Baby massage therapists are referred to as Certified Infant Massage Instructors (CIMI) or Paediatric Massage Consultants (PMC). Because of best practice guidelines and a desire to achieve the best outcomes for their clients, certified instructors and consultants teach parents how to massage as opposed to providing therapy directly to infants and children themselves.
Who do 'infant massage therapists' work for?
While some Infant Massage Instructors and Paediatric Massage Consultants work in clinics, hospitals and other health and allied health service environments, most instructors and consultants work for themselves, running their own small business.
What do they do?
Massage techniques are taught to parents in baby massage classes or via one-on-one private appointments. Classes and appointments are held at a number of different venues such as the instructor's home or clinic, the parent's home, community centres, hospitals, local libraries and parent support centres. Instructors set their own class and appointment times and do their best to arrange days and times that are suitable for the families they are working with. In addition to demonstrating massage techniques, instructors and consultants help parents by providing information and advice on when to massage, how long to massage for, baby body language (baby cues) during massage, what oil to use and much more.
Why do parents seek to work with an 'infant massage therapist'?
There are a number of reasons parents look to work with a qualified instructor or consultant. Parents often want to learn techniques that will help with sleep and common digestive issues such as wind, colic, constipation and reflux. As the benefits of massage become more widely known and accepted however, a growing number of parents simply want to learn some step-by-step massage techniques from a professional rather than trusting online videos or just trying to 'guess their way' through a massage routine. When parents first arrive at a baby massage class, they often refer to having felt a natural urge to massage but explain they feel a little bit lost, just spreading around some oil or cream on the baby following bath time without really knowing what they're doing. They enjoy learning the various massage techniques they can try and seeing how their baby responds.
How do parents find a qualified 'infant massage therapist'?
Parents are able to receive a free referral to a Certified Infant Massage Instructor or Paediatric Massage Consultant in their local area from the Infant Massage Information Service.
Click here for information on how you can become an 'infant massage therapist'
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