Baby yoga and infant massage now available at Northwestern Medicine

Northwestern Medicine's Childbirth Education classes are now back in person and two new classes have been added at Delnor Hospital in Geneva.

Baby Yoga and Infant Massage are now available at both Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield and Delnor Hospital, in addition to other popular classes such as Understanding Birth, Breastfeeding Support, Understanding Your Newborn, Car Seat Safety, and Boot Camp for Dads.

"After a more than two-year pause during the pandemic, we are so excited to see our participants face-to-face again," said Megan Pittard, MSN, program manager, perinatal services at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital. "And we are thrilled our new course offerings Baby Yoga and Infant Massage will provide a great way for new parents to connect with their baby."

• Baby Yoga is for parents and their babies age 6 weeks to pre-crawling. Through positive touch and movement parents can support their baby's developmental path. A typical class starts off with an intention, followed by a centering activity which helps parents bring attention to the present moment - this could include infant massage or a simple song. Then the class moves into poses, stretches and movements on the baby's back and tummy. Higher-energy poses are also done with the parent carrying the child. Class ends with a little stretch and relaxation for the parents. Baby Yoga is a six-week class offered in 2 three-week sessions.

• Infant Massage is for parents and their baby ages 2-weeks to pre-crawling. Infant massage connects parents deeply with their baby and helps them understand the baby's nonverbal language. During the 4-week program, participants learn about the benefits of infant massage as well as specific techniques such as full infant massage, abbreviated massage, foot massage, massage for teething and massage during everyday care. Discussions may also include feeding, sleep, developmental milestones, the importance of tummy time and parenting styles.

"We call this generation of babies 'container babies' because they are often in pieces of equipment such as walkers, bouncy seats, strollers and car seats. Infant massage and baby yoga get the babies on the floor for play and interaction with their parents," said Patti Ideran, OTR/L, CEIM, a pediatric occupational therapist at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, who is also a certified educator of infant massage and a certified instructor of baby and toddler yoga. "I love the relaxation part at the end of class because moms and dads rarely get relaxation time - even if it's only for five minutes."

Ideran is the author of "The CALM Baby Method, Solutions for Fussy Days and Sleepless Nights," published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Some courses are free, such as the breastfeeding support group provided by Certified Lactation Consultants. Some courses have small fees. Prices are listed online. They range from weekdays to weekend days.

All courses can be found at www.nm.org/patients-and-visitors/classes-and-events.