Promoting loving touch & communcation between babies, parents and other caregivers.
Are you a parent or caregiver of a baby?
Your baby is one-of-a-kind, and so are we...
~ IAIM offers Certified Infant Massage workshops for Parents & Caregivers. Read below to discover how the IAIM Infant Massage program is the only one of its kind in the world, and how it can help you have a calmer, more confident and more connected relationship with your baby.
Are you a Health Care Professional who works with people in families?
The parents you work with are one-of-a-kind, and so are we.
~ IAIM offers Internationally Certified Infant Massage Training for Complementary and Conventional Health Professionals. Read below to discover how the IAIM Infant Massage certification program is the only one of its kind in the world, offering the highest quality training available, leading to life-changing work with families.
The International Association of Infant Massage Australia (or “IAIM”) is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run, community organisation consisting of Certified Infant Massage Instructors, Students, Parents, Health Professionals, Complementary Practitioners, GPs, Paediatricians, Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health Professionals and others. Our Patron is Associate Professor Graham Reynolds, who is the Director of Paediatric Medical Research at the Australian National University and The Canberra Hospital.
Together we share the vision that, one day, all parents and children – regardless of disposition or history – will experience the lifelong benefits that come from early bonds that are loving, healthy and secure.
Our work is based on extensive research that shows nurturing touch and other forms of communication between parents and babies offers the best opportunity for the attachment bond to be established and for the health social, psychological and physical development of every child.
IAIM is part of a global organisation responsible for the training and certification of Infant Massage Instructors in over 35 countries throughout the world.
We are responsible for ensuring the appropriate certification of Infant Massage Instructors to ensure the public has access to instructors who are trained to an international standard.
Infant Massage was introduced in the West by Vimala McClure in the 1970’s when she wrote the now famous book “Infant Massage: A Guide for Loving Parents”. She also established the International Association of Infant Massage which is now active in over 35 countries across the world. To this date, the International Association of Infant Massage remains the only organisation authorised to teach the work of Vimala McClure, and is the only infant massage program in the world that is regularly reviewed and updated by an International Committee of child health and development experts.
Infant massage can be used by parents of babies who are well and healthy and, often, when a baby has additional needs.
A substantial amount of scientific research has been conducted evaluating the IAIM program. This research has found that the IAIM program offers benefits for many babies and parents.
For babies, some of the documented benefits* include:- improved sleep and awake patterns;
- improved moods and ability to settle;
- increased healthy weight gain;
- improved digestion;
- reduced tummy troubles, "colic" and bouts of unexplained crying; and
- improved development of social skills - including empathy, compassion, and cooperation.
The IAIM program has also been researched in relation to benefits for parents, and has been found to:- reduce rates of postnatal depression, and improve recovery time (even when mothers received conventional treatments);
- increase the confidence and trust that parents have in themselves;
- strengthen the satisfaction that parents feel in their own abilities.
(*Please note, the documented research available has predominately been conducted using the IAIM infant massage program. There is not any significant research exploring the effectiveness of massage when it is learned from a book or from someone who is not certified by IAIM).
Infant massage differs from other massage and body work therapies in that massage is not done to a baby by a stranger/ therapist but instead is taught to parents by a qualified instructor. Infant massage can be used with well babies and, in many cases, unwell babies too.
A properly trained instructor, who has a full understanding of the developmental needs of babies and parents, will never massage your baby. Instead, all techniques are demonstrated by a Certified instructor on a doll.
Parents learn how to use a wide range of massage styles, and other forms of touch and communication to use with their baby in order to help build and strengthen the loving bond between them. Infant massage is therefore not a therapy, but a way that babies and their parents (or other caregivers) can enhance their relationship through nurturing touch and communication.
Parents can take a class in infant massage with an IAIM Certified Infant Massage Instructor. In these classes, you will learn how to use massage strokes and many other forms of touch & communication to help enhance your understanding of your baby's own language and cues, to help settle & soothe, and to help strengthen your confidence in your own abilities as a parent.
Learning infant massage from a Certified Instructor is very different from trying to learn from a book, or from an untrained worker in the hurried environment of a hospital ward. Because every baby is different, each baby responds differently to touch and massage. In a workshop you will get individual careful observation and feedback from a specially trained instructor who will help you develop and adapt the massage routines and other forms of touch to your baby’s unique personality and preferences.
Infant massage is usually taught to parents and other caregivers in small groups. Sessions are usually held once a week for 5 weeks. Some Certified Infant Massage Instructors work privately with parents in their own homes. Certified Infant Massage Instructors also sometimes work in hospitals or other health settings.
| What we offer to health professionals |
Health and Early Childhood Professionals can train with IAIM to become a Certified Infant Massage Instructor. The training offered by IAIM is the most up-to-date training available and is the only infant massage program in the world that has been extensively researched and evaluated with diverse parent groups, and across a wide range of developmental, health and other measures.
The IAIM program is underpinned by Attachment Theory, Neuro-Affective Development, Maternal Development Theory and many others. Training as an IAIM Certified Infant Massage instructor provides health and education workers with an evidence-based, practical model that can be used to work with families to create noticeable, real and lasting changes in people’s lives.
Once trained with IAIM, the Certification, your qualification is recognised in all of the 35 countries where the association operates.
The IAIM program is the only infant massage program in the world that has been extensively independently researched and evaluated in different cultures and with parents from different backgrounds.
Our certified instructors and other members have access to a full library of the most up-to-date research underpinning the IAIM program. To see our library please visit our page on Mendeley:
| Our International Standards |
The IAIM is the only organisation authorised to deliver the recognised and endorsed infant massage program according to strict, international standards. The IAIM training program is reviewed every two years by an international panel of child health and development experts.
These high standards ensure that parents have access to the most skilled and expert infant massage instructors no matter where they are in the world.
Regular education is undertaken by members of the IAIM. Trainers and contributors to IAIM education program (in Australia and internationally) have included:- Cherry Bond
- Sir Richard Bowlby (son of John Bowlby)
- Sally Goddard-Blythe
- Prof. Catherine Fowler
Dr. Suzanne Zeedyk Assoc. Prof. Graham Reynolds
Parents can take an IAIM infant massage class with a Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI) in most places around Australia.
Our instructors work in:- Private Practice
- Maternity Wards
- Child Health Centres
- Community Organisations
- Social Services
- and many other organisations in your community.
It is important for parents and health professionals to note that there is no reliable evidence that infant massage has any benefits when infant massage is learned from a book or when taught by someone who is not an IAIM Certified Infant Massage Instructor. The reason for this is the unique training of the IAIM instructors and the strict international standards that ensure the quality of the program.
For this reason, we encourage parents to carefully check the credentials of any person or organisations claiming to deliver "infant massage". A full list of CIMIs who are properly trained and certified by IAIM appears below and can also be accessed on the IAIM website at www.iaim.com.au
| How Can I Support the Work of The IAIM? |
There are many ways you can be involved with IAIM Australia.- Take an IAIM Infant Massage Class (or give one as a gift to a new family)
- Train to be a Certified Infant Massage Instructor with IAIM
- Join the Association as a member to receive regular copies of our newsletter and to access our on-line research papers
- Become involved with the IAIM as a volunteer
- Sponsor an infant massage training for your clients
- Place a link to IAIM from your website
- Make a donation to IAIM
- Place copies of the IAIM newsletter, brochures or membership forms in your clinic waiting area
Visit www.iaim.com.au or email president1@iaim.com.au to find out more
Massage - Infant
|
|
 |
