Keeping In Touch | September 2009
Newsletter for Infant Massage Families in Canberra
(1) Special Announcements
~ Announcing the Arrival of Lilly!
~ New Baby Massage Promotional Video
~ New President for IAIM
(2) News & Information
~ Harvard Medical School says babies need touch
~ Sydney Doctor Refuses to Give Advice and Rejects Baby Routines
~ How the Health of Mothers and Babies in Australia can be Improved
~ Australian Government to Invest in Early Childhood
(3) New Resources
~ Feature website…Food Intolerance Network
~ Feature book…Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots
~ Feature community group…Transition Towns
~ Feature local business…Beauty Therapy at Home
(4) Chef’s Corner
~ Herbed Scrambled Eggs
(5) Calendar of Things to Do In Canberra
~ General Infant Massage Workshops
~ Refresher Group
Announcing the Arrival of LILLY!
Apologies to everyone for such a long delay in getting out this edition of the newsletter. As many of you will know by now the reason for the delay is that in August we welcomed the arrival of our new baby girl. The last few months of pregnancy were very difficult, and so this newsletter and a few other jobs fell by the wayside.
Named after two of her great-grandmothers, Lilly Anne entered the world with the typical flair and drama of someone born under the Leo star-sign. After an emergency c-section and a few days in Intensive Care Lilly came home to us and things have not been the same since! I am enjoying being a mum to Lilly beyond my wildest dreams (I have to admit, much more so than being pregnant).
Lilly is now 6 weeks old, and seems to be settling well into life “on the outside”. She is a determined little baby with the most charming smile to melt our hearts - but who has plenty of confidence in letting us know (at the top of her lungs) when she wants something. Of course, she has plenty of massages and loves being swaddled up like a tight cacoon. We consider ourselves incredibly lucky to be able to raise and love such a dynamic little personality.
Now that things have settled down considerably, I am now back teaching and have scheduled a number of new infant massage courses before the end of the year. Until she is a bit older Lilly will be attending classes with me, which will no doubt make for some great classes and discussions!
FEEDBACK WANTED - Baby Massage Promotional Video!
Recently, we developed a new video that promotes baby massage as a wonderful way for parents and babies to incorporate touch into their relationships. The video aims to let parents know about the importance of touch, and to highlight how infant massage can help parents improve the quality of their relationship with their baby.
We would love your feedback on the video before we use it to promote our infant massage classes in Canberra!
New President for IAIM
As well as welcoming Lilly, in July I also took on the role of the President of the Australian branch of the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM). I take on this role with great pleasure, and am joined by a wonderful committee of highly experienced and dedicated Infant Massage professionals.
As the new president for the association, one of my main goals this year is to provide information to parents, health professionals and the wider community about the important and unique role played by the IAIM in the field of child development and family support.
In Australia there are three organisations providing training and certification of infant massage instructors. One of the reasons that I am so honoured to be involved with the IAIM is that it is the world’s oldest and only globally recognised Infant Massage organisation. The IAIM program was established some 35 years ago by the world’s premier expert in infant massage – Vimila McClure. Many have tried to copy the IAIM program but - of all the infant massage programs available in Australia – the IAIM program is the only infant massage program that has been independently researched and evaluated by medical, health and child development experts. As someone who comes from a health care background, it is this strong evidence and research base to the IAIM program that I think is particularly important when teaching the massage techniques to parents and their precious babies.
One of the key roles of the IAIM is the training and certification of Infant Massage instructors. Because the IAIM is also the only not-for-profit Infant Massage organisation in Australia, the IAIM is not obligated to certify anyone who pays a fee. As a result, the IAIM is able to set and maintain a rigorous standard of training and assessment that is not matched by any other infant massage organisation. Instructors who are certified with the IAIM also have access to an extensive continuing education program delivered by leading Australian experts in their fields.
So whether you are a family member looking to learn infant massage for your baby, or you are interested in becoming an infant massage instructor, the IAIM offers an unparalleled standard in infant massage programs. Further information, including a full list of all IAIM certified instructors, is available at www.iaim.com.au
Harvard Medical School Says Babies Need Touch & Attention…
New research conducted at Harvard Medical School’s psychiatry department has found that frequent touch, contact and attention plays a critical role in the development of positive mental health.
Considered to be amongst the most conservative of medical establishments, HarvardMedicalSchool has sent shock waves through the American child development community with its latest research. The research compared child-rearing practices across a range of different cultures, including the common Western practices of teaching babies “independence” by sleeping in separate beds and rooms, repeatedly leaving babies to cry, and limiting the amount of physical contact they have. The research found that these practices may lead to the development of panic and other anxiety disorders, amongst other mental health issues.
Michael L.Commons and Patrice M. Miller, researchers at the Medical School's Department of Psychiatry found that in keeping babies close, consoling them when they cry, co-sleeping and frequent touch helps babies feel safe, has important neurological benefits, and helps develop a life-long sense of confidence, happiness and independence.
The pair go on to say: “American childrearing practices are influenced by fears that children will grow up dependent. But…physical contact and reassurance will make children more secure and better able to form adult relationships when they finally head out on their own.”
In their research Commons & Miller highlight that America “is a nation that doesn't like caring for its own children, a violent nation marked by loose, non-physical relationships.”
"I think there's a real resistance in this culture to caring for children," Commons said. But "punishment and abandonment has never been a good way to get warm, caring, independent people."
Sydney Doctor Refuses to Give Advice and Rejects Baby Routines…
Each week Dr. Howard Chilton – a Sydney based paediatrician and former Director of Paediatrics at the Royal Hospital for Women – runs a small “baby care class” at the local hospital.
What is remarkable about this class, according to journalist Catherine Munro in the Sydney Morning Herald, is that unlike traditional baby-care classes parents who attend Chilton’s class find themselves in an “advice-free” zone. After many years of caring for and observing babies and their parents, Chilton has come to believe that advice given by health professionals and child-development professionals creates more anxiety and problems than it solves. Instead, Chilton encourages parents to listen to their babies, to shower them with love, and to respond to their needs – rather than trying to fit them into a routine or rules about what babies “should” do.
How the Health and Well-Being of Mothers and Babies in Australia can be Improved…
With one out of every eight Australian children living in poverty, the rates of child poverty in Australia are nearly five times as high they are in Scandinavian countries. Dr. Andrew Scott, a researcher from RMIT in Melbourne, has recently argued that much can be learned from countries such as Norway and Sweden about reducing poverty of mothers and babies, and improving the social, physical and economic well-being of Australian families with young children.
According the Dr. Scott, the health and well-being of babies and families in these countries is the best in the world because of the following factors:
~ all families are provided with extensive (up to two years) paid parental leave including paternity leave
~ active policies and laws that promote gender equality to improve the position of women;
~ policies and programs which ensure quality low-cost housing for families with children;
~ extensive public child care facilities;
~ enlightened health and education services (including the right of women to choose where they birth);
~ regulations which restrict and control the hours and conditions of work;
~ giving priority to the rights, needs and well-being of children; and
~ a substantial welfare support system with, including extensive government support to children in the most needy households.
Australian Government to Invest in Early Childhood…
A new report has highlighted the importance of investing in early childhood. The report proposes a strategy to ensure that by 2020 all children have the best start in life. The strategy is based on clear evidence from Australia and overseas that the early years of a child’s life have a profound impact on their future health, development, learning and wellbeing. It is of concern therefore that Australia is seeing increases in poor outcomes for children and young people in a number of key areas, and a widening of inequalities in outcomes between groups of children.
A positive start in life helps children develop to their fullest. The benefits accrue to the whole society, through enhanced human capital and capability, increased productivity, greater social inclusion and reduced public expenditure in health, welfare and crime related to disadvantage over the life course.
National reform initiatives that will seek to improve early childhood outcomes include:
~ a National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education to achieve universal access to quality early childhood education for all children in the year before school by 2013
~ an agreement on Preventive Health with a focus on strategies to prevent chronic diseases that commence in early childhood
~ a quality agenda for early childhood education and care which includes stronger standards, streamlined regulatory approaches, a rating system and an Early Years Learning Framework
~ national workforce initiatives to improve the quality and supply of the early childhood education and care workforce
~ a National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children
~ the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians
~ a National Family Support Program which brings together eight Commonwealth programs for children, families and parenting
~ paid parental leave arrangements
~ a National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and Children
~ development of an Early Intervention and Prevention Framework under the National Disability Agreement
~ a National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, with a focus on intervening early for children and their families at risk of homelessness.
Featured website – Food Intolerance Network
Food allergies and intolerances are on the increase in Australia. Even without an intolerance, food has a significant impact on our children’s behaviour and development. Recent research conducted by CardiffUniversity has even revealed that children who consume sweets on a daily basis are significantly more likely to become violent as adults, than children who are not exposed to high levels of preservatives and colourings. For this reason, there are many parents who are turning to diet to help resolve issues with behaviour, attention, sleep and tantrums and simply to promote the general health and well-being of their children.
The Food Intolerance Network was established by an Australian mum, Sue Dengate, who discovered that her children’s behaviour and attention problems disappeared when she removed certain preservatives and colourings from the family diet. Since then Sue has published many books on this issue (including a wide range of “Failsafe” recipe books) as well as establishing a national support network for families affected by this issue. Sue and other members of the network were instrumental in lobbying for the removal of dangerous preservatives from bread available in shops, and the reason that now most breads sold do not have any added preservatives.
The Network’s website has extensive information and research on the effects and issues associated with food additives, providing eye-opening facts for many parents.
Featured Book – Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots
For many adults, our favourite memories of being a child involve playing somewhere in the natural environment – the beach, the bush or simply in a back corner of the garden away from the prying eyes of adults. In an age where many of our children are growing up in front of televisions and Wii’s, this book provides the perfect remedy for parents who want to help their children re-connect with and experience the joys of nature that we remember. Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots is a simple, easy and fun introduction to spending time in nature with children. The book has many projects which can be completed by even the “brownest” of thumbs. There is the incredible pizza garden which yields herbs and vegetables for a fabulous pizza at harvest time, a sunflower house, and a moon garden. The book has hints for parents, and games to capture and develop the imaginations of even the most “electronically plugged-in” child.
Featured Community Group – Transition Towns
Did you know that we use roughly 10 times the amount of oil & pollution to produce our food as we do to drive our cars? Food, health care, and many other areas of our life will become increasingly affected as world oil and petrol supplies diminish and become more expensive.
Transition Towns is an initiative where communities come together and develop local solutions to dealing with changes in climate and the availability of oil. Far from being “just” an environmental movement, Transition Towns involves ordinary people from all walks of life in developing ways of that communities can thrive in areas of transport, food, health care, education, economics and the arts despite in the face of the rapid social and environmental changes that are now occurring. Training is held for people who are interested in the Transition Towns program, but you do not have to attend the training to get involved. You do not need special skills or qualifications to be involved – this initiative has worked in many other communities around the world because of the involvement of ordinary people. If you are interested in finding out more about the Transition Towns initiative starting up in Canberra, follow one of the links below.
Featured Local Business – Beauty Therapy at Home
For many busy mums – whether working at home or in paid employment – pampering ourselves is often the last thing our own list of things to do.
Georgina is a local woman and qualified beauty therapist who offers a wonderful service to mums with young children or generally busy lifestyles. She will come to your home and provide a full range of beauty treatments and pampering. She is available days, evenings and weekends, and is able to travel to any part of Canberra. Her prices are very reasonable and you can contact her by phone or email for a full list of treatments available and their costs.
Phone Georgina on 0404 015 544
This recipe is from the Food Intolerance Network website. It is low in additive or other substances that can cause problems for some children.
Herbed Scrambled Eggs (serves 1-2)
Ingredients
~ 3 free-range eggs
~ knob of pure butter or Nuttelex
~ splash of milk (or organic cream for special occasions)
~ salt to taste
~ fresh chives, chopped
~ 2 slices sandwich or cob loaf bread, toasted
Recipe
Beat eggs with milk and add salt. Gently melt the butter in a pan and stir in the eggs, stirring constantly until the eggs are nearly set, sprinkle chives. To serve, spoon the scrambled eggs onto toast.
General Infant Massage Workshops for All Families
These workshops are for parents/ carers whose babies are not yet crawling. They are run once a week for five weeks. Sessions usually last about 1 hour. Babies attend sessions with their parents and our workshops are structured so that all babies are welcome to sleep, cry, eat and do whatever they need to do to be comfortable and happy! All classes are taught by an International Association of Infant Massage Certified Instructor. Babies with special needs are welcome.
Next classes scheduled:
Mondays 9:30am ~ starting 19th October (Southside)
Thursdays 9:30am ~ starting 22nd October (Southside)
Mondays 11:00am ~ starting 9th November (Southside)
Thursdays 11:00am ~ starting 12th November (Southside)
Refresher Infant Massage Workshops
Based on feedback from parents who have completed our infant massage workshops, we are very pleased to announce that we will be running a refresher infant massage group starting in the new year. Once a month you will be able to come along, catch up with your old class mates, and brush up on the infant massage routines. We will have more details in our next newsletter, or check back on our website as for details in the new year.
The contents of this newsletter are intended for general interest purposes only and should not be construed as advice for your specific circumstances. Please consult a qualified professional if you have any questions about your personal circumstances.
