Training: Members Training Programmes
The International Association of Infant Massage (I.A.I.M.) was founded in 1981 in the United States, by Vimala Schneider McClure, the author of the book 'Infant Massage - A Handbook for Loving Parents'. The IAIM specialises only in Infant Massage and since its birth it has grown and developed and now has trainers and instructors in over 30 countries world wide.
We
are proud to inform you that the UK is an official Chapter Member of the IAIM
and is here to support all UK Instructors.
Vimala learnt about the wonders of infant massage whilst she worked in India during the 1970s. She saw mothers in even the most poverty stricken areas massaging their babies as part of a daily routine. The positive touch of massage allowed these babies to experience and appreciate tremendous love and the feeling of security. Vimala's vision is that infant massage will become a parenting tradition throughout the world community.
The IAIM offers you a course with a high professional standard of training to enable you to become a Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI). With this course and certificate, you will be able to teach infant massage to parents/carers, to enhance bonding, improve healthy development of the infant and provide support for the parents. You will be able to give talks and lectures to promote infant massage classes and to bring awareness among health professionals about the benefits of infant massage.
All IAIM Trainers of Instructors are very experienced in this work. They go through rigorous training steps in various fields over a period of many years with International Trainers.
The IAIM's vision is to see the ancient art of infant massage become a part of modern day parenting practice.
This course involves both practical and theoretical work.
- History of Infant Massage and of the IAIM
- Massage techniques and how to adapt techniques as infants develop
- Communication, teaching, group facilitation and lesson planning skills
- Effects and benefits of infant massage
- Bonding and the relationship between massage and bonding
- Infant and child development in relationship to massage
- Infant cues, crying and behaviour states
- Massage for special situations (colic, premature babies, other special needs babies, etc.)
- Infant handling and positioning
- Understanding, supporting and valuing parents
- Touch research
- Marketing and promoting
- Safety guidelines for the use of oils
- Contra-indications
The course includes teaching experience with parents and their babies.
Entry requirements
Ideally you will be either:
- a qualified health professional;
- or have a therapy based qualification;
- or work in an educational setting with children;
- or be an interested parent.
- Attendance at a 4 day course (see below).
- Reading of recommended books.
- Completion of home examination
- Completion of teaching sessions with evaluation (after the 4-day course).
- Signing of IAIM agreement.
Although infant massage is an ancient tradition in some cultures, it had not been practiced widely in the West until in 1981 the IAIM was founded in the United States, by Vimala Schneider McClure, the author of the book ‘Infant Massage - A Handbook for Loving Parents’. Vimala learnt about the wonders of infant massage whilst she worked in India during the 1970s. She saw mothers in even the most poverty stricken areas massaging their babies as part of a daily routine. The positive touch of massage allowed these babies to experience and appreciate tremendous love and the feeling of security. After returning to America and having her own children Vimala developed a massage sequence designed specifically for babies, based on the strokes she had observed in India with the addition of elements of Swedish massage, reflexology and yoga. Following repeated requests form childcare educators, she devised and led courses to train them to teach these skills to parents with young children.
The IAIM rapidly spread across the world and now has instructors in over 30 countries. The UK Chapter was set up in July 1997 and to-date has approximately 200 qualified infant massage instructors trained by International Trainers from England, Canada and Sweden. The Association’s vision is that, by teaching and promoting infant massage it will become a parenting tradition throughout the world helping future generations to express more compassion towards and responsibility for their fellow humans.
The Benefits of Infant Massage can be divided into 4 categories:
- Bonding — attachment and interaction.
- Relaxation for both parents and babies and can improve sleep patterns of the latter.
- Stimulation of the baby’s respiratory, immune , digestive, circulatory and eliminatory systems.
- Relief from colic, wind, constipation and mucous.
The Infant massage Instructors Course is a comprehensive 4-day training covering all aspects of massage including the physical and psychological effects relating to both baby and parent/cares. The actual massage strokes being demonstrated on dolls. Personal development of the instructor is an integral part of the training. The opportunity of practicing the strokes and teaching the massage techniques to parents, prepares the student to set up and run massage groups with confidence. To qualify as a certified massage Instructor (CIMI) there is required reading, a take home written examination, evaluation of 5 infant massage sessions and optional massaging of two babies.
On completion of the 4-day course the student becomes a member of the IAIM UK Chapter, receiving support and news letters, etc. The training prepares instructors to teach parents and not to do hands-on massage with babies.
For information regarding courses - contact:
The International Association of Infant massage UK Chapter
Tel: 0208 9899597