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Before I became a Reflexologist, I was a Primary School teacher and I always found the idea of no longer working with children particularly difficult. So ever since I opened my reflexology business, I have always looked into how I could incorporate using this amazing therapy to help children. That’s when I came across an opportunity I couldn’t miss! The chance to train in reflexology for babies.
Firstly, it was important for me to understand exactly how reflexology benefits babies. I discovered there were many!
- It can help settle and comfort babies for a better night’s sleep
- Ease discomfort of colic and reflux
- Relieve constipation
- Reduce teething pain
- Support baby’s natural immunity and help with common coughs and colds
As a mum of three, I know first-hand how difficult it can be to have a newborn who suffers with colic, reflux and constipation and dealing with all this whilst sleep deprived is no fun at all! It really had an impact on my mental health, and if I had a tool like this to help me back then, I would have jumped at the chance!
I trained with the lovely Emma at Tiny Toes Reflexage. Her training was really in-depth, practical and fun. Reflexage comes from the collaboration of reflexology with baby massage, as the two work perfectly together and both have so many benefits. It was during this training that I realised my focus wasn’t solely going to be on the benefits for the baby, but also for the parent. So after my training, not only was I able to offer baby reflexology as a treatment but I also decided to create workshops where I would teach parents this amazing skill. Therefore, Little Piggies Reflexology was born!
Having a baby is a precious gift, but it doesn’t always feel magical. It can also feel quite isolating and lonely. It’s important to have a community where it is safe for parents to share their difficulties, meet other parents who face the same struggles and support one another through this, sometimes, challenging journey.
One thing that really is so precious for me, is to see the people who I have treated throughout their pregnancy journey, come along to my baby reflexology workshops as new mothers. I love meeting their gorgeous babies for the first time.
I like to think my classes have a really relaxed, cosy vibe. I never have any more than 6 babies at a time. This way I can really give my undivided attention to each member and offer support fully where I can. Also, baby groups can be a little overwhelming for babies (and parents), so by keeping group sizes smaller and more intimate, it creates a calmer atmosphere for the babies and a better chance to interact with the other parents. Many a time I would turn up to a large class on my own with my baby, complete the class and then leave without having the chance to even talk to another adult. It worked in the sense that I escaped the house and my baby had some stimulation for half an hour, but it wasn’t meeting my need for some adult conversation. At my workshops, we get the opportunity to talk to each other, but it’s also a perfect bonding experience for you and your baby. There’s a lot of parent and baby focus within the class, which is really important.
My monthly workshops have proven really popular and get fully booked, which goes to show how much groups like these are needed. Each workshop has a different focus and repeats on a three monthly programme. The first one is always focused on sleep, followed by digestive issues and finishes with teething, coughs and colds.
Little Piggies is always evolving and as the community of parents grows, I would like to hold more events where we can meet with our little ones for coffee, walks and chats and just give each other what we need. I’m also planning some workshops for toddlers/pre-schoolers this year, which I’m really excited for! These classes would be something a bit different from the norm. The focus is relaxation and calm, again with some lovely bonding time together.
If you’re a parent reading this and would be interested in a Little Piggies workshop or any future events, please subscribe to my newsletter via the website or get in touch.