Baby Massage and Sleep - A blog post by Carol-Anne Barnes

If you’re a new parent, you’ll know that often sleep feels non-existent. You are exhausted, trying to find your way with your newborn and everything just feels overwhelming. Nap times (where you can finally enjoy a hot cup of coffee or catch up on your telly) seem to be over in an instant and let’s not even talk about the nights, where you feel like you are the only person in the world who’s awake in the wee hours. While this is absolutely developmentally normal for young babies and there’s no quick fix, the gentle and nurturing practice of baby massage can really make a difference.

Why Baby Massage Helps with Sleep

When we massage our babies, we’re not just soothing their tiny muscles, we’re supporting their developing nervous system too. Gentle, rhythmic touch can lower stress hormones like cortisol, while increasing oxytocin, the “love hormone” that brings feelings of calm, safety and connection.

Massage also helps to stimulate the vagus nerve, which plays a key role in regulating digestion and relaxation. Soothing massage strokes can help support baby into the “rest & digest” state leading to babies who are more settled, more comfortable and able to drift into deeper, more restorative sleep.

Baby massage can also help ease any pains that your baby is experiencing; face massage can help to ease teething pain, tummy massage can aid digestion and ease constipation and a colic routine can work wonders. There’s nothing worse than seeing your baby unsettled due to pain and soothing baby massage strokes can lead to your baby feeling more settled and relaxed.

Baby Massage and Myelination

Baby massage stimulates your baby’s brain development, boosting your baby’s nervous

system. The sensory input of touch encourages the process of myelination, the building of a

protective fatty layer (myelin) around nerve cells.

Myelin is like insulating tape on an electrical wire. It helps signals travel more quickly and efficiently through the brain and body. For babies, this means smoother communication between their developing brain and nervous system, which supports everything from movement to emotional regulation and even sleep.

Through something as simple as gentle, nurturing touch, we’re actually helping to strengthen the pathways that allow babies to feel calmer, safer and more settled.

The Bonding Experience

Beyond sleep, baby massage is about creating a special kind of connection. In those quiet

moments, it’s just you and your baby; your touch, your voice, your smell, your eye contact. You learn to notice the little cues they give you and your baby learns that their needs are seen and met.

Massage can become a cherished daily ritual: a time when the busyness of the world fades away and you’re fully present with your little one. It’s not just about better sleep, it’s also about building trust, love and a lifelong bond.

The Gold Standard: International Association of Infant Massage

I’m proud to have been trained by the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM). The IAIM is considered the gold standard in the field and the only organisation solely dedicated to infant massage; blending techniques from Indian and Swedish massage and principles from yoga and reflexology.

As a Certified Infant Massage Instructor (IAIM) our approach is so special because it’s not just about strokes and routines, it’s about communication, respect and nurturing touch. Classes are fully baby-led, meaning you respond to your baby’s cues and follow their lead, so massage always feels safe and positive.

A Gentle Invitation

If you’ve ever found yourself rocking a tired baby at 2am, wishing for something that might help, baby massage could be a beautiful skill to learn with your baby. It’s calming for them,

empowering for you and can lead to feelings of relaxation for the whole family.

In my classes, we learn together in a warm, welcoming circle where no parent is left out. It’s not about doing it “perfectly”, it’s about discovering a gentle way to connect with your baby, while also giving yourself a moment to slow down and breathe.

Baby massage is as much about you as it is about your baby, giving you the skills to slow down, notice and relax. (And hopefully enjoy longer nap times!)

Learn more about my baby massage classes at cbarnesbabymassage.com.

Booking via: bookwhen.com/cbarnesbabymassage

Facebook: Facebook.com/share/17R3fNu7Bu/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: Instagram.com/carolannebarnesbabymassage