A growing body of research supports the idea that massage is a fantastic strategy to calm babies and nurture bonds between infants and their caregivers. When delivered using recognized techniques, massage can benefit the baby by stimulating muscle tone and suppleness, assisting with congestion and digestion issues, and providing an overall sense of wellness and calm.
Perhaps you are someone looking to change your career. Maybe you are someone drawn to the idea of providing families with the necessary techniques to maximize those vital early relationships.
Or perhaps you are someone who has taken the necessary training, and you are now looking for your first job as an accredited baby massage therapist. If this is the case, you will need to ensure that you have the perfect massage therapist resume to impress employers and secure your first position.
If you want to become a baby massage therapist, we’ve got you covered. Read on to learn the steps you need to take.
Training with IAIM
The International Association of Infant Massagers (IAIM) is an internationally-recognized body that has provided training and curriculum materials since 1986. Through their training program, you will be recognized as a fully Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI), which will allow you to take appointments and classes with parents.
There are three main stages to achieving accreditation.
- Attend a four-day training course
Through this course, you will learn a vast range of practical and theoretical aspects of the role from experienced instructors. This includes the benefits of infant massage, techniques for massage, infant behavior cues, communication skills, and the bonding attachment process.
There is also the opportunity to learn adaptive techniques for babies born prematurely and those with additional needs. Plus, you can equip yourself with information on marketing and promotion for infant massage classes which you will be able to use when you achieve full accreditation.
- Written examination
Once you have completed the four-day training course, you will need to take and pass the written components of the training. There will be two examinations: a short-form answer section and a multiple-choice section.
You will need to pass this portion of the training within four months of taking the four-day course.
- Practical experience (practicum)
The final stage of training involves taking all that you have learned and presenting it to at least five families over five weeks. This is known as the practicum section of training.
For each family, you will be expected to deliver a presentation on how to provide correct massage techniques to infants and the theory behind them. Each session should last around 60-90 minutes.
It is important to note that the training is not intended for the instructor to massage the infants. It is designed so the instructor can provide parents and caregivers with the tools needed to massage the babies. For infants, physical contact with primary caregivers is vital for development, so the instructor should not interfere with this.
What Can I Do With the Training?
Once you have completed your five-week practical experience and submitted the relevant evidence to the instructor, you will be recognized by the IAIM as a Certified Infant Massage Instructor.
With this qualification, you will be in a position to deliver baby massage training courses to families and primary caregivers in both community and private settings. You will also be permitted to give presentations and seminars to wider groups of people within your community and participate and contribute to relevant baby massage research.
Becoming a baby massage therapist is a highly-respected aspiration. By passing on the knowledge you gain through your training, you will equip countless families and caregivers with tools and techniques to make an infant’s primitive years truly special.
If you are a parent or caregiver, consider enrolling in a baby massage course. And while you’re here, why not give our article on essential parenting strategies and considerations a go?
