Improving Me, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Women’s Health and Maternity (WhaM) programme is absolutely delighted to be welcoming back the global Bee Happy Babies partnership to celebrate and mark Baby Week 2025. Building on the success of the live streamed baby massage sessions delivered during #IWD 2025 the emphasis for this Baby Week activity is on sharing the well evidenced benefits of baby massage for parents and babies.

New Parents, Carers, Mums-to-be

• On 17 November at 11.00 GMT there will be a free baby massage class providing an ideal introduction to the practicalities and benefits of baby massage. It is a useful session for new mums, carers or mums-to-be. No baby is required. Just some curiosity and an interest in learning more about the power of baby massage. However, if you have a baby then you get some hands-on practice with an expert tutor online.

Workforce Development

• On November 17, there will be a second FREE online session aimed at healthcare professionals. This session, 19.30 – 20.00 GMT, will consist of a short talk on some of the benefits and tips for the healthcare professionals, students and volunteers working in maternity and early years settings. This is an ideal introduction for anyone who wants to understand more about the very real health and wellbeing benefits of baby massage for both parents and babies and how they can contribute to increasing access to baby massage.

Improving Me’s NHS Director Catherine McClennan said, ‘We are keen to convey one clear message, baby massage is a simple, safe and effective tool for supporting a baby’s early development and improving mum’s wellbeing.’

Bee Happy co-founder, Sonya Elnaschie adds. ‘Baby massage can help promote bonding, improve sleep, and aid digestion. It can also support a baby’s sensory and motor development, as well as enhance relaxation by lowering stress hormones.’

In addition, for parents, baby massage can increase confidence, reduce parental stress and strengthen the relationship with their child through nurturing touch and non-verbal communication. It also stimulates the release of the “Happy Hormones,” or feel-good neurotransmitters, including dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin. These chemicals promote feelings of wellbeing, pleasure, and happiness, whilst also reducing anxiety and depression.

Both sessions can be accessed for FREE via this link https://meet.google.com/qrm-jamt-nbw

Bee Happy Babies goal is to make baby massage accessible to as many families as possible through educating and training healthcare professionals, as well as teaching parents. Sonya and Amy are co-founders.

Sonya is a Physiotherapist, Medical Herbalist and Nutritional Therapist. She has lectured at the University of Westminster and taught other courses, as well as previously running a baby massage business in East London. She also works within social prescribing, which aims to give people access to non-clinical services to support their health and wellbeing. Sonya will deliver the parent session.

Amy is a Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist and Programme Leader in Physiotherapy at the University of Hertfordshire. She works in the field of neuro-developmental paediatrics and with a wide range of babies and young children with developmental difficulties. Amy is passionate about improving the health outcomes of children and sits on the East Anglian Regional APCP committee. Amy will deliver the workforce session.
Web: https://www.beehappybabies.co.uk/

For further information please contact: Jo Ward M: 07708 428096 or E: jo@jowardchangemenker.org.uk