Touch sends wordless messages of sympathy and security that humans benefit from no matter their age. Medical research reveals touch is also essential to a child's health and emotional and psychological development. ~American Academy of Pediatrics.

Today's guest is registered nurse, certified infant massage instructor and certified pediatric massage therapist Melanie Wattles. Melanie the founder and CEO of Baby Strokes in Austin, Texas, where her goal is to promote infant child massage to facilitate bonding and to enable parents, babies, and children to experience the many benefits of massage. She says, cross-cultural studies show that in societies where babies are rocked and massaged, they tend to develop into adults that express compassion and caring rather than violence and aggression.

Melanie believes that deep emotional bonds formed in infancy through touch, lay the foundation for a lifetime of love, trust, courage, and dependability.

Today we'll discuss some of the many profoundly positive effects of infant massage on your child's physical health, including:

• more restful sleep
• positive effects on hormones
• relaxed muscles and increased flexibility
• better digestion
• less constipation
• stronger immunity
• lessening of colic symptoms

Studies show parents and caregivers also benefit from massaging their babies through a reduction of cortisol production and an increase in oxytocin, the feelgood hormone. This can be especially helpful in alleviating symptoms of postpartum depression and anxiety. Plus it's super cute and it's incredibly bonding!

Find Melanie here:

Baby Strokes Website: https://babystrokes.com/

On Instagram: @babystrokes_infant_massage

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/babystrokes1/?ref=PROFILE_EDIT_xav_ig_profile_page_web#

Visit us at ⁠Mamistad.com⁠ for more info about Mamistad and to learn more about Mamistad groups! As always, if you're a new mom, even if it's not with Mamistad, please find your MAMA TRIBE.

Visit ⁠MOM CHAT WITH MAMISTAD⁠ for a full list of all episodes.
Thank you - YOU are appreciated!

Take care of each other.

Mamistad,

Cynthia

~Women are incredible, Moms are limitless, and a Sisterhood of Moms is a force of nature.

Information on this podcast is for general information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care, to diagnose medical conditions, or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition. We encourage anyone to seek help from a qualified medical professional where issues deem it necessary. No liability is assumed.

Meet Ciarra Morgan of Empowered Beginnings. She is a certified birth and postpartum doula, HypnoBirthing educator and pediatric sleep consultant. Ciarra's also the owner of a doula agency in Austin, Texas and the founder of Birth, Baby! Academy where she offers classes for both parents and birth professionals. Finally, she's the host of the Birth, Baby! Podcast on which I had the distinct honor of being a guest recently.

Ciarra has created a place for families to empower themselves via a team of birth doulas and postpartum doulas, childbirth educators, sleep consultants, and a lactation counselor whose services prepare and support from conception through the first years after birth.

Empowered Beginnings ATX: https://empoweredbeginningsatx.com/

The Birth, Baby! Podcast: ⁠https://www.birthbabypodcast.com/⁠

Birth, Baby! Academy: www.birthbabyacademy.com

Cynthia on Birth, Baby!: ⁠https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-qq6yb-19c998b⁠

Ciarra mentioned GALS - Giving Austin Labor Support:

https://www.givingaustinlaborsupport.org

Visit us at ⁠Mamistad.com⁠ for more info about Mamistad and to learn more about Mamistad groups! As always, if you're a new mom, even if it's not with Mamistad, please find your MAMA TRIBE.

Visit ⁠MOM CHAT WITH MAMISTAD⁠ for a full list of all episodes.

Thank you - you are appreciated! Take care of each other. Mamistad,
Cynthia

~Women are incredible, Moms are limitless, and a Sisterhood of Moms is a force of nature.

Information on this podcast is for general information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care, to diagnose medical conditions, or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition. We encourage anyone to seek help from a qualified medical professional where issues deem it necessary. No liability is assumed.