" Swimming, sauna and massages for the little ones! "
Only baby swimming was yesterday - nowadays even the little ones are swimming! While baby wellness is already part of everyday life for young families in the USA, the term still tends to raise a few questions here in Germany. What is behind the trend and why is it becoming increasingly popular? To what extent can wellness strengthen the parent-child relationship and is it really necessary to go to wellness with a baby?
What does wellness for children under the age of one mean?
Baby wellness offers your little one an all-round pampering program: even the youngest children can often hardly get enough of swimming, extensive massages and relaxing yoga exercises. Baby wellness is a program in which you as a parent take part together with your little one. They increase well-being, stimulate the young senses through various exercises, strengthen the bond with the offspring and thus generally promote the child's health.
Wellness for babies? Why not?
The offers currently range from small, local groups to large and separate facilities that are housed in special wellness hotels and offer a pampering program especially for the little ones. Of course, you also have the option of pampering your little sunshine at any time with an extensive massage or gentle cuddles from the comfort of your own home.
Baby wellness: various offers
Most parents are probably already familiar with baby swimming. During swimming lessons, babies can gain experience with the element of water in a gentle and playful way, while always maintaining very close contact with their parents. By moving without a solid surface, the brain can learn to adapt to new and different situations. The little ones' motor skills are trained excellently and the intensive physical contact with the caregiver ensures a stronger bond and more trust. Yoga and massages for the little ones, on the other hand, are only known to a few parents, as this is a relatively new trend. Parents are also an integral part of the pampering program.
Baby swimming as a popular wellness measure with a learning function
The extent to which such offers are actually a health-promoting, sensible activity or whether they degenerate into a money-making scheme depends primarily on the provider chosen, because as in any other industry, there are also black sheep here. With reputable, experienced providers, baby wellness is usually carried out in small groups under expert guidance. Many hotels now also offer special programs. As long as you make sure that you take part in a professional program with your little one, baby wellness can achieve the desired effect at a fair, moderate price.
The wellness effect
Parents play an active role in all wellness measures. They have the opportunity to observe the exact reactions. The close contact promotes bonding, which leads to a faster and more trusting relationship. The different movement sequences and movements allow your child to gather different impressions.
During baby swimming, your child will experience what the well-tempered water and the change of air feels like. Afterwards, your little sunshine will be wrapped in a cuddly terry cloth shower towel or in a soft hooded towel and warmed, which also benefits the immune system. With regard to motor skills and sensory perception, the various exercises can promote the child's overall development.
Trigger reflexes through gentle, loving massages
Yoga involves gently moving your child's legs and arms. The limbs are moved into various positions that your child is not yet able to assume independently. Good empathy is the top priority here, so as not to overstretch the limbs or overload your baby in any other way. The various exercises in yoga also provide special stimulation that improves mobility and coordination. It also significantly improves body awareness. In combination with the gentle massages and touches, your baby can relax perfectly during these relaxation exercises.
Baby massages to relax the little ones
Is it really useful and necessary?
The playful movements of the legs and arms and the gentle touches should basically be part of the everyday life of every young family with a baby. After all, there are always opportunities for this - whether you are holding your child in your arms, feeding them, bathing them or just dressing and undressing them. All the senses can be strengthened through closer physical contact and the bond is also strengthened. Even if it may seem unusual for many parents at first, baby wellness can have a significant positive impact on the baby's well-being.
Is it necessary to attend a special course?
According to many doctors and midwives, baby swimming is definitely a sensible measure, as babies can enjoy the lightness of the water, kick to their heart's content and get used to the new element. In a large pool, of course, the little ones can gather a wide variety of impressions even better than at home in the bathtub.
Book a course or would you prefer to do it yourself?
Movements under water are much easier because they are not subject to gravity. Baby massages and yoga are usually offered together or separately. Of course, you can also give your child gentle strokes and massages at any time without expert guidance. You can be sure that your little darling will enjoy your caresses to the full. However, if you would like to stimulate certain body and reflex zones on your little one's body, it usually makes sense to attend a supervised baby wellness group. Light stretching exercises and controlled movements also need to be carried out very carefully, so a course is usually advisable here too.
Wellness for babies: relaxing or strenuous?
According to the latest findings, it cannot be ruled out that development benefits considerably from baby wellness and that the close physical contact strengthens the parent-child relationship. However, the offspring are also exposed to new physical and mental experiences that they first have to process again after the exercises. However, this does not mean that wellness is too strenuous for the baby, as it is primarily intended to help them relax. A child can relax best when they feel safe and secure. Especially when they are surrounded by new stimuli, the little ones literally have to digest the impressions while they sleep.
Sleep is the best way to relax
When you set off on a suitable course, you dress your child and visit an unfamiliar environment with lots of strange people. These experiences are important for a child, even if they undoubtedly involve a great deal of effort. These measures provide developmental stimulation that involves lots of affection and physical contact. If this is encouraged by the caregiver, a feeling of security can certainly arise during baby wellness, which ultimately leads to an optimal state of relaxation. Of course, these measures can also be quite tiring, so your little darling should definitely get enough sleep afterwards to gather new strength. Therefore, keep a close eye on him and don't overtax him with saunas, massages, yoga etc. Especially a stay in the sauna with a baby should be carefully considered. Make sure you stay in the sauna for a short time, never exceed a temperature of 60 degrees and keep a close eye on your little one. Above all, make sure you drink enough fluids afterwards. Of course, cold showers are not an option.
Conclusion on wellness for the very youngest
Baby wellness is definitely a sensible, health-promoting measure. However, attending a special course is not necessarily a must. Parents and children benefit from the different solutions. However, if you want to help your baby relax anytime and anywhere, a cuddle together on the couch often works wonders.
