Nurture & Bond | Baby Massage & Baby + Me Yoga Courses
IN STUDIO in West Norwood / West Dulwich, South London
Our Nurture & Bond series are intimate sessions for parents & babies to learn and experience baby massage, parent-baby yoga and to connect to a community of new parents. We offer these classes in blocks of 2 or 4/5 weeks.
These classes emphasises on connection and presence. Alexa provides a relaxed and supportive space for dedicated parent and baby time, learning valuable skills for life to support you and your baby.
In our Baby Massage Course (booked in 2 week blocks). you’ll learn techniques to:
- relax the baby’s diaphragm for full and efficient breathing
- bring flexibility to hips and shoulders
- strengthen their back, arms and legs in preparation for sitting and standing.
See our website for Baby Massage Courses here.
In our Baby & Me Yoga sessions, you’ll enjoy this special way to connect with your baby, to gently aid your own post-natal recovery and get to know other mothers. Rhymes and rhythmic movement are used to enhance your baby’s well-being and development, while post-natal postures for the mother will enhance muscle tone, offer support for the back and boost energy levels. At the end of the class, there is time for parents to swap tips and share experiences over tea.
All of this happens in an atmosphere of loving, joyful play. This class is a perfect continuation of your journey into parenthood from our Pregnancy Yoga classes. Evolve your practice and connection with your baby through the early months of their lives.
Benefits of Baby Massage
reduces crying
helps relieve colic
improves sleep
encourages mother-baby bonding through physical contact
sensory and muscle stimulation
relaxes both parent & child
What You Need to Know
Please bring a towel for the baby and all bits and bobs including your own massage oil.
We recommend organic virgin coconut oil. Avoid commercial baby oils as these are usually highly perfumed. As mineral oil they are cheap derivatives of crude petroleum. They tend to feel greasy and gritty and have no organic value.
As a suggestion maybe also bring a teddy bear or doll next to you in case baby falls asleep or is not interested in baby massage so you can still practice the sequence.
We strongly recommend you arrive carrying your baby in a sling. Unfortunately, there is no space to leave prams in the ground floor. We apologise for any inconvenience.
We do ask that you take away any dirty nappies with you when you leave the studio after class
Partners are welcome for baby massage.
Benefits of Baby Yoga
Baby yoga, which complements infant massage, offers quality physical stimulation including flowing postures, holding, movement, touch, voice and deep relaxation. It induces a happy, care-free and lively parent-infant interaction which develops as the babies grow. The experience of movement combined with touch is probably the richest stimulation we can offer babies from birth.
In yoga, this stimulation occurs through the mutual involvement of parent and baby, at a pace at which the baby can absorb and integrate it. As yoga postures induce deep relaxation in adults, so in babies they bring a state of deep contentment and promote deep sleep. This playful stimulation through yoga-based exercise is the best possible way of helping babies relish life, with all its demands, as they grow.
During the class you will learn sequences with your child, which will stimulate the body’s systems and encourage co-ordination and flexibility. There will be a mix of dynamic exercises, special holds and relaxation techniques. This is “pure baby yoga” which originated from Dr Francoise Freedman’s work with the Peruvian Amazonian people.
in one short session, the baby is given as much physical activity as they would receive if they were handled and carried all day – this activity enhances deep sleep and more “settled” behaviour
a daily routine of activity is established through which the parent can engage constructively with their baby from birth
all the baby’s bodily systems are stimulated, including the digestive and nervous systems
the parent and baby get to know each other, enhancing communication and bonding between them and instilling confidence in the mother
birth traumas are healed and the baby becomes better equipped to deal with shocks
the baby’s enjoyment of the positive stress of yoga will increase the baby’s ability to cope with future challenges
through the high quality attention the baby receives from its parents, the baby learns to interact with others and play actively
the deep relaxation that is part of yoga helps parents cope with the stresses of early parenting.
a lovely calm and bonding experience
upcoming classes
Express Interest
Please register your interest in this course so we can keep you updated