Baby Massage Classes in Woodbridge and Ipswich
Five week baby massage courses in Melton, Ipswich and Pettistree. Small, calm and completely baby led, for babies from four weeks to pre-crawling.
Small class sizes make for a cosy, safe space where you and your baby can work through the five week course at your own pace. Eight babies maximum, no pressure, and absolutely nobody minds if yours cries, feeds or falls asleep halfway through.
By the end you will have a full massage routine to take home, and a proper understanding of why it works. Not just a nice thing to do, but something practical to reach for on the evenings when nothing else is helping.
What is baby massage?
The practice of massaging babies began in India hundreds of years ago as a way of supporting wellbeing and health, both physically and spiritually. Many believed that Indian draining techniques, massaging away from the body, drew off negative energy. The tradition is still very much alive today, and in many cultures daily postnatal massage supports the mother as much as the baby.
Baby massage arrived in the UK in 1970 and is now widely used in professional practice, and in neonatal units and hospitals through kangaroo care and skin to skin.
Why touch matters so much
Touch develops in the womb between six and nine weeks of pregnancy, and it is the last sense to leave us when we die. Skin is the largest organ in the body and it absorbs sensory input constantly.
Without touch babies can survive, but they cannot thrive. We are built for connection, and your baby’s most developed sense is the obvious place to start.
When you massage your baby you are sending signals to their brain that lay the foundations of healthy development, reassure them that they are safe, and support attachment. Touch also triggers the release of oxytocin and pain relieving endorphins, and blocks cortisol, the stress hormone that floods the body in fight or flight.
The benefits
- Strengthens your baby’s muscle fibres
- Improves circulation
- Helps joint mobility and flexibility
- Supports the digestive tract to mature, which is where the colic relief comes from
- Helps the nervous system mature
- Improves skin condition and helps expel toxins from your baby’s body
- Lowers stress hormones
- Releases oxytocin, which helps the uterus contract and builds milk supply
- Supports bonding between you and your baby
- Parents most often come for colic, teething, congestion and sleep, and the routine has specific sequences for all of them.
How the five weeks work
Each week we add to the routine, so it builds gradually rather than landing all at once.
One hour a week, five weeks, and at the end you have the whole sequence and the confidence to use it.
Classes are baby led, which is the important bit. If your baby needs feeding, changing or a cuddle, you stop and do that. You will not be behind, and you will not be the only one. The courses are rated five stars and capped at eight mums and babies, which keeps it safe, supportive and quiet enough to actually talk to each other.
Suitable from four weeks up to pre-crawlers. Once they are mobile they tend to have much better things to be doing than lying still.
What's included
- Free baby massage oil and handbook, so you can carry the routine on at home
- Unstructured time at the end of each session for refreshments and a proper chat with other new parents
- Photo opportunities each week to document your journey through the course
- A goody bag
- An end of course certificate for you and your baby
- The feeling of calm that comes from spending an hour a week focused entirely on your baby
Venues and Cost
Eye, Ipswich
£80 for the five weeks
Be Well Barn, Wash Farm Rookery Lane, Redlingfield, Eye, IP23 7QP
Melton, Woodbridge
£80 for the five weeks
Melton Pavilion, Melton Recreation Ground, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 1PF
Ipswich
£80 for the five weeks
The CUB, Fox and Bramble, 11 St Peter’s Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 1XF
Pettistree
£80 for the five weeks
Vida Haus, The Three Tuns, Pettistree, Woodbridge, IP13 0HW
What parents are saying
“Jasmine has created the most wonderful course. Myself and my daughter loved every single session of baby massage. The setting was welcoming, the session was informative and there were so many lovely touches. We looked forward to our little slice of calm and bonding time every week. As a second time mum I found it so lovely to have some dedicated time with my little one.”
Celeste, second time mum
“My daughter and I have just finished our 5 baby massage sessions with Jasmine and couldn’t recommend it enough. It’s a lovely time to bond with your baby, in a relaxed environment, plus learning some really useful ways to not only relax your little one, but to support things like colic, teething, and congestion.”
Chloe, first time mum
“Would recommend the baby massage class to everyone! Jazz is lovely and so knowledgeable on how the massage techniques for each body part can help with other things such as teething, colic etc and not just for relaxation. My little boy loves coming here and is always so relaxed afterwards.”
Jennifer, first time mum
Common questions
How old does my baby need to be?
From four weeks old up until they are on the move. Once they are crawling they have far better things to do than lie still, so pre-crawling is the sweet spot.
What if my baby cries or needs feeding?
Completely normal and nobody minds. The classes are baby led, so you stop and do what your baby needs. You will not fall behind and you will absolutely not be the only one.
What do I need to bring?
A towel or changing mat, a spare nappy and anything your baby usually needs. Oil and a handbook are provided free so you can carry on at home.
Where are the classes held?
Various venues, you can see on the booking dates the options available, but generally: Melton Pavilion in Woodbridge, The CUB at Fox and Bramble in Ipswich, Vida Haus at The Three Tuns in Pettistree and Be Well Barn, near Eye in Ipswich.
How much is it?
£80 for the five weeks. All include oil, handbook, refreshments, goody bag and a certificate.
Can baby massage really help with colic and teething?
Yes, and it is one of the main reasons parents come. The routine includes specific sequences for trapped wind, colic and constipation, plus techniques for teething and congestion, so you leave with something practical for the difficult evenings.
Book a baby massage course
Follow the link to see when the next course is starting at each venue. Courses do tend to fill, so if you have a date in mind it is worth booking early.