Colic, Sleep, Bonding: One Gentle Ritual That Supports It All

MOTHER & MORE
Jan 8
5 min read

If you’re pacing the living room with a windy baby at 2am, you’ve probably tried everything.

New bottles. White noise. Bouncers. Magic sleep suits. And still, your little one is unsettled… and you’re wondering if there’s something you’re missing.

There is one simple, often-overlooked tool that can support colic, sleep and bonding in one go:

Intentional, nurturing touch through baby massage and gentle movement.

Not just cuddles (you’ve got those covered), but simple massage and movement routines you can repeat at home to help your baby’s body and nervous system feel more settled and safe.

In this blog, we’ll walk through:

How baby massage can support digestion and colic
Why touch is so powerful for sleep and regulation
How it boosts bonding and confidence for you both
What to look for in a baby massage class or online course
How we support families at Mother & More through our East London classes and online baby massage course

Why Touch Is Such a Powerful Tool in the Early Months#

Babies spend nine months being held 24/7. Then they arrive in a bright, noisy world and everything is new:

Gravity
Light
Sounds
Digestion

Their nervous system is doing a LOT.

Gentle, intentional touch can help:

Signal safety to their nervous system
Help their body learn where it starts and ends (body awareness)
Support the muscles and organs that are suddenly working hard – especially the digestive system

It’s one of the reasons so many parents instinctively rub or pat their baby’s back when they’re upset. Baby massage simply builds on that instinct and turns it into a repeatable, supportive ritual.

How Baby Massage Can Support Colic and Digestion

Colic can feel brutal. Long stretches of crying, legs pulled up, tiny tummy hard as a rock. And often, no clear answers.

Baby massage routines focus on:

Gentle strokes around the tummy to support bowel movements and gas release
Movements like bicycling the legs to help move trapped wind
Positions that take pressure off a tense abdomen

Over time, many parents notice:

Less intense evening crying
Softer tummies
Babies passing wind more easily
A bit more ease around feeds

Is it a magic “cure”? No. Nothing in babyland is. But having a set of tried-and-tested techniques you can use when your baby’s uncomfortable is incredibly reassuring.

In our baby massage and movement classes at Mother & More, colic support is often one of the first changes parents tell us they notice.

Touch, Sleep and Calmer Days

Sleep is never just about sleep. It’s about:

The nervous system
Digestion
Daytime regulation
Feeling safe enough to switch off

Baby massage and gentle baby yoga movements can help by:

Activating the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” side)
Helping babies process the stimulation of their day
Creating a predictable, calming routine before naps or bedtime

Many families who come to our East London baby massage classes or take our online baby massage course tell us that:

Naps become a little easier to settle
Babies seem less “wired” at the end of the day
Even if nights aren’t perfect (whose are?), they feel more manageable

Again, it’s not about perfection. It’s about more ease, more tools in your toolkit, and less “I have no idea what to try next”.

Bonding, Confidence and the Hormone We Love: Oxytocin

Touch doesn’t just help babies. It supports you, too.

Intentional baby massage and movement can:

Increase oxytocin (the “love hormone”) in both babies and parents
Help you feel more connected and attuned to your baby’s cues
Give you something practical to do when they’re unsettled
Build your confidence: “I know how to help” instead of “I’m helpless”

Parents in our classes often arrive saying:

“I feel like I’m guessing all the time.”

and leave saying things like:

“I actually feel like I know my baby now.” “I finally have something that helps when she’s uncomfortable.”

That shift – from doubt and overwhelm to calm confidence – is one of the most powerful transformations baby massage can bring.

In-Person Baby Massage Classes vs Online Courses

Both in-person classes and online baby massage courses can be incredibly valuable. Which you choose depends on your life, postcode and personality.

Benefits of an in-person baby massage class

An in-person class (like our Mother & More sessions in East London) can offer:

Hands-on guidance from an experienced instructor
Real-time tweaks to your technique
A cosy community of parents who “get it”
A reason to get out of the house each week (huge, especially in the foggy early months)

At Mother & More, we run small-group, 5⭐️-rated Baby Massage, Yoga + Reflexology

courses across:

Leyton
Stratford
South Woodford
Walthamstow & Walthamstow Village

Each course is structured as a weekly ritual: same time, same friendly faces, new techniques that build week by week.

Explore all here: www.motherandmore.uk/east-london-baby-massage

Benefits of an online baby massage course

An online baby massage course can be brilliant if:

You’re not local to East London
Your schedule or health makes it hard to attend in person
You prefer learning at your own pace, with the ability to pause and replay

A good online course should still be:

Clear and easy to follow (short videos, step-by-step routines)
Evidence-informed (not just made up on the spot)
Focused on reading your baby’s cues and going at their pace

Our Mother & More online baby massage course was created to mirror the safety, warmth and structure of our in-person classes – but in a flexible, on-demand format you can revisit any time.

Many families actually do both: attend in-person classes where they can, and use the online content as a refresher and support for the days in between.

Explore here: www.motherandmore.uk

What to Look For in a Baby Massage Class or Course

Whether you join us at Mother & More or choose a provider closer to you, here are a few things to look for:

Safety-first teaching
- Clear guidance on pressure, areas to avoid, and when not to massage
- Respect for your baby’s cues (no forcing it if they’re saying “no thanks”)
Evidence-informed approach
- Routines that draw from infant massage research, not just trends
- A teacher who can explain why you’re doing each stroke or movement
Supportive atmosphere
- No judgement about feeding, sleep, or how “together” you look
- Space to ask questions, be honest and sometimes cry if you need to
Practical tools you can actually use at home
- Simple routines you can remember at 3am
- Ideas for weaving touch into everyday life (after bath, before bed, on the changing mat)

How Mother & More Can Support You

At Mother & More, our mission is simple: To help you and your baby feel more settled, connected and supported in the early months.

We do that through:

5⭐️ Baby Massage, Yoga + Reflexology courses in East London
- Small groups, cosy studios
- Stage 1 and Stage 2 options (from birth to pre-crawling)
- Trusted by British brands like Nala’s Baby and Debenhams
A flexible, online baby massage course
- Learn from home, at your own pace
- Re-watch routines whenever you need a refresher
- Perfect if you’re outside East London or juggling naps and errands

Our routines and rituals are rooted in ancient wisdom, grounded in research, and designed to support both you and your baby in these precious early months.

Ready to Explore Baby Massage for Your Little One?

If you’re curious and want to try this for yourself, you’ve got options:

For East London parents :Join us in person in Leyton, Stratford, South Woodford, Walthamstow or Walthamstow Village. Our courses often sell out, so booking ahead is a good idea. Explore all classes here: www.motherandmore.uk/east-london-baby-massage
For parents anywhere in the world: Explore our online baby massage course and learn from home, in your own time, with your baby right there beside you: Explore here: www.motherandmore.uk