A soothing and nurturing baby massage programme was ran by NHS Lanarkshire’s Health Improvement team for local parents/carers and their little ones in Motherwell.
The interactive six-week programme helped parents and carers learn the benefits of baby massage, techniques for safe and effective massages, as well as key health messages.
Delivered as part of the Jenny and the Bear initiative, the programme was developed by the Tobacco Control team to raise awareness of the risk of children’s exposure to second-hand smoke amongst families throughout Lanarkshire.
Other Jenny and the Bear programmes include storybooks and interactive packs for primary one children and swimming sessions for new parents. The swimming and baby massage classes encourage and contribute to parent child bonding and it’s highlighted to families what they can do to ensure children aren’t exposed to the harmful effects of tobacco to encourage a smoke-free, future generation.
Karen Mather, tobacco control team leader, NHS Lanarkshire, commented: “We were thrilled to pilot a baby massage class as part of our commitment to a smoke-free future for children.
“Second-hand smoke is harmful to everyone’s health, even pets, but it’s especially harmful to babies, children and pregnant women, which is why our Jenny and the Bear programmes offer a variety of activities introduced at early stages for families and children.
“Feedback from those who took part in the programme has been fantastic and it was great to hear how the babies enjoyed and benefited from their massages.”
One participant from the baby massage classes, said: “I loved how kind the staff were and how comfortable they made me and my baby feel. I loved how they bonded with my son and taught me how to relax my baby and massage him properly.”
Sarah Warnock, health improvement senior, NHS Lanarkshire, who led the class with colleagues, added: “The Jenny and the Bear baby massage programme is a great opportunity for parents/carers to learn how to perform baby massage and the benefits but also to learn about the effects of second-hand smoke.
“The families told us they loved the programme and how they enjoyed meeting other families. It was brilliant to see their confidence growing week to week as they learned each technique.”
Jenny and the Bear programmes are accessed through health professional referrals.
Quit Your Way is a free NHS stop smoking service. To find out more about second-hand smoke or more information on stop smoking services, call the Quit Your Way helpline on 0800 84 84 84 or visit QuitYourWay.scot.
You can now use our ‘Click to be Contacted’ service, select your local or nearest area, leave your name, preferred contact method and we will be in touch with you.
You can also visit your local community pharmacy for free stop smoking support. Find your nearest community pharmacy.
