I don’t have a baby anymore. Little Man is resolutely beyond the stages of babyhood, so I really don’t pay much attention to parenting books about infants as much anymore. Recently, I found a book that I couldn’t resist picking up.
Your Happy Baby: Massage, Yoga, Aromatherapy, and Other Gentle Ways to Blissful Babyhood is one of the most beautifully illustrated books I’ve come across. From the cherubic infant snuggling a tiny lamb in soft pastels on the cover, to page after page of full-color illustrations of infants and parents interacting, this book makes you relax just looking through it.
I had heard about the benefits of infant massage when I was pregnant with Little Man, but we never got around to taking a class. This book clearly and concisely walks parents through the seemingly simple steps to interacting with their newborn or infant in calming and comforting ways. While I had never heard of infant yoga or aromatherapy, the simplicity with which the authors of this book outline the benefits of these practices makes them seem more natural than new age, more second-nature than learned.
Your Happy Baby doesn’t overwhelm with facts and figures. It doesn’t judge a mother’s decision to breastfeed or not. It doesn’t preach and it doesn’t try to impose a parenting agenda. Instead, it provides parents a toolkit of resources to help interact with and sooth their child.
Having never tried infant massage, yoga, or aromatherapy myself, the book has intrigued me. But I’m also interested to hear from readers who may have tried some of these techniques. What was your experience using these practices? Why did you decide to try them?
by Lisa D.
Photo graciously provided by the Fair Use doctrine, some rights reserved
2 responses so far ↓
Theresa // Sep 11, 2008 at 1:14 am
I massaged my baby until she decided she preferred to roll around and play rather than lie still. It was lovely, for both of us, while it lasted (about 6 or 7 months). Although it seemed to stimulate her rather than sleep-ify her. The tummy massage did help with constipation and gas. I would definitely do it again if I have another baby.
Kelly Damron // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:33 am
I also did a little baby massage on my twin girls. It is supposed to help with growth and since they were preemie I tried anything to help them gain weight. They enjoyed it to some extent, but by the end they were restless and ready for play. It was a nice way to bond as well as a fun way to interact with my girls.
And - I still do an occasional tummy massage to help with constipation and gas!
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