Baby's First Massage® Testimonials

'I had the wonderful opportunity to introduce Baby's First Massage to nursing colleagues at the Catholic University of Chile, in Santiago, who implemented a program in a local public health center in which nurses taught mothers to massage their babies when they came for the first well baby visit to the clinic. It was truly a pleasure watching the nurses, mothers, and babies during this process...the mothers were able to relax and develop confidence in their mothering skills, and the babies responded by calming and alerting. Thank you for developing this program and for sharing it with our friends and colleagues internationally!'

Lynda Harrison, RN, PhD, FAAN
Professor, and Co-Deputy Director of the
World Health Organization Collaborating Center on International Nursing
University of Alabama at Birmingham

'This was a great program. I learned a lot and have already started incorporating massage in the NICU where I work. Thank you very much.'- L.Wathen, RN, IL.

'I have enjoyed learning Baby'™s First Massage and enjoy teaching it. I have taught several parents at my OB/GYN doctor'™s office and the feedback is very good. Your materials are excellent, informative, easy to understand and reasonable.'- C. Bradley, LMT, NY

'Teresa, your work is impressive!!'- Tiffany Field, PhD. Touch Research Institute
(following submission of a proposal' (sure wished funds and time had been available to support it!)

'Newborn massage has been the most enjoyable aspect of my massage profession. Thank you for enabling me to open up a little more love in the world.'- M. Uerbel, LPN, LMT, OH

'I was certified as an instructor with Baby'™s First Massage in November, 2002, and use the strokes with every family I care for in my postpartum doula business.'- J.Wyszinski, CPD, CNMI

'In my work as a doula, I find sharing the gift of newborn massage with those I have supported to be a wonderful way to pass on one of the most valuable aspects of my work: giving parents the confidence and skills to make loving touch an integrated part of daily living and is a perfect way to conclude our journey.'- J. Dahill, LMT, Doula, NC

' Thank you thank you thank you for this wonderful opportunity! I learned so much and the list of studies has inspired me to study more. Thanks for the wonderful heartfelt materials!'- T. Neuman, VA

'Thank you so much for developing this program. I'™m looking forward to sharing this information with new parents as part of my practice.'- T. Brien, LMT, WI

'This is wonderful work, a good course to learn. It is so fulfilling to me to be able to encourage these somewhat scared parents to learn to believe in their touch. Thank you for including so much in the development of infants. This helps them be a big part of the amazing process of growth and development that happens so quickly during the gestation, birth and thereafter. They so often feel lost and this program helps them to become one with their new life.'- P. Marvel, NCTMB, NV

'You provided a wonderful educational package and I just wanted you to know I will recommend it to everyone.'- D. Phelps, CCE, CLE, CD

"I would like to say first how much I really enjoyed Saturday's class.  What a learning experience! It was extra interesting having two first time mother's and their precious babies!  I felt it a real blessing to be there with you and the other ladies.  I am so excited to begin experiencing the joy that comes from teaching newborn massage. " S. Kuntz, LMT, OH.

'I plan to use the Baby's First Massage® Program as part of the one on one parent training I provide parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. It is a nice compliment to the intervention (Developmental therapy) I currently provide to premature infants and their families on this unit.' J. Mounier, MS, OTR Pediatric Occupational Therapist

' I want to thank you for such a wonderful and enlightened workshop on baby massage. I read the manual from cover to cover. I am so touched by the work you have done with babies, parents, caregivers, and families to encourage and promote massage at the earliest stage of life.'- Toni R., LMT, CT

'I thoroughly enjoyed your class and hope to apply what I have learned while working with families of infants who have special needs. I think the way you require the written post test and outline helps participants to thoroughly learn the material. You do a first class job of preparing us to use our new skills. Thanks!'- M. DeMersseman, FL

'I want to share that I adapted Baby'™s First Massage® for a 2 ½ year old child from Nepal and her adoptive mom. The adoptive mom learned the massage before leaving for Nepal to receive her child. I gave her some suggestions as to how to meet and first touch the child and initiate skin-to-skin and eye contact. I am overjoyed to tell you that their initial meeting was a WONDERFUL success. I saw the child and mom in my office for three sessions starting when the child was 'in country' for only 2 weeks. Each session was progressively productive, and mom massaged daughter daily after bath time and before bedtime. Their bonding is very strong at this point, and I know in my heart of hearts that Baby'™s First Massage® was a strong tool to facilitate this bonding.'- M. Young, LMT, NY

'Thank you so much for the gift of your time and expertise. Ava has been sleeping about four hours at a time at night and that is a major improvement! I believe you have helped us bring harmony to her body, and for that we are so thankful.'- Kristen S.,NC (after a private class with a fussy baby'¦.)

'First, I would like to say how much I have enjoyed completing the Baby's First Massage program...I am a massage therapist and quite often do prenatal massages at the spa where I practice. ...It will be a wonderful opportunity to be able to offer Baby's First Massage to the Moms to be and new caregivers that I come into contact with.' Briony B., Indianapolis, IN

'The benefits of a daily massage and the interaction that it provides is a wonderful way to stay in touch with their growing child.'- Sr. Jeanne M. G., OH

'Massage is a tool that researchers have utilized to introduce depressed mothers to positive interactions with their baby, role modeling appropriate behavious and responses. Post-partum depression and clinical depression are common suppressants that keep new mothers from interpreting infant cues and connecting with the baby....Massage is a purposeful activity including benefits for the infant and the caregiver. Infant massage promotes quality time, connectedness, communicates safety& comfort, a means to 'tune in' towards the babys, the ability to recognize & interpret the different types of cries and know when to intervene accordingly. The Baby's First Massage program includes the tools needed to learn how a baby communicates,how to interpret cries and time out signalsl, howto comfort the baby, the clinical benefits, contraindications, the preparation necessary to the environment and the massage strokes that serve to enhance the functioning of the parasympathetic nervous system.' Gwendolyn B., OTR/L, Columbus, OH

'I am one of several therapists from Children'™s Hospital NICU that have taken your class. Your class has facilitated the development of our 'Parent'™s Touch' Program. It has been very well received by the families and nursing staff!'- Kelly S., PT, OH

'Baby Erin was born at 25 weeks gestation, by emergency C-section and was not expected to live. Through many prayer sand the will of this tiny person, the odds got better. The doctors consented that Erin would survive: however, her right leg was black from the hip down due to poor circulation. Amputation was considered, but there was doubt Erin would survive the surgery. The doctors consented to the parents giving Erin newborn massage. They faithfully massaged her every day. Now, Erin came home on her original due date, weighing 6 pounds. Her leg has pinked up completely and has a pulse. The parents say that the massage has helped when nothing else was, and it seems to help with her sleep. It was a true blessing to equip these parent and give them the sense that they were not powerless to help their little girl.'- Rebecca G., LMT, OH

'Baby's First Massage is amazing! I have been working in a Dr.'s office for nine years doing massage therapy with adults. I knew this course would be interesting. I truely found it to be so much more. I am excited about taking what I have learned and passing it on to parents and caregivers.' Sherylann G., PA

'Thank you so much for developing this course. I have helped several women from the time they learned they were pregnant all the way to the birth of their children. It was awesome to be able to teach this massage to them.'- D. Winstead, LMT, IA

'I started massaging my baby from birth, after becoming an instructor. I absolutely loved the course and cannot tell you enough of the benefits my daughter, Abby, and I reaped. It has made her first 10 months here even more magical. I thought your instruction and information was flawless, and I just love the marketing tools you give. It truly is a beautifully clear and informative program.'- J. Haslam, LMT, TN

'Thank you for such a wonderful class and program. I truly value education and your course has added a vast depth to mine!'- D. Sonne, LMT

'I enjoyed working on this certification program and am excited about offering it to my classes in Bloomington, IL. I demonstrated it to several nursery nurses at work and they all loved it!' Judy K., LCCE

'Thank you so much for putting this great information into one digestible package! It really empowers new moms who already feel nervous and ill-equipped. I have had nothing but interest and excitement for the small amount of time that I have shared the program. I will highly recommend it to my associates.' Shari R., Memphis TN

'Loved this! Planning to make contact with Lafayette Hospitals in hopes to teach it to mothers in the neo-natal department.' Jackie C., IN

'Thank you for this wonderful course. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot. I was an NICU nurse 10 years ago...I have never lost my interest and passion for babies and the bonding between mother and baby. I can't help but share the potential I see in forming good healthy relationships from the beginning with our babies! I see that through the means of therapeutic touch and massage, a mother can learn to listen to her baby and communicate her love and interest.' Ana D., NC.

'Thank you for putting together such an awesome class! I'm finding that I really enjoy teaching this material and getting to work with new familes....My brother and his wife are expecting triplets at the end of summer. I'm planing to ge there when the triplets are medically stable. It's a great opportunity to get to work with premature babies!' V. Gift, MT, Oregon

'Jacob (4) was one of a confirmed triplet, suspected quad, pregnancy. I suffered with infertility for 4 years and then got pregnant with my first child, Kip. I lost him at 6.5 months gestation to a rare condition (Holoprosencephaly). I then learned that I was carrying triplets...2 identical and 1 fraternal. I lost the identical twins at around 3 months and after months of bed rest and an 80% chance of losing the other, Jacob was born at 36 weeks gestation. He was a very poor breast feeder, and having the nursing background and knowledge of the wonders of massage, I gave him daily Baby's First Massage massages and also took him to a lactation consultant who was also an LMT and specialized in craniosacral massage. In one treatment, I saw first hand the miracle of massage. Jacob began eating properly and gaining weight like crazy. He also slept better and the severe colic symptoms he was having disappeared almost instantly. I also made my very skeptical mother see the benefits and she is now a die hard 'pro-massage' enthusiast! I enrolled in school to become an LMT and haven't stopped learning yet!! I am very passionate about my job and love sharing my story with anyone and everyone. Keep up the great work you are doing and thank you once again for having the caring heart you do!' P. Armstrong,RN, LMT, Ohio

'I have thoroughly enjoyed this program. It has truly opened me up to a new direction in my life. I have always had an interest in massage. Having two healthy, beautiful children has helped me to lone in my interests, and I am so excited to get started. Thank you so much for providing such a clear, organized and very helpful start.' Kelly D., Tallahassee, FL

'Many thanks for sharing your wisdom and expertise. I look forward to the opportunity to pass along the knowledge of 'Baby's First Massage.' I truly believe in the many benefits to the baby, caregiver, and myself as the gift of 'Baby's First Massage' is learned. Thank you!' L. Doza, LMT, Parma Heights, OH

'I had a really nice experience with newborn massage the other day. I teach the newborn massage class in the Beaver Dam hospital. Last week, a new mother delivered her baby at 2 am. I saw her at 1:30 pm that day and her baby hadn't breastfed yet. While I was in the room, the nurse was helping the new mom and the baby was having a hard time getting started feeding. The nurse suggested that we carry on with our class for this might help. I was happy that she had said that. We worded our way through the class and the baby was very responsive to the massage. At the end of the massage we massaged the lips and he was ready to nurse. Mom was so happy and baby was sucking really well!.' M. Stocking, Beaver Dam, WI

'My grandson, Ian, born 6 weeks early was our teaching baby, after discharge from 2 weeks in the NICU. He did weigh 7pds. 3 oz., but was immature and disorganized. My daughter continues to use massage in small increments daily. Her fears were about him 'knowing her' because he was whisked away so fast, and she missed some bonding moments in his first moments of life. All is going very well and this little guy seems precociously responsive to voice. He smiles a lot and is so very alert. His weight gain is amazing and he is finally nursing without a nipple shield. I also use massage for my grandson, Jameson, soon to be 2 years old. He has cerebral atrophy and is blind. Baby's First Massage settles him, always clothed. It is really obvious how much he loves the downward stroking and it is relaxing for me when he needs it. I think it helps him remember me when we are together. They live in AZ, so we aren't together enough. He is so dear, but the grief is often very fresh and touch is healing.' C. Drake, BSN,RN,CMT, WI

I received my certificate today!! I cannot tell you how excited I am to begin teaching this to people. One of the mom's I taught in my practice classes called to let me know that the massage has helped her daughter pass gas and relieve the gas pain for her immensely! It is so good to hear about this. Thank you again!. A. Raymond, LMT, MA

'Thank you again for the fantastic home study you offer with Baby's First Massage. I found the materials to be comprehensive and extremely useful. I adore babies and find when I am around them the softest and most tender part of me flows through. It was a joy to see the participants feel empowered to be able to read their babies more, trust their touch and know that they have additional ways of communicating and enhancing the well-being of their child.' K.Mihm, CMT, MI

' Thank you so much for such a wonderful home study course. I have been teaching infant massage for nearly 10 years. Your course is going to help me fill the gap and reach more families sooner.' K. LaMountain, CIMI and more...

'I enjoyed every minute of your course in Louisville in June and had a great learning experience completing this training manual (for certification). Thanks! A.Neuzil, RN, LMT, Ohio

'Thank you very much for developing such a wonderful education program. I have enjoyed very much studying your program. I plan to use the massage with my pregnancy clients who have asked that I provide this service. My mother was Russian and I grew up watching my grandmother and aunts massage their babies after they removed them from very tight swaddling. And...I did just what I saw them do with my own children.' L. Barovick, LMT, Maryland

'My daughter was born premature and had to spend 12 days in the NICU. MiMi suggested infant massage to help her relax and to help me bond with her while she couldn't be held. It was amazing to see her responding to the massage. It really helped me to get through those long days, too. I'm still massaging her at home and she still loves it! I highly recommend taking MiMi's class.Your baby will thank you for it!' Amy in Frisco, TX who attended MiMi M's class. MiMi M., LMT, Yoga instructor, Frisco, TX

'I am legally blind, so it took me much longer to study and test than (my wife). We both took this very seriously and were very disciplined throughout the course. Many thanks for this wonderful program offered through your expertise.' D. Copeland, NCMT, Winnemucca, NV

'I really enjoyed this lesson and I can't wait for my son to be born so I can begin massaging him!' V. Jensen, Sparks, NV

'Loved this course! Already implementing the ideas into my 'infant massage'classes to include all of the newborn techniques/precautions. Thanks!' Karen K., OTR/L Albemarle, NC

'I am excited to teach parents about massage and taking care of their babies. This is very important knowledge to give parents and support them. Everyone wins with Baby's First Massage.' S. Wells, MT, Hingham, MT

'This program is wonderful. I worked on it in my spare time so it took a little longer. It was worth every minute! Thank you.' H. Smith, LMP, Bellevue, WA

'It is with much gratitude that I write you today and tell you about my experience using your 'Baby's First Massage' program with the parenting Teen Program at the New Bedford high school. As I explained when we first spoke, this was to be part of my clinical work in the community health component of my BSN program. I chose this aggregate and this intervention because I believed they could truly benefit in their parenting skills with the techniques you advise especially the parts that involve respecting the infants state by responding appropriately to their cues, and learning the calming techniques was very valuable. In doing my research, time and time again there was reference to the importance of maternal response to infant cues and how that promotes the bonding process. These teen mothers were very interested in learning the massage techniques and practiced them during the class on their babies. They demonstrated the desire to be the best mothers they could be despite the fact that some were dealing with addictions and depression. Massage was an important therapeutic modality for these mothers as it connected these mothers to their babies in a peaceful and calm manner, facilitating the bond. I do believe that massage ...can make a positive difference in the lives of mothers and their baby's.' S. Scharr, RNC, IBCLC, East Falmouth, MA

'I am so thankful for the book that is so thorough and the DVD's. I am still watching them and reading the book for the fourth time! As a mother, and soon to be a mother again, I can't stress how important I feel baby massage is.' J. Hein, Abbotsford, BC

'I have found this extremely helpful in my work,and my clients have really benefited from it. Parents are very appreciative, so thank you!' S. Barrow, LSW, Ann Arbor, MI

'I just taught my first group class at the studio where I teach prenatal and postnatal yoga. It was a blast. I had 6 ladies plus their babies, ranging from 4 weeks to 7 months. We were all able to massage babies for 25 minutes straight. It was awesome! Thanks for helping me on this part of my journey.' M. Mears, TX

'Thank you Teresa for this program. I had a wonderful time watching the very informative DVD's as well as reading through your training manual. This is an excellent course that I will recommend to my colleagues.' K. Brantley, CA, Lactation Counselor, Doula

'The material in Teresa's manual had a profound impact on me. I adopted a little girl from another country when she was four years old. She had been abandoned at birth and had been in an orphanage her entire life. When I brought her home, she was much smaller than 'normal' for her age. In fact, her pediatrician suspected dwarfism. She did not understand our language and was pre verbal in her own language. She rocked herself frenetically when going to sleep and when waking. When she cried, it was a steady 'unh unh unh' cry. In reading the course material, I understood the science of her situation and grieved again for what she had missed. During her first four years, she suffered from sympathetic nervous system overload and her parasympathetic nervous system was adversely affected this is what had significantly dlelayed her development. My daughter's physical and emotional state was a direct result of lack of touch and love from a dedicated, loving caregiver (although her caregivers did do the best job they could). Her cries were a 'listen to my story' cry. Her self-rocking occurred because no one else had held and rocked her. Within siz months of coming home, she grew six inches. Today, at 11, she is a tall, personable, and loving child. It is clear and cannot be overstated, that what is taught in Baby's First Massage is incredibly important. My baby girl and I are lucky. Not all children respond so well when bonding love and touch are denied at the start of life. Giving parents and caregivers this wonderful gift of massage is the best possible gift we can give them and their babies.' K. Hanagan,LMT,NC

'The book and the videos were so informative. They contained much more than I expected. I am particular about home-study courses. Some are great and some just don't prepare the therapist for a real-life experience. I feel very prepared to offer this as part of my massage practice. I look forward to the materials you will send me with my certification. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity!' L. Mahoney,CMT Maryland

The manual was excellent. I took a lot of time to read it and mak sure I fully understood the information. Bonnie P, WV

"This program wasjust what I was looking for. I feel confident to go out and teach parents about the benefits of nurturing touch, how to comfort their baby when they show time out cues and how to perform the strokes. Thank you." Kelly G., LMT,  Trumbull, CT