Their stories break your heart. Babies abandoned because they are the wrong gender. Toddlers given away when another new mouth comes into the family. Infants struggling to survive after they’ve lost both parents. We can’t change their stories, but we can give them hope and a fighting chance says Vonda Jump, senior research associate at Utah State University’s Early Intervention Research Institute.
A child is born. It is a miracle. For the first few weeks, the little one sleeps a lot, nurses, occasionally cries, and needs to be held and rocked. Her arms and legs move, and her body twitches—all involuntary movements. Soon her family notices she is doing things she was unable to do before. When she is picked up, she holds her head up by herself. She reaches out to touch her mother’s face. She clings to a parent’s finger or a small toy. She rolls over.
The spectrum of disease, trauma, and dysfunction that can affect the physiological development and health of the youngest client populations is widespread, and seems to be increasing every day. So how do we as bodyworkers step in to affect meaningful change in the face of such prevalent challenges as learning disabilities, autism, seizure disorder, digestive problems, colic, allergies, birth trauma, and other severe pediatric disorders?
Babies don’t need to meditate, but they do need positive sense stimulation. In that regard, silence is the most basic way to center yourself and your baby.
- Simply holding your baby against your chest, with her head next to your heart, provides a peaceful, centering experience. Taking a warm bath with your baby can settle her down; the soothing water, your steady heartbeat, and the tranquility of a quiet moment offer you both an opportunity to return to balance.
My perceptions of children have shifted since I first began studying embryology. If you consider the stages of consciousness as they evolve in utero and throughout early life, you cannot avoid the fact that prenates, babies, and children are astoundingly conscious beings. Yet, we have managed to do just that—ignore the fact. Spurred by breakthroughs in research about brain function and development, we are now prime for a shift in how we regard pregnancy, infants, children, and youth.
Frankincense (Boswellia sacra spp.) has a long history of intimating peace and well-being. Believed in many religions to bestow divine blessings, this aromatic resin native to Oman has a rich history. In ancient times it was traded for porcelain by the Chinese, used for embalming by the Egyptians, presented to the baby Jesus as a sacred gift and burned by Roman emperors during the height of their reign.
Q “I worry about going into my massage session with stinky feet. What should I do?”
A. Resonance repatterner, bodyworker, and intuitive counselor Bobbie Martin lives and works in Kansas City, Missouri. She explains the focus during a bodywork session: “What we’re doing is working with your body, and everything it does is information for us. Your body is just talking to us, so smelly feet are really nothing to be concerned about.
Q“I’ve heard that bodywork hurts sometimes. Is this true? Does bodywork need to hurt to be effective?”
A. While some bodywork techniques can be intense at times, they don’t have to hurt to get the desired results, according to practitioner Cathy Ulrich of Fort Collins, Colorado. “In fact,” Ulrich says, “painful bodywork can be counterproductive. If you can’t breathe comfortably, want to tighten up, make a face, or curl your toes, the technique is too much. Your body will go into a protective mode and actually block any positive change.
Q“I’m planning to have a hip replacement soon. Can I get a massage while I’m in the hospital?”
A. Eliz Ybarra is a licensed massage therapist in Carmichael, California. She offers this advice: “First of all, tell your physician that you’d like to get a massage, and check to be sure it’s safe for you to do so while you’re in the hospital.
Exercising immediately after a session can both increase muscle soreness and compromise the value of the soft-tissue work you’ve just received, so consider these tips.
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