Doing your baby good - strengthening the bond with your child with baby massage

Touching a baby is something beautiful and important for the child's development. Bethesda Hospital Basel offers baby massage courses in which mums and dads can learn hand movements, overcome insecurities and get to know their child better. "Baby massage promotes relaxation and therefore the baby's well-being," says course leader Helen Lüdin. Special touch techniques give the child support and security and help it to support its own regulation. "It also helps parents to get to know their child and its language of expression better. Their sensitivity is trained by observing the baby. This gives them confidence in their own skills." This course is suitable for anyone who wants to do something good for their child. First-time mums in particular benefit because they can overcome their insecurities and receive valuable input. If you already have several children, this course gives you the opportunity to create an island of time with your baby.

More than just massage

The top priority in baby massage is mindfulness. "At the beginning, we do an exercise to calm down and let go of tension, because this gives the touch a completely different quality," explains Lüdin. The course participants are then given ideas on how they can caress their baby with gentle, mindful touches. These are delicate techniques that have nothing to do with a conventional massage. "We pay close attention to how the child is feeling and observe whether it is still calm or already showing the first signs of stress," continues Lüdin. Baby massage makes an important contribution to what is known as bonding. The child should develop a secure bonding pattern with its parents.