Cuddle Cocoon · six week course
Baby massage classes in Medway
A gentle, nurturing six week course for babies from six weeks old up to sitting. You will learn a full massage routine week by week, alongside practical ways to read your baby’s cues and settle them when things are hard.
Ages
6 weeks to sitting
Length
6 weekly sessions
Price
£55 for the block
Where
Medway, Kent
Why baby massage helps
Massage is one of the oldest and simplest ways to connect with a baby. Touch releases oxytocin for both of you, which is the hormone behind that warm, settled feeling, and it gives you something practical to do on the evenings when nothing else seems to work.
Parents most often come to us for help with wind, colic and trapped air, for support getting a bedtime routine to stick, or simply because the early weeks have felt overwhelming and they want an hour that is calm. Along the way you will get much better at reading what your baby is telling you, which is the part that lasts long after the course finishes.
Baby massage is a lovely support, not a medical treatment. If you are worried about your baby’s feeding, weight, reflux or anything else, please speak to your health visitor or GP as well.
Week by week
What you will learn
Each week adds one new section to the routine, so by the end you have a full body sequence you can do confidently at home.
Week one
Legs and feet
The gentlest place to begin, and usually where babies are happiest to be handled first. You will learn the strokes and how to ask your baby’s permission to start.
Week two
Tummy
The week most parents come for. Techniques for digestion, trapped wind and colic, including the sequence you can use during an evening witching hour.
Week three
Chest,arms and hands
Opening, soothing strokes across the chest and down the arms, and some help with babies who hold themselves tense.
Week four
face and back
Very light work around the face and jaw that many parents find helps with blocked noses. Back strokes and the slower, calming techniques that work well as part of a bedtime routine.
Week five
Teething and colic routines
gentle strokes and pressure points around the jaw,cheeks and gums to ease teething discomfort and dribbling plus the colic routine to soothe unsettled tummies during fussy periods
Week six
Full routine and graduation
Putting the whole sequence together from start to finish, with time to ask anything you are still unsure about.
What a session is like
We sit in a circle on mats with plenty of cushions. I demonstrate each stroke on a doll while you follow along on your own baby, so you are never being watched or corrected. Sessions last around an hour, though we are never strict about it.
Babies set the pace. If yours needs feeding, changing, holding or a complete break, that is simply part of the session. Nobody minds crying and nobody is watching the clock. There is always time for a chat at the end, which for a lot of parents turns out to be the most valuable part.
What to bring
- A soft towel or blanket for your baby to lie on
- A spare nappy and anything else your baby usually needs
- A drink for yourself
- Comfortable clothes you do not mind sitting on the floor in
Massage oil is provided. Classes are at Woodlands Arts Centre, Woodlands Rd, Gillingham ME7 2DU, and full details come with your booking confirmation.
Common questions
When can we start baby massage?
From around six weeks old. Waiting until then gives your baby time to settle after birth and means their early jabs are usually out of the way. There is no upper limit for massage itself, but this particular course is designed for babies who are not yet sitting.
Can baby massage really help with colic and wind?
Many parents find the tummy sequence in week two makes a noticeable difference to trapped wind and unsettled evenings. It is not a cure and every baby is different, but it gives you something calm and practical to try. If your baby is very distressed or you are worried, do speak to your health visitor or GP too.
Can I join once the course has started?
Yes, though the full block is much the better option here. The routine builds week on week, so the whole six weeks is what gives you the complete sequence. If a block has already started, get in touch. If there is space, I will send you a link to join for the sessions that are left, and I will catch you up on what you have missed.
Which oil do you use?
A plain, unscented, food grade vegetable oil, which is the safest option for babies and easy to buy yourself. We avoid nut based oils entirely because of allergy risk. Oil is provided in class and I will show you how to patch test at home.
What if my baby sleeps or feeds through the whole class?
Genuinely fine, and very common. You will still see every stroke demonstrated and you can practise at home that evening. Plenty of parents find their baby joins in properly by week three.
Join the next Cuddle Cocoon course
Places are limited so that everyone gets time and attention. Have a look at the upcoming dates, or join the interest list for the next block.