my privilege to witness the delight that
both mums and dads have experienced with
their babies. I thoroughly recommend
that you consider baby massage and baby
yoga. You will not regret it. In years
to come it is one of those special
things that you will remember having
done with your baby and you may even
enjoy doing with your grandchildren!
|
| |
| |
|
|
Introduction
|
Baby
Massage |
Baby Yoga
|
Exercise for Mums |
Benefits |
Classes |
When To
Start |
Contact |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Baby massage has been
practiced in parts of Africa and
Asia for centuries, but it is
only over the last three decades
that it has really come to the
West. |
|
| Baby massage
involves touching, stroking,
rubbing, squeezing and tapping,
all of which your baby will find
extremely relaxing and soothing.
The movements are all easy to
learn and will be introduced
gradually throughout the
classes. |
|
| We will also
include a section on
reflexology. Reflexology points
are exactly the same on baby
feet as for adults, but of
course the points can be a
little harder to find on such a
small foot. I will teach you a
foot massage to help you ease
your baby through colds and
teething. |
|
|
| The first and most powerful
massage your baby will ever
encounter is birth itself.
Nature provides this pressure on
the body to kick-start the major
organs, preparing your baby for
life outside the womb. Baby
massage is a way for you to
continue this stimulation,
albeit in a less truamatic way!
|
 |
| The muscles within your
baby's body have been lying
dormant during pregnancy and,
during the first few weeks, they
have to learn to do their job of
supporting your baby and
allowing movement. |
| I am sure you
can recall occasions when, not
having exercised for a while,
you decide to have a bit of a
workout. The next day your
muscles feel fatigued or may
even ache if you worked
particularly hard. I think this
is what a baby goes through
repeatedly over the first few
months of life. Each day they
work harder than the previous
one and their muscles might feel
tired and may even ache. Baby
massage is incredibly beneficial
during this period to encourage
these muscles to relax and to
allow your baby to develop to
their maximum potential. |
|
Your baby may not appear to be
doing much during their first
few weeks at home. While they
seem to do little more than eat
and sleep, then eat and sleep
again, your baby is growing at
the fastest rate they will ever
experience. Babies grow while
they sleep and this is part of
the reason for the huge amounts
of sleep observed in the early
days. During this time there is
very little you can do with your
baby and, to be quite honest,
they are not up to much.
However, one thing you can do in
the comfort of your own home is
baby massage. It is wonderful to
learn and will be a skill you
will keep forever and be able to
carry out on any future babies
you may have. |
|
| When to start? You can
practice baby massage from birth and
continue until your baby is crawling.
Even if they love it, at this point
investigating the world is more
important and they will not keep still
for you to massage. After a couple of
months, or just as your baby is showing
signs of head control, you may consider
baby yoga. |
| |
|
|
Introduction
|
Baby
Massage |
Baby Yoga
|
Exercise for Mums |
Benefits |
Classes |
When To
Start |
Contact |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
"We loved baby yoga
with Rita! It’s very relaxed & friendly.
Emma Rose &mummy (Mikaela) loved it.
Rita is full of good advice which we are
able to take home with us and use there
too. Definitely recommended." |
| |
| As your baby gets older
and becomes physically stronger, they
will be ready for baby yoga. This is
normally at about 10-12 weeks, just as
they are showing signs of head control. |
 |
|
|
In a fun and lively
atmosphere, with lots of
laughter, you will learn moves
and actions to encourage your
baby to roll and then to sit up
and support themselves. Many of
the actions are carried out in
conjunction with nursery rhymes
and songs, so if you are a first
time mum and your memory of
these songs is rather rusty, you
can learn them all over again,
and maybe a few new ones too!
Do not panic, we will not be
doing anything extreme like
“planks” or the “tree pose”, but
I will show you lots of
positions and stretches to
encourage your baby’s body to
open out. Their body is no
longer folding into a foetal
position; all the muscles are
now elongating and
strengthening. They are doing a
lot of hard work! During this
time baby yoga is particularly
advantageous as it helps to
build up these muscles and
relieve any stiffness or aching
that baby might experience. |
|
|
| Baby yoga will also give you the
confidence to truly interact with your
baby in a way that you could not have
imagined. Your playtime will be more
exciting and you will be helping your
baby's physical and mental development. |
|
|
|
|
Introduction
|
Baby
Massage |
Baby Yoga
|
Exercise for Mums |
Benefits |
Classes |
When To
Start |
Contact |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
It is particularly important for you to
start thinking about yourself after the
birth of your baby. It is really easy to
neglect yourself, putting baby and the
household first, and yourself last. |
|
For this reason, during the baby
massage and baby yoga classes, I always
include exercises that you can do at
home with no other equipment other than
a bit of floor space and your baby as a
weight.
|
|
One thing you will notice over the first
three months (for first time mums
especially) is that your baby is getting
noticeably heavier. You are lifting like
you have never lifted before and you
baby is only getting heavier and
heavier. I include arm exercises in
particular to help you build these
muscles as your baby grows. |
|
I also show you exercises to help
you return you stomach muscles back to
their pre-pregnancy state! These muscles
have taken a real battering over the
last few months, but do not worry. There
is a lot you can do to resolve this
issue.
|
|
| If you feel you want
something a little more active I
also run: |
| • Postnatal
floor-based exercise classes to
allow you to concentrate on your
core stomach and back muscles. |
| • Circuit
training using an exercise bike,
rowing machine, mini-trampoline,
Swiss ball, step machine, foam
roller and mat work. |
| • Tailored
post-natal personal training. |
| |
|
|
|
Introduction
|
Baby
Massage |
Baby Yoga
|
Exercise for Mums |
Benefits |
Classes |
When To
Start |
Contact |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| There are many benefits of
baby massage and baby yoga, both
physical and emotional. Baby
massage, in particular, is an
excellent way for you to get to
know your baby. It is
particularly recommended for
fathers or partners who are not
always the main carer as it has
been shown to aid in the bonding
process. Studies carried out at
Queen Charlotte’s Hospital in
London have shown that women
with severe postnatal depression
bonded to their babies much more
quickly if they incorporated
baby massage into their daily
routine. |
| Baby massage is an extension
of the stroking and cuddling
that you will already be doing,
but during my baby massage
classes you will learn to
express this in a methodical and
comprehensive manner. Baby
massage allows you to focus on
all parts of the body and target
those areas which may require
more attention. For example,
tummy massage can relieve
constipation and some particular
movements can help ease the
symptoms of colic. Overall, the
rubbing of the skin improves the
circulation and the whole
experience is equivalent to a
workout at the gym! |
| All new parents out there
will be delighted to hear that
baby massage induces sleep,
making it a perfect night time
activity. You can either
incorporate a massage into your
baby’s night time routine,
massaging after the bath, or do
it instead of a bath. It is not
essential to bathe your baby
every single day. In fact, this
can be quite drying to baby's
skin. A massage with oil can do
the job of cleaning and
moisturising in one go. |
| Baby massage also: |
| • relieves symptoms of colic
and constipation |
| • improves digestion |
| • aids sleep patterns |
| • helps relieve the pain of
teething |
| • unblocks nasal congestion
during a cold |
| • improves circulation and
therefore removes toxins from
the body. |
| The list continues, but for
me the best thing of all is the
rewarding experience for both
you and your baby. It is a
wonderful way to increase the
developing bond between you. It
also allows you to enjoy your
baby by learning an alternative
way to play with them which
helps with their muscular
development at the same time. It
reassures you that your baby is
incredibly flexible and your
only wish will be to be as
supple as them! |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Introduction
|
Baby
Massage |
Baby Yoga
|
Exercise for Mums |
Benefits |
Classes |
When To
Start |
Contact |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
"I started baby massage and
yoga with my daughter when she
was 12 weeks old! We both find
the classes relaxing and
energetic with great focus on
both mother and baby. The moves
and songs are simple and easy to
follow so you can practice at
home or out. Many of the
positions help calm Isabelle
when she's upset and I am sure
they have helped her
flexibility, to sit up and roll
over! We thoroughly enjoy Rita's
classes and this is our third
course." - Brinda and
Isabelle |
|
|
All baby massage and baby yoga
classes can be done in a group
or on a one-to-one basis and can
be held in your own home if
required. In the past, Rita has
held classes in Walton,
Weybridge, Hersham, Esher,
Cobham, Addlestone and West
Byfleet. Otherwise, all classes
will be held at: 5 Kings Road,
Walton-on-Thames, Surrey KT12
2RA. Classes are very relaxed
and informal with plenty of time
for you to meet and chat with
other mums and dadss.
|
|
|
What to Wear
|
|
I recommend
that you wear loose clothing,
similar to gym wear, to allow
easy movement. |
|
|
|
What to
Bring |
|
Oil is required for
baby massage classes. This can
be purchased during the class at
a cost of £5 a bottle, which is
sufficient for this and any
babies you may have in the
future. If you wish to buy your
own oil, I recommend grape seed
oil, which can be purchased from
any local supermarket. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Baby Massage Classes
|
|
On arrival the babies are
settled and we briefly discuss
any issues of concern such as
breast feeding or sleep
patterns. The session will then
commence with full attention
focused on the babies, with
calming classical music in the
background. This restful
atmosphere is very important
especially for very small babies
whose attention span is not only
short, but who can easily be
distracted. During the Baby
Massage classes the sequence of
massage is always the same so
that memorising the sequence
becomes very easy. The massage
always starts with the feet,
where we touch on a little
reflexology specific to baby
ailments, and progresses to the
legs, up to the stomach region
and torso, across to the arms
and then to the head. The babies
are then placed on their front
to continue massage on the back.
Towards the end of the four
sessions, we will introduce some
baby yoga at the beginning of
the class. At all sessions,
gentle exercises are integrated
within the classes targeting
your stomach muscle and those in
the arms. Each class ends with a
quiet period to allow you to
relax, dress and feed your baby
if required. |
|
|
Baby Yoga Classes
|
|
In Baby Yoga the format of the
classes is more varied. Each
week new movements are
introduced as the babies develop
in strength. Many of the
movements are done through song
or nursery rhymes. These classes
are lively and more interactive.
Each session ends with a
relaxing massage and time to
feed your baby. Gentle exercises
are integrated within the
classes targeting your stomach
muscle and those in the arms.
The stomach muscles must return
to pre-pregnancy state before
any serious exercise is
undertaken to prevent injury to
the back. The arms are of
particular interest because your
tiny babies are growing rapidly
requiring your arms to lift and
carry an ever increasing weight.
This is really noticeable once
your baby reaches 4 to 5 months
and therefore a good idea to
target first. |
|
|
|
Postnatal
Exercise Classes |
|
If getting
back in to your pre-pregnancy
form interests you there are
postnatal exercise classes
available. If you wish to
strengthen and shape up I offer
a mat-based class integrating
Yoga and Pilates. If you wish to
do a more cardio based class, I
offer circuit training. During
these sessions I incorporate
exercises on a Swiss Ball,
mini-trampoline, cross trainer,
step, spinning bike and rowing
machine. Please contact me for
further details. |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Venue |
All baby massage
and baby yoga classes can be
done in a group or on a
one-to-one basis and can be held
in your own home if required.
Otherwise, all classes will be
held at: 5 Kings Road,
Walton-on-Thames, Surrey KT12
2RA. There is plenty of room for
you to spread out and relax.
After each class you are welcome
to stay on and feed your baby if
you need to and, when the
weather is fine, we often go out
into the garden for a chat and
maybe even a coffee.
|
|
If
you would like to host a class
in your own home, Rita is happy
to travel to a reasonable
distance from Walton and has
previously held classes in
Weybridge, Hersham, Esher,
Cobham, Addlestone and West
Byfleet. |
|
|
|
Cost of Classes |
|
|
| Individual
|
|
One-on-one classes
held in your own home.
Perfect if you have
had a caesarean but want
to get started
straight away. |
|
£20
per
class |
Group Course -
In your home |
|
Group of up to 5 adults
|
|
£50
per baby
for 4 weeks
|
Group Course -
In my home |
|
Group of up to 8
adults |
|
£40 per baby
for
4 weeks |
|
Other Groups |
|
Nurseries, playgroups
|
|
Contact me
directly
|
|
|
Class Times |
| Monday to Friday
|
10.00 - 11.00 |
|
Monday to Friday |
11.15 - 12.15
|
| Monday to Friday |
1.30 -
2.30 |
|
Monday to Friday |
2.30 - 3.30
|
|
|
|
 |
"I started baby massage
classes with Rita when
Toby was 15 weeks old
and it has been great.
After the class he is so
relaxed, he always
sleeps for at least two
hours - and he still
goes down for a full
night's sleep as well.
At home, if I don't have
time to do a full
massage session then I
just do either his legs,
torso or arms while he
has some nappy-free
time. We both enjoy this
as it gives us some
quiet time together
during the day. I could
not recommend these
classes enough.
|
|
I think we both get a
lot out of it and I
think that the tips that
you get on dealing with
wind, and easing other
aches and pains is
really useful and
reassuring." |
|
Susan and Toby |
|
|
|
|
Introduction
|
Baby
Massage |
Baby Yoga
|
Exercise for Mums |
Benefits |
Classes |
When To
Start |
Contact |
| |
When To Start
Baby Massage and Baby Yoga
|
|
|
You can start massaging your baby as
soon as they are born. There is no need
to wait, so baby massage classes
can be started as soon as you feel up to
it. |
|
When my first child was born, I remember
returning home from the hospital and
thinking "What am I supposed to do
next?". Other than the necessary duties
you need to perform to look after a
newborn baby, baby massage is a very
practical solution to this dilemma. |
|
Your baby may not appear to be doing
much during their first few weeks at
home. Whilst all they seem to do is eat
and sleep, then eat and sleep again,
your baby is growing at the fastest rate
they will ever experience. Babies grow
while they sleep and this is exactly why
they sleep so much in the early days.
During this time there is very little
you can do with your baby and, to be
quite honest, they are not up to much. |
|
However, one thing you can do in the
comfort of your own home is baby
massage. It is wonderful to learn and
will be a skill you will keep forever
and be able to carry out on any future
babies you may have. You can practice
baby massage from birth right up until
your baby starts to crawl. Once your
baby is crawling, even if they love
lying and being massaged, investigating
the world is more important and they
will not keep still for you to massage
in the way they used to. Of course,
massage can be re-established when your
child is a toddler and does not have to
end here. |
 |
At about 10-12 weeks, or just as your
baby is showing signs of head control,
you can start baby yoga which baby will
enjoy as it is more active. You can, of
course, continue with baby massage as
part of your bedtime routine.
|
|
Baby yoga classes,
incorporating fun exercises to music and
songs, can be continued whilst your baby
is actively crawling right up until they
start to walk. These classes are also a
great way to meet other new mums and
dads.
|
|
More practically, on a day-to-day basis,
it is best to massage your baby just
before their last feed when all is
quiet. This is because of the
sleep-inducing effects of baby massage.
|
|
Some days you may choose not to do a
full massage. On these occasions you can
massage the exposed parts of the body
during a nappy change. |
|
Baby yoga is best done during the more
wakeful periods of the day and you can
introduce it seamlessly as part of your
playtime.
|
|
|
Never massage or practice baby yoga when
your baby has a full stomach. It is best
to leave at least 25 to 30 minutes after
feeding. |
|
Do not do baby massage or baby yoga if
your baby is unwell, has just had their
vaccinations or has a temperaContact us
on 01932 225253 for further information
or to book your baby massage or baby
yoga class. |
|
|
|
|
Introduction
|
Baby
Massage |
Baby Yoga
|
Exercise for Mums |
Benefits |
Classes |
When To
Start |
Contact |
| |
| |
|
|
|
Baby Massage and
Baby Yoga
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Contact Baby Massage Baby Yoga
|
|
|
| If you
would like to enrol your baby in baby
massage or baby yoga classes, or if you
would like to talk to Dr. Rita O'Flynn
directly, please call or email; |
|
| |
Tel: |
|
01932 225253 |
Please mention all about Weybridge
website |
| |
Mobile: |
|
07957 172628 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
Email: |
|
info@BabyMassageBabyYoga.co.uk |
| |
Website: |
|
www.BabyMassageBabyYoga.co.uk |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rita has held classes in Walton, Weybridge,
Hersham, Esher, Cobham, Addlestone and West
Byfleet.
Otherwise, all classes will be held
at: 5 Kings Road, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey KT12
2RA. |
|
|
|
Introduction
|
Baby
Massage |
Baby Yoga
|
Exercise for Mums |
Benefits |
Classes |
When To
Start |
Contact |
|
|
|
