Congratulations! You’ve just had a beautiful new bundle of joy! Prepare for the happiest time in your life – and the most exhausting. There may be days when your baby cries all through the night. You’ve fed them, changed them, and done everything else you can think of, but no matter what, they just can’t seem to get to sleep. As exhausted as you are, it’s hard not to have sympathy for a crying baby. Isn’t there anything you can do to help them get to sleep, safely and naturally? You might try infant massage.
If you’re not familiar with infant massage, it’s exactly what it sounds like: gently massaging the baby’s limbs, muscles and joints to relieve tension. Most babies can be massaged as soon as they are born, and the practice offers a variety of benefits. For instance, that period of gentle contact is a great way to help you bond with your baby more effectively. Your partner can join in the process as well!
Even aside from forging a bond with your child, though, there are plenty of other benefits – both physical and mental. Not the least of those benefits is helping your baby to sleep.
A massage will help your newborn relax their muscles, as well as their mind. This alone is a great first step towards helping them to sleep. But in addition, massage can also help alleviate a lot of the other ailments that might be disturbing their sleep cycle.
It helps stimulate the digestive system, which can relieve things like gas and constipation. It also stimulates the circulatory system, which can help alleviate pain and cramps. And if your baby suffers from colic – i.e. crying frequently, or for an extended period of time (more than three hours a day), infant massage can be a great way to help calm them down so they can get a good night’s rest.
It probably goes without saying, but a massage for your infant isn’t the same as what you would get on a spa day, or what your partner does when you get those knots in your shoulders. It must be done very gently to avoid causing any harm to the child. It might behoove you and your partner to take a class in infant massage, to learn the different techniques and be sure you’re doing it properly, for maximum effectiveness.
Once you’ve got your technique, it’s important to establish a routine. Choose a specific time of day when you do it, such as just before bed. Turning it into a nightly routine for the whole family will not only aid in the bonding process, but also allow your child to associate that time with massage in their mind, helping them relax better and sleep even more soundly.
If you’d like to know more about the benefits infant massage can have for both you and your baby, feel free to contact me, and I’ll help you learn the massage routine that’s right for your baby!
On Sunday, March 31st at 5PM, I will be hosting our very first Drum Circle.
Drumming is a part of our ancestral heritage. Cultures all over the world have used the drum in their everyday lives. The call of the drum is unmistakable and awakens something ancient and ancestral within us. It quiets the thinking brain and makes room for experiencing what exists outside of us. The drum beat is the pulse, the heart of the universe and helps us connect with and understand the mystery and power and the Spirit in all things. The drum produces a highly concentrated focus, causing the brain to slow down into a trance-like state.
During Spirit drumming sessions, the focus will be on the experience of listening and feeling the vibrations of the drums. The beat of the drum is used to create states of altered consciousness using a repetitive sound ranging from 180-220 bpm. This state of consciousness is relaxing and meditative.
I will be holding space and drumming for you. If you already have a practice using the sound of the drums you can do that. For others this may be a first experience with something like this. It is not necessary to have any experience at all to join. Some ideas of what you can do while I drum for you:
What to expect for our time together:
Some suggestions of what to bring with you (or just bring yourself – that’s fine too!):
WHEN: March 31st. Start time 5PM.
WHERE: 6441 Enterprise Ln., Ste 212, Madison WI
COST: $20 per person — cash only
When I do shamanic healing with a client for the very first time, I like to start with power animal retrieval. Why do I start there? Everyone needs an ally when they first start to navigate working with Spirit. Power animals are usually very eager to help and love connecting with “their humans.”
The first kind are the ones that have been with you since birth. Ones that are part of your personality and make up the core values of who you are. The others are situational. They show up and offer their wisdom when you are in a situation where you are feeling stuck or is causing you stress.
How do you know the difference between the two?
Do you have a gazillion chatchkis of a particular animal? Every time you go on vacation, you find a souvenir to bring home that is of the same animal? Is your Christmas tree covered with ornaments with that same animal? For me, it’s penguins. Before I ever knew what a power animal was, I had (and still have) a healthy collection of penguin paraphernalia. At my wedding I had a penguin wedding cake topper, threw beanie baby penguins instead of my wedding bouquet and even had mechanical penguins dancing on the dance floor. Yeah, you could say that Penguin is a power animal of mine!
The situational ones, present themselves, when there is a situation you are in and you start to notice them. Say every night for a week straight, you hear an owl hooting outside your window – where you never heard them before. For the past 3 mornings, a crow seems to fly above your car on the way to work? Or in my case, I walked out my front door one morning and was greeted by a dead baby skunk in my walkway. Spirit was definitely trying to tell me something.
Why are they important?
When first starting to work with Spirit, it is helpful to have a guide with you. Your power animal can be that guide. If you have never meditated or “connected with Spirit” before you might feel more comfortable taking a guide with you. They will be by your side offering guidance and support and helping you listen to messages from Spirit.
If you’re interested, you can schedule a shamanic journey online.
Have you ever wondered how can you extend the benefits of massage in-between sessions?
Here are 11 proven tips to help you do just that!
I hope these tips help you feel great in-between your massage sessions.
Thank you for visiting Lighthouse Healing Massage Therapy!
In this blog post, I’d like to share some of the top benefits of working with Lighthouse Healing, as opposed to your typical spa or franchise.
Most spas schedule on the hour. I can be flexible. I can schedule you on the half hour, quarter hour, early morning (before the spa opens) or after spa hours. I also schedule time before and after your massage so you can get dressed, ask questions, and just sit for a few minutes before running back into the world.
and not whoever happens to be on the schedule that day. You know I will be the one doing the massage. I know you and your body. I already know that you like the table warmed up, want a bolster under your knees, and hate Enya with a passion. You don’t need to tell me every time we meet that you have chronic pain in your neck and your right knee gives out on occasion.
Yup. I am not a chain or a big box store. I do not do a “one size fits all” kind of massage and I am not your typical massage therapist. I am a little quirky with a big heart and have no problem giving you a hug before you leave.
Don’t like oil? No problem – let’s use cream. Do you hate “spa music” – let’s listen to Depeche Mode or you can bring whatever music helps you relax.. If you are uncomfortable getting completely undressed, we can do reflexology just on your feet, you can leave all of your clothes on and just take off your socks! There are some things I can’t do. If you don’t like draping, well, I can use a sheet instead of a blanket, but draping is a must.
You don’t have to remember to call me during business hours or leave me a voicemail. At 4AM, in your pajamas, you can go online and schedule an appointment.
Thank you for visiting Lighthouse Healing Massage Therapy!
6441 Enterprise Ln., Ste. 212
Madison, WI 53719
Kara@lighthousehealing.com