Baby Massage

Deepen the bond with your little bear!

Our Baby Massage courses are run by Clare.

Courses are suitable for newborns until crawling. Our little ones don’t stay small for long and we want you to help you make the most of this fleeting stage! We have designed this special course to enable you to shower your precious new bundle with love through nurturing touch and the soothing sound of your voice - two things your infant craves!

Mother smiling at baby lying on bed.

We are passionate about the benefits of baby hearing your voice and how it supports early communication and language skills. We have fun by learning songs and rhymes to complement massage strokes that can be developed with your growing child.

Some days our babies can be in a grump and we are not really sure why! We want you to feel more empowered to face these days. Our course helps you to gain a deeper understanding of your unique baby and how massage might help relieve the symptoms of colic, teething, digestion and more!

Brown glass bottle on beige fabric next to lavender sprig

Parenthood can be lonely sometimes, and we want to help you find your tribe in our small, supportive groups. We aim to be a non-judgemental space where you can come as you are (with un-brushed hair and a sick-stained top on some days!) and where you can share your experiences freely while enjoying a cuppa! To help you develop your community, we also hold regular reunions so that you can keep in touch and see how much your babies have grown together!

Each course includes: Massage oil, refreshments, printed guides to take home, photo opportunities and keepsakes, access to future drop-in sessions, an invite to a group reunion in the year after your course, PLUS a Story Bears 4 Paws Package (worth £30) to help keep the connection to stories as your baby grows!

Feb/Mar 2025 VENUES AND TIMES

Monday

Sticklepath Methodist Church, Barnstaple @ 12:30 PM

Wednesday

All Saints Chapel, Instow @ 12:30 PM

Apr/May 2025 VENUES AND TIMES

Tuesday

The Gym, Braunton (by Tesco) @ 1:45 PM

Wednesday

All Saints Chapel, Instow @ 1:15 PM

Already have your tribe or fancy a one-to-one in the comfort of your home? Private courses also available, email chat@storybears.co.uk to enquire.

  • I attended a baby massage class with Clare and it was brilliant. Clare is so calming and knowledgeable and she creates a wonderful safe environment to massage the babies. I always look forward to our Wednesday massage class at Instow. 100% recommended.

    KC

  • Kai and I attended the baby massage group yesterday, and what a fantastic first session it was! The atmosphere was incredibly calm and enjoyable. The attention to detail in the room, from the thoughtful decorations to the helpful learning guides, was just perfect. Kai absolutely loved his first massage, and I’m already looking forward to the next session. We highly recommend the baby massage group! 😀

    HB

  • My baby and I attended Story Bears Baby Massage course with Clare and both really enjoyed it. The course is interesting, the setting was calm, and well prepared for us to really relax and enjoy it.

    CC

  • Story bears baby massage was the most beautiful little massage class. The five week course was a small peaceful set up. Clare was really welcoming & knowledgeable. Clare started the course explaining about the benefits of baby massage then subsequent weeks we learnt different strokes and techniques & calming techniques. She was understanding and put everyone at ease to follow baby’s needs & drop in and out of massage as and when it suited baby. Each class focused on a new body part and incorporated the previous week and hand outs were provided to be repeated at home and for future use. She ended the class with refreshments & a chance for everyone to share baby stories, questions and advice. I would recommend anyone wanting to do a massage class to book on with Clare. She provided everyone with a voucher to try one of her story bear classes in the future once baby is a little older which was a nice extra touch. Thank you Clare

    LK

  • Grace and I attended the 5-week massage course with Clare and it was fab! Clare created a calm environment where I could really connect with my little one through massage using a range of lovely strokes which she explains and demonstrates. Each week, we focused on a different part of the body and revisited other parts that had been looked at in earlier sessions, building up to giving our little one's a full top-to-tail massage. Water was provided throughout and at the end of the session, Clare gave everyone a printout of the strokes before making us a lovely cuppa and offering us delicious treats. The time at the end of the session allowed us to talk about parenthood, share tips and ideas and build friendships. On Friday, we also attended Clare's Valentine's Story Bears session. Grace loved the songs, bubbles, balloons and rattles. What a lovely way to spend part of our first Valentine's Day together! Thank you so much, Clare!

    NM

What qualifications do your instructors have?

We have been trained by the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM). We chose this organisation to train us as they are the world-class standard for the training and teaching of baby massage. Plus their course is accredited by the Royal College of Midwives.

We valued that we got hands-on experience with real parents and babies while the trainer assessed the quality of our instructing. You can find out more about this organisation here: https://www.iaim.org.uk/about-baby-massage/

What happens if my baby is unsettled, or needs changing or feeding?

Our courses are baby-led meaning you follow your baby’s lead. We encourage you to do whatever you need to to keep your baby comfortable, and we welcome babies with all their emotions and behaviours. If baby is asleep, we will offer you a doll to practise on.

What should I bring?

You will need your usual changing bag, plus a couple of blankets. We will send you all the details you need a few days before the course starts.

FAQ

What if I can’t make a one of the days?

If given notice, we may be able to offer you a session at one of the other venues provided there are spaces. And we always recap from the previous week, so you will still be able to learn the strokes. We also offer the chance to drop into future courses.

Can more than one adult attend?

Sure! Both parents are welcome to attend, in this instance, one of you would be offered a doll to practise on alongside baby so you can both learn the strokes.

I’ve already done a massage course, can I do your course too?

Absolutely! It’s always great to go over how to massage your little one and become even more confident! It’s also fab to spend time with other parents in the same boat and feel supported. Many people wish the massage course didn’t have to end!

You’re welcome to do Baby Massage as many times as you like! Each course will contain different songs and keepsakes to reflect the time of year.

Do you have more questions?

Contact us here!

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