Infant Massage USA

06/11/2026

Every day, you work to strengthen family bonds and support parents during one of the most important periods of their lives. If you're looking to expand your knowledge and gain practical tools to make an even greater impact, we invite you to join an upcoming info session hosted by Antioch University. Join us virtually on Thursday, June 18 at 11am EST! Register here: https://antioch.my.salesforce-sites.com/events/TargetX_Eventsb__events #/esr?eid=a1RUN00000A5h1l2AB

During this free information session, you'll learn about Antioch's educational offerings, including the nation's only Perinatal Mental Health Certificate aligned with Postpartum Support International standards. You'll also discover how Infant Massage USA members can take advantage of exclusive educational benefits through our partnership with Antioch, including:

👉 15% tuition discount on eligible programs
👉 $12,000 scholarship opportunity for qualified participants

Whether you're interested in perinatal mental health, counseling, healthcare, nursing, or other graduate and certificate programs, this session is an excellent opportunity to explore pathways for professional growth and learn how Antioch can support your goals.

06/08/2026

06/07/2026

Happy International Day of Infant Massage! ✨

Today, we honor the birthday of Vimala McClure, the founder of the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM). Inspired by her work in India, she developed the program that we still share today around the country and beyond. Thanks to her work developing and advancing our mission to spread infant massage education, so many families have been strengthening by this critical work. 💜

Join us in celebrating the gift of nurturing touch! Family bonds are the most beautiful part of life, and infant massage has built many connections. We're grateful for this practice and for the vision to expand its reach. 🫶

06/06/2026

Thank you all for joining us for the past two days! Our 2026 Conference was the most special yet, and we are always so grateful for the opportunity to convene our passionate community of professionals. Your commitment fuels our mission. ✨

And we'd like to offer a special thank you to a very special person, Stephanie Ward. Through Stand Tall Parenting, she has helped countless parents and caregivers build relationships with their little ones and establish healthy, confident connection. She's been a part of this organization for years, and she's maintained her commitment in a visible, tangible way. She's presented at our Conferences, shared her marketing and business knowledge with other educators, and simply made the world a more nurturing place. We're so grateful to have people like Stephanie in this organization.

For all those reasons, this year, we awarded Stephanie with the Vimala McClure CEIM Award. Congratulations, and thank you for your important work! 💜

06/05/2026

It's Day 2! Thank you to everyone who joined us for the first day of the Infant Massage USA Conference 2026. We had an amazing time hearing from expert speakers and connecting with passionate professionals across the country.

Even if you didn't join us yesterday, you can still register! Conference registration includes access to all presentation recordings, so you can watch any session on your own time. Register here: bit.ly/imusaconference 💜

👉 Opening Session - Ashley Febvay
👉 "Improving Neurodevelopmental Outcomes for High-risk Infants Using the Ei SMART Clinical Reasoning Tool" - Dr. Betty Hutchon
👉 "Carrying Across Cultures: Babywearing and Parent–Infant Physical Contact as a Prevention-Oriented, Culturally Informed Support" - Dr. Emily E. Little
👉 "The Body Remembers: How NICU Experiences Shape Infant Mental Health, Sensory Processing and the Parent–Baby Relationship" - Mary Farrelly
👉 "Where Art and Science Overlap: Infant Massage, Breastfeeding, Parenting and Oxytocin" - Nikki Lee
👉 "A Holistic and Intersectional Approach to Perinatal Mental Health" - Dr. Erin Berzins & Dr. Natashia Collins
👉 "NICU Family Support & Advocacy Panel" - Adam Wood & Keira Sorrels
👉 "Infant Massage and Children’s Love Languages" - Samirah Tunks
👉 Networking & Community Connection
👉 Massage Stroke Review
👉 Closing Ceremonies - Ashley Febvay

06/04/2026

The day is finally here! Today, we are kicking off the Infant Massage USA Conference 2026, and we're thrilled to begin this exciting gathering of infant massage educators, healthcare professionals, parent educators, and advocates from around the world. 💜

If you haven't registered yet, there's still time to join us! Even if you're unable to attend live, registration includes access to conference recordings after the event concludes, allowing you to watch any sessions you miss at a time that works for you. Register here: bit.ly/imusaconference 💫

Here's today's schedule:

👉 Opening Ceremonies - Ashley Febvay
👉 "Oxytocin in the Perinatal Period: The Hormone of Bonding and Its Possibilities" - Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg, MD, PhD
👉 "Carrying Across Cultures: Babywearing and Parent–Infant Physical Contact as a Prevention-Oriented, Culturally Informed Support" - Dr. Emily E. Little
👉 "Nurturing Touch: Combining Infant Massage, Mindfulness, and Affirmations for Bonding and Brain Development" - Candi Seill & Bethany DeJarnatt
👉 "Infant Massage for Regulation and Resilience" - Krista Lumpkins-Howard
👉 "Interoception: Connecting our Bodily Sensations to our Emotions" - Dr. Jeanette Luedders Jones
👉 "Getting to Know You: Lessons in Early Relational Health from Infants and Caregivers" - Dr. Claudia Gold
👉 "Deepening Practice: Pilot Reflective Consultation Series for Infant Massage Educator" - Dr. Tiffany Ortiz & Natalie Santoyo
👉 "Touch, Sound, and Story: Extending Cultural Competence Beyond the Massage Session" - Ekanem Ebinne
👉 Closing Session - Ashley Febvay

06/03/2026

Tomorrow and Friday, we are going live for the virtual Infant Massage USA Conference! Now's your last chance to get your ticket at bit.ly/imusaconference. Before we kickoff, we'd love to introduce you to one of our keynote speakers and give you a preview of her presentation! 🤩

Dr. Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg is an internationally recognized physician and Professor of Physiology whose research focuses on oxytocin and its role in stress reduction, healing, bonding, and women’s health. She was among the first researchers to explore oxytocin’s connection to touch, parent–child relationships, and emotional wellbeing. Kerstin has authored more than 400 scientific papers and several books translated into 10 languages. Her work continues to influence research and clinical approaches supporting health and wellbeing across the lifespan.

Get excited about her presentation, "Oxytocin in the Perinatal Period: The Hormone of Bonding and Its Possibilities!" Explore the powerful role of oxytocin, known as the “hormone of love and wellbeing,” in reducing stress, supporting healing, and strengthening emotional connection across the lifespan. Drawing on more than 30 years of research, Dr. Moberg will highlight oxytocin’s impact on women’s health, birth, breastfeeding, menopause, and emerging applications in clinical care.

06/01/2026

It's officially Conference week! On Thursday and Friday, we are officially going live for the virtual Infant Massage USA Conference. We can't wait to see you and learn alongside you. And remember: no worries if you can't make it live - we'll have recordings of every presentation available for registrants after the event. 💜 Register here: bit.ly/imusaconference

Today we're introducing you to a partner and sponsor that will be presenting at this year's Conference! The Coalition for the Common Good (CCG) is a network of affiliated private, nonprofit colleges and universities that, through collaboration and integration, provide transformative education and lifelong learning. Together, they are dedicated to promoting the common good, including democracy, social justice, equity, inclusion, and engaged global citizenship. Through our partnership, Infant Massage USA Members are eligible for a 15% discount on tuition for the full catalog of undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certificates. This includes Perinatal and Infant Mental Health-Aligned Certificates, and programs in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Graduate Nursing, Healthcare-Aligned Programs, and more. Learn more here: https://partners.ccgedu.org/infant-massage-usa

Get excited about their presentation, "A Holistic and Intersectional Approach to Perinatal Mental Health!" Dr. Erin Berzins, Dr. Natashia Collins, and Neroli Price will explore culturally responsive strategies for supporting perinatal mental health across diverse populations. Through case examples and practical discussion, participants will gain actionable tools to provide more inclusive, compassionate, and effective care for birthing parents and families.

05/29/2026

Our 2026 Conference on June 4-5 would not be possible without our sponsors! Join us in thanking Nurturings for their support this year. 💜

For 30 years, Nuturings has worked in the parent education and support field, gaining valuable experience in guiding families, supporting communities, and providing effective parenting resources. Nurturings provides resources, training, and support for independent professionals and community-based peer leaders. The organization is committed to sharing free and low-cost, research-based resources that encourage collaboration in nurturing parents and families. Through small-group methods, parents are brought together to discuss, share experiences, and learn effective parenting skills that strengthen healthy parent-child relationships while providing encouragement and support for parents.

Nurturings is offering a 30% discount on Parent Educator Trainings. Visit nurturings.org/parenting-education to register, and use code "CONF" at checkout. ✨

05/29/2026

In ONE WEEK, we'll be convening for our 2026 Conference on June 4-5! We're so excited to see you all for two days of learning and connection. Thank you to all who have already registered! If you haven't, visit bit.ly/imusaconference for your ticket. Don't forget that all registrants have access to recordings of each presentation, so you can watch on your own time. 💜

See you next week! ✨