Touch is Calming and Alerting: One of the first ways we relate to our babies is through touch. Certain types of touch calm our babies and other types of touch are alerting. Both calm states and alert states are important for babies at different points of the day. Deep and even pressure, such as a massage is calming, while light tickling is alerting. Providing your baby with a variety of touch experiences will enhance his/her ability to process touch sensation and respond appr

Awhile back, I took an infant massage course with certified infant massage (IM) instructor and physical therapist Esther Perl. Now infant massage is my favorite activity to do with both my kids! Aside from the obvious fact that baby skin is simply delicious, here’s why I love it: For Baby (& Mommy) Communication: Massage gives us a few minutes to strengthen our back and forth communication. Babies are always “talking” to us, and not only by crying. We just need to tune in. Wh