If you've been on a baby massage course, the chances are that by the time your baby has started crawling you may have given up. It can be harder to massage your child, but I always say it's easier to know if a moving child wants a massage or not. I have been facilitating groups when moving children have led still for a massage - sometimes to the amazement of the parent!
I am realistic though, and do warn parents that by the time their children are toddlers there is likely to be very little massage. Your child tends to want to explore and will only want a massage on their terms when there's nothing better going on and they're in the right mood. It may be that you just massage the head, stomach or feet when you get a quick minute. Introducing your child to more fun ways of massage can help to encourage them to carry on with massage through this period of intense learning.
As your child gets older, even if you've stopped massaging completely, it is possible to reintroduce the full sequence to your child. As your child approaches 3 you are likely to find that even if your child did not want a massage as a toddler they are likely to be much keener to sing along and tell you what parts they want massaged. If you're lucky you may even have a child that wants to massage you back!
With your child getting ready for nursery and school, reintroducing massage can be a great way to help manage their anxieties about the changes. If you are planning on further children, massaging your elder child is a fantastic way to show your child you still care for them and you haven't forgotten them despite and addition to the family.
While called baby massage, it's worth remembering that many of the techniques can be used with your children as they get older, until your child says they'd prefer to see their own massage therapist!
