“I attended the Infant Massage classes when I had my first baby. I found the Workshop very interesting and exciting; I learned a lot and felt comfortable massaging my baby girl. She did not have any birthing problems, but she was a very active little girl, so the massages did help to relax her when it was time for bed. My daughter is now 2 years old and still loves getting a massage.
I have just done the workshop again with my 3 month old baby boy, who suffers with reflux. Doing the massage classes for his problem really has helped him. His reflux has become manageable now, he only has a small reflux now and again. I do the massage on him every day, and it works.
I really had fun going and meeting all the other moms and the little precious ones. We learned new things from each other (moms) and ideas on doing things for our children.
It’s an experience I think all mothers should go through, to help themselves and their little ones.”
Scott Clemmett, was born on the 20/06/08. 4 weeks prem. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and he had to come out prem due to health issues and possible complications. He was a very small baby (48cm at birth), and although everyone commented on how small he was, was not that difficult for me to handle (ignorance….I assume, as this is my first child). At 12 days old, we starting attending baby massage workshop classes with Alison, It was quite difficult to try and get the massage strokes correct, as he had this very minute little body to try and get the strokes correct on, and his feet were only as long as my thumb and trying to roll his little toes, was a mission and a half, but there is always a way around it. The reason for me starting to go to the massage classes this early in his life, was that it would calm him down and help him to sleep well. I was very interested in the colic routine, as we are aware, colic (or gestational discomfort) is quite prevalent in prem babies and the routine seems to help with easing the discomfort. Alison is amazing with babies and I will recommend her classes to anyone that is into alternative healing as alternative is better in the long run for us all, as you target the cause and not the symptoms…
At my baby shower I received an amazing present of a baby massage workshop coupon @ Lasting Impressions studio, run by Alison Strauss ne de Vries.What a brilliant concept. Massage is such a powerful tool for a newborn and with Alison as the instructor it makes it that much better. The course was just so much fun and such a brilliant way to bond with my newborn baby girl. The best part was actually doing the massage on her @ home. To our surprise the ‘spoilys’ did not end there. We all received the most AMAZING gift bag filled with all sorts of useful things. Being a Nuk mom I was especially delighted with the bottle and dummy. I loved every moment of my course and was very heart sore when it came to an end. Thank you so much Alison and team for the best few weeks of our bonding time. Jemma and I will never forget the amazing massage workshop classes and goodie bag. Really made me feel like a very lucky mom.
I really want to thank you for our classes on Infant massage. It has helped me and McKenna so much! I now know what to do when she has a sore tummy, and the massaging really helps! Shes starting to teeth as well, and its helping her calm down and focus on other things when she’s having a ‘bad day’! Its also helped with bath time. She used to not like it much and be very active and kick all the time anticipating ‘what’s coming’ but since I have massaged her before bath time, she now is calmer and loves it! Thank you for everything and all the extra knowledge you have shared with us and for always making us so welcome!”
In my maternity leave, i wanted my baby to already start meeting people, and bonding in the company of others. This workshop allowed for that. We were a small group, we learnt so much. As all first time mums, it was interesting to see we all needed to know a lot.
Alison offered that. She gave us more than just her time and taught us skills. She listens to our needs and caters just for that. I must admit i was very sad on our last session, i wanted more! I am grateful for having met Alison and i still keep in touch. She is caring and advices on what’s best for you.
My baby simply enjoyed every lesson, and those days were OUR bonding time, mum and baby outing. All new mums must consider this class!
“Wonderful experience with Alison. I massage my little girl every afternoon and have seen significant benefits from this process. So great to learn the right way to massage an infant. Thank you Alison for your warm heart and your passion!
Thank You!”
“I attended Allison’s infant massage classes from when Kyle was 4 months. The sessions were informative and easy to understand. I made some really good friends at the classes too. Kyle had problems with his tummy and the massage techniques I learned have definitely helped. He now looks forward to his nightly massage after his bath.
I met Alison in front of the Moms and Babes class I had just attended, hosted by Nicci in Kloof. She was getting ready to give an introductory presentation on Infant Massage to the next Moms and Babes class. Unfortunately I had an appointment and could not join.
During our Moms and Babes class, we did learn a little bit about baby massage, but that was nothing compared to what one learns in Alison’s workshop.
I only attended Alison’s workshop when my baby was 7 months old, and already on the MOVE, so she was not too fond of lying still and being massaged at the sessions.
But at home, after learning the techniques at each session, I was able to massage her in her own environment. Alison’s workshop is taught in such a way that one can still practice the different techniques if your baby is too busy on the move or sleeping.
Every session begins with a quick summary and revision of the previous session, which helped me a lot. Each technique is explained from a medical as well as physiological point of view and no question I asked was unanswered. This woman knows everything about HOW, WHY and WHERE to TOUCH a baby to relieve pain, discomfort, or expel poop, or just help baby to relax and improve baby’s development. The Turquoise/Teal memory card with all the massage techniques is now hanging above my change table and every day we massage a different part of the body.
All mums should do this Workshop!
“I am so glad that I attended the October Infant Massage workshop; it was one of the best things I could have done for me and my baby boy! What I liked the most is that it felt like I was going to a friend’s house – it was comfortable and informal, and feeding and changing when you needed to was not a problem at all! The massage has been amazing for my baby, and he really loves the evening massage I give him, which sets him up for a fantastic sleep at night! Alison, your wealth of information has been invaluable to me and I appreciate your help with everything, you really are an incredible person and if anyone tells me they are thinking about doing your workshop I would not hesitate to urge & recommend it to them!
“When I met Alison at the Moms & Babes group I attend, I was immediately struck by the awesome amount of knowledge she had about babies.
Her energy & enthusiasm was absolutely infectious! Being in the few demonstrations she did at Moms & Babes wasn’t enough, and so I signed up to do her Infant Massage Workshop. Massage is a wonderful bonding experience for Reve and I. It has taught me so much about her little body, what it needs, how it is developing and how I as her mother can help it to do so in the best ways possible.
I have learnt so much – and not just how to relax my child through touch (which is what usually comes to mind when you think of massage), but how positive touch actually stimulates the growth and development of the neurological pathways in her brain. I feel it has given me a fantastic ‘toolbox’ of positive touch – tools of how to approach & work through the common infant issues all moms face at some stage in their child’s lives like colic, constipation, sleeplessness & teething.
To describe Alison as a massage expert would be a huge understatement, and to describe her as a baby expert would be the same!
What makes her Infant Massage course so unique and special is her vast amount of knowledge, not only in the field of massage but in the world of babies!
Having more than 20 years of experience in the massage and baby industries, coupled with being a mom herself, and what can only be explained as an unparalleled passion for what she does – Alison is a very special soul, and attending one of her workshops allows you the awesome privilege of tapping into her amazing pool of knowledge.
I will treasure the time Reve & I have spent around her as some of the most impressive and important times of my baby’s life so far.
Thank you Alison – it has been a wonderful journey
you’ve started us on!”
