"Infant Massage is a great way to establish a permanent bond with your baby and to alleviate some of the fears of motherhood. It has also allowed me to develop a special relationship with my two older children. They love having their back and feet massaged!" -- Lisa M.
"Elyse’s baby massage class was instructional and fun at the same time! I learned different massage techniques that I was able to incorporate into my daily routine at home. Every week, Elyse gave out articles about baby massage and other topics of interest, which I looked forward to reading on my own time. I was hoping that massaging my son would help him learn to relax and wind down from his day. I did not expect that I too would feel more relaxed after giving him a massage! My baby and I were able to connect on a whole different level. Also, massaging his belly seemed to even improve his bowel movements, another benefit I was not expecting!" -- Anon
"I just wanted to take a moment to thank you and tell you how much I enjoyed your baby massage classes. I still can't believe the changes in my baby since I've started doing the massages. After only a few repetition of your colic routine, I was able to see a significant reduction of colic in my newborn son.
This course was definitely worth traveling all the way from Vaudreauil - I would recommend it to all parents!!" -- Sara G.
"As a first time Dad I had an extremely tough time caring for our 5 week old colicky daughter. Enrolling in Elyse’s infant massage class brought almost immediate tranquility. As a physician I am aware of the mountains of evidence that support physically interacting with your infants. The stimulation of gentle touch promotes healthy development and strengthens the bond between baby and parent…..Dads included!! Elyse’s classes were informative, fun and interactive; a definite must for those who are looking to sooth a fussy baby."
-- David
"Elyse's infant massage class helped me to deepen my connection with my baby. Learning techniques for helping my daughter to relax increased my ability to soothe her, as well as possibly avert and cope with
collicky episodes. Additionally, the experience increased my confidence about handling my baby, which was particularly reassuring to me as a new mother. I also appreciated the relaxed atmosphere Elyse created for the class: it was one in which mothers felt at ease tending to the needs of their babies. The benefits continue, weeks after the class has ended. Thanks, Elyse!" -- Anon
"My baby girl, Savanah, began her baby massage classes at 2 months old. Knowing how difficult it is maintain a schedule with a newborn, my husband and I always make sure to devote time for daily mommy or daddy & baby massages. It taught us how to better read Savanah’s bodily signs. We’re amazed to see the differences in her development. Her colicky tendencies disappeared almost overnight. She began sleeping on average 6 to 8 hours at night. She has become more alert and curious of her surroundings. Her restlessness has diminished. Even family and friends have commented on how calm she is when they hold and interact with her. My husband attended one of the baby massage classes and enjoyed it so much that now we have to flip a coin to see who gives Savanah a massage. Theses bonding sessions have definitely improved our communication with our daughter; Savanah has been smiling and cooing at an uncontrollable rate and we are enjoying every minute of it." -- Karine
"I think infant massage is a great step towards developing real attachment between yourself and your children. Massage helps you to understand how things impact them physically, and equips you with a way to offer physical comfort and reassurance. This is a real benefit for dads; it's a little bit like the kind of physical proximity and resulting bonding that mother gets from breastfeeding. Also, since we have twins, massage gives us the opportunity to spend a little quality one-on-one time with each baby..." -- Tony (father of 8-month old twins at the time of classes)
"Attending a class of infant massage was a real pleasure for my son (Leon, 4 months old) and myself. He clearly enjoyed each session as I was having great pleasure seeing my baby reacting so positively to the
techniques that were taught. Since taking the class, massage is part of our everyday bathing routine and I
can surely say that it is the part awaited eagerly by Leon. I thoroughly recommended for any parent - for
its benefits and its pleasure." -- Paulina, mother of Leon
"I strongly believe that infant massage is an excellent way to connect with your child. It has been a relaxing experience for both me and my baby. I've learned from infant massage to release any tension I was feeling so it doesn't project onto my baby. Since I started infant massage my baby is more relaxed and I'm even able to enjoy "mommy" time in the day. Each morning I can enjoy my tea and a newspaper while my baby contently plays on her playmate. Before I started the massages my baby was colicky and I wasn't able to even take five minutes without her having fussy periods. It really has been a blessing and I wish that I started the massages earlier than five months. I strongly recommend infant massage as early as possible to establish a connection with your child and to help release tension and any colic problems that your child may have. Elyse is an excellent coach who makes the environment intimate and comfortable." -- Melanie
"Elyse's baby massage class was great. It was so nice to set aside time just for me and my daughter, without worrying about running errands and doing household tasks. I met other mothers and found new ways to connect with my baby. The atmosphere was always low key and very supportive. I found Elyse to be extremely insightful to the issues a new mom faces when adjusting to her new life. And seeing the smile on my daughter's face when I massage her is priceless!" -- Anon
"Massage, massage, massage..." Voilà ce qu'Elyse ne cesse de nous répéter et elle a bien raison... Le temps passé à masser mon petit bonhomme sont des moments privilégiés de véritable pur plaisir (pour bébé, papa et maman). Ayant un bébé très tonique et actif (il a maintenant 4 mois), le massage lui permet de se détendre et de dormir plus paisiblement que ce soit pour une sieste ou son dodo de la nuit. Et que dire des bienfaits marqués sur ses maux de ventre (j'aurais bien aimé connaître ces petites techniques lorsqu'il a eu ses coliques de 1 à 3 mois)... Nous avons maintenant notre petit rituel et je crois qu'aucun de nous ne pourrait plus nous en passer... Un beau cadeau à faire à son enfant et à soi-même... De plus, la nature très décontractée des rencontres avec Elyse, les articles très intéressants partagés et le contact humain ajoutent grandement au plaisir. Un MUST ! Bravo et merci Elyse ! -- Anik
"My son, Tristan, is an extremely alert and curious 6 month old. Nothing escapes his notice and getting him to stay still can sometimes be a problem. But when the massage oil comes out, he will stop fidgeting, lie still and keep eye contact with me. The legs are his most favorite, followed by his back and while I am speaking softly to him and rubbing his muscles, his breathing slows and he stops to focus on what is happening to his body. I believe that I am strengthening our relationship by showing him how much I love him and that is priceless gift to give your child. .." -- Valerie
"I counted down the days after the birth of my daughter Dalia and started taking the next available Mom and Baby yoga class that Elyse offered. In the beginning I looked forward to just getting out of the house, but as the weeks went by I remembered the calming effect that Elyse’s classes had on me. I was breathing more deeply again. My aches and pains were less. I was most surprised by the impact it had on my daughter. She began sleeping better and enjoyed the interaction with the other babies. This was further enhanced by Elyse’sinfant massage classes. The perfect compliment to the yoga, I was able to learn techniques to help with Dalia’s sleeping, teething and gas. It was a complete package, and I’ve been able to incorporate it all into our daily routines! Thanks for all your help Elyse!"
-- Lisa M.
"I have never taken yoga classes before and must say that I loved prenatal yoga! Elyse provided a calm, relaxing, intimate and friendly environment. The exercises helped me throughout my pregnancy and made it easy for the delivery. I learned how to breathe properly and how to control my breathing, helping me even today in my daily routine especially with my headaches. Elyse's classes taught me so much that I decided to pass this great gift to my newborn son and took him to her infant massage classes. Once again Elyse provided a very inviting and comfortable atmosphere. The massages helped my son with his colic.. He is much more relaxed and happy.
WE THANK YOU ELYSE." -- N.A. and baby Sam
"I had read a book on infant massage, but couldn't seem to work it into our daily routines. The classes "broke the ice" for me in a sense, and now I can use the techniques spontaneously: Our baby girl has difficulty "shutting down" at bedtime, and massage helps work out some of her nervous energy; she especially likes her back rubbed. Our baby boy would wake up at night and become restless and unable to fall back asleep; I found that massaging the insides of his feet-which he especially liked-brought him back into a state of calm that would bring back the drowsiness..." -- Theo (mother of 8-month old twins at the time of classes)
"Before I started the infant massage class I was a little bit skeptical if this will work out for me and my son. One hour with Elyse, the other mum's and dad's was enough to change my mind. It is such a great opportunity to connect with my baby and the benefit for both of us is amazing. It is wonderful helping your baby to relax and at the same time it's also a way for me to calm down, enjoy the moment and learn more about my son. Spending this quality time with my little one gives me so much energy for the rest of the day." -- Marion
"The infant massage classes with Elyse were a great experience for me and my daughter. We got to bond through an interesting and interactive medium all the while meeting other new mothers and their precious little ones. The class environment provided for tips and suggestions on how to manage your new experiences. All in all, I think this class was alot of fun and would recommend it to any new Mom or Dad!" -- Margaret
"I did it all- Prenatal Yoga, Prenatal Massage, Mommy/ Baby Yoga, and Infant Massage. The first two were to help my aching back and feet. And those classes definately hit the right spot.
And, at first I signed up for Mommy/Baby Yoga and Infant Massage just to fill up my days- a way for Haeli and me to get out of the house and do something. However, I very quickly learned that these classes were so much more. Not only was the yoga class a way for me to pay some attention to my own body and to do some much needed exercise, but it was also a way for me to physically connect with Haeli in a very relaxed and calm atmosphere. The massage class has also done wonders. Haeli can often get very tense and excited during the day. However, when we implement the camling techniques that Elyse has taught us, Haeli almost instantly relaxes.
The "Bodyworks Yoga and Wellness" pre and postnatal programs should be part of the lives of all expecting and new mothers out there. Not only will it do amazing things for your body and your baby, but it's a great place to meet other people just like you!" -- Anna
"My son and I greatly enjoyed learning baby massage with you. Not only was it a fun way to meet other new mums, it has provided a very soothing new way to bond with my baby. He absolutely loves his daily rubs and I've noticed that it helps settle him down before his nightly bath making the transition to bedtime much easier. Thanks again for your excellent class!" -- Amanda D.
"The infant massage techniques I learned with Elyse have enabled me to establish an enjoyable daily ritual with my son. He knows that the sight of me rubbing my hands together means that he’s in for a relaxing time! It has helped to establish pleasant bedtime routine for Owen, my husband and me so that by the time we put Owen into the crib, he goes to sleep in seconds. I think that’s the gift any parent would want!"
-- Alissa M
"After my baby boy was born I joined Elyse's infant massage class. I found that it helped him tremendously. I used the techniques that Elyse taught me to give my baby a daily massage. Shortly thereafter, his stomach aches diminished, he was calmer and the back rubs made him love "tummy time"." --Sivan R.
"What a cool way to spent a half hour per day- Soothing and relaxing your baby through massage! Who would have known that babies and moms could benefit from easy to learn massage techniques? Not only did my baby calm right down throughout his entire massage, but his mood was markedly improved in the following hours. I also loved being able to reach out to my baby in a unique, tactile way. It was like I was communicating with him on a totally new plane that I had not yet been able to reach through traditional means.
The classes were also fun. Nice environment to meet up with others in the same boat- with nobody passing judgement if baby is fussy. My pediatrician husband joined us for a couple of classes and felt the classes were a nice approach to soothe baby. More specifically, he loves being with our son for that special massage time!" -- Donna Litvack
YMCA Certified Individual Conditioning Instructor
Can-Fit Pro Nutrition and Wellness Specialist
Curves for Women Weight Loss Instructor
"What a great way to bond with your child! Infant massage is a wonderful opportunity to enhance your baby's early life experiences. Its also a fantastic technique to deal with colic, to calm a fussy baby and to relieve baby's gas pains and pressure. When my daughter was fussy, I would massage her legs and feet and she would calm down almost instantaneously. She enjoyed gazing at me (or her dad, as the case may be) while I massaged her and I truly believe that the tactile stimulation and eye contact really helped to foster a deep bond between us. It also helped her become more flexible; she rolls around, dances on her back and loves to do baby Yoga with mommy! The massage also allowed moms to become acquainted with their babies, to discover what felt good for baby and to allow mom to become more comfortable touching and exploring their babies. Classes were totally stress-free and as we were all relatively new and anxious moms, it was such a nice, supportive environment to be in. Moms would exchange stories and give tips on caregiving while the babies were massaged, so in addition to the obvious benefits of the massaging, the babies also benefited from seeing new faces and hearing voices. Elyse was so professional and supportive; she really gave us concrete instructions and explained how the massage worked so we could gain a good understanding of what we were doing. Her patience was terrific too especially when the babies would be fussy or difficult to massage that day. This is a great way to establish a permanent bond with your child and to alleviate some of the fears of motherhood!"
-- Beth T.
"During Jaclyn's fussy times, I turn to the infant massaging techniques I learned in Elyse's class. Jaclyn loves to have her feet rubbed and this calms her down during most of her crying fits. While she occasionally lets me massage the rest of her body, infant massage has especially proven its worth at bed time. A light massage to the head and a gentle caress to the ears is sometimes all it takes to help my little one drift off into a nice, restful sleep. One last note: after 9 months of pregnancy, I am grateful that Elyse has been able to show me a great way to connect with my baby, something that we can both enjoy!!
Thanks Elyse!"
-- Mara G.
"Learning infant massage with Elyse has allowed me to have a special connection not only with my youngest baby Emma but also with my two older children. Since they saw how much little Emma enjoyed it, they have become quite addicted!. It relaxes and soothes them before falling asleep. It becomes a special moment, a moment full of warmth, trust and affection. Infant massage should be taught to every parent. Elyse is a great teacher: she came to my home, taught me by showing and letting me practice. And you can even treat yourself to a massage after since she is a massage practitioner, or a naturopathic consultation!" -- Anne
