Why baby massage is just as important for dads

Going along to a baby massage group is also a great way for dads to become more involved in parenting, and meet other parents. It gives them the opportunity to learn a new skill, and one that they can put into practice on a daily basis. As when anyone learns baby massage, it can be introduced into bath or bedtime, for example. In this case, it can encourage dads to take on aspects of parenting they may have previously not engaged in.

If dad is spending time massaging baby, it’s likely that baby will feel a greater bond with their father. This can result in baby wanting to interact more with dad; smiling, being pleased to see them, asking for cuddles and more. What a rewarding situation!

If you’re teaching baby massage, do remember that dads may need more encouragement to attend classes, and may feel more comfortable in a one-to-one situation or in a ‘dads only’ setting.

Research has also been undertaken on the topic of baby massage and fatherhood. Here is a selection of articles you may like to read:

Supporting Fathering Through Infant Massage by Carolynn Darrell Cheng, MA, Anthony A. Volk, PhD, and Zopito A. Marini, PhD, published in the Journal of Perinatal Education

Fathers' Experiences Massaging their Infants by Mary Kay Keller and Marsha Rehm at Florida State University

The Effects of Infant Massage on the Fathers in Transition to Parenthood by A. Gnazzo, C. Squires, G. de Campora, R. Lella, G. Larciprete G Zavattini.

Thinking of learning to teach baby massage?
We've 'live' courses taking place twice yearly , or on Zoom, or we offer an online distance learning option. Take a look to find out more details.