Photo By Sgt. Ned Johnson | Jennifer Guevara, a Marine spouse and mother in the Infant Massage Study, massages her...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The military life can be tough on parents— deployments, field training and TAD can make bonding with an infant difficult.
With the help of Utah State University and the Marine Corps, the New Parent Support Program is offering military parents an opportunity to learn a way to bond with their child. The Infant Massage Study is currently ongoing aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and the program is looking for more participants—especially fathers.
All parents with a child between zero and six months are eligible for the program, but the Marine Corps is especially interested in helping fathers bond with their children, said Mary Caldwell, the branch manager for the New Parent Support Program.
“Mothers are able to breastfeed and nurture the child,” Caldwell said. “They have ways to bond with the child, but we have heard from dads that they don’t know what to do. This is a good way for them to bond.
“The Marine Corps wants parents to have a stronger relationship with their children,” Caldwell said. “They know Marines work better when things are good at home.”
Infant massage also offers many benefits to the child including relaxation, digestion aid and better sleep, said Dawn Volz, a registered nurse and a home visitor with the NPSP.
“We want the child to feel comfortable and we teach the mommas to take cues from the baby,” Volz said. “It’s all about you knowing your baby.”
Children may also experience benefits like a boosted immune system and improved skin condition and blood circulation.
“This is going to be the best thing they could ever imagine,” Caldwell said, encouraging fathers to get involved. “It will mean a stronger relationship with their child. The dad’s we have had say they really enjoy doing it and it’s something special.”
While the study is designed for parents with children between zero and six months, after the study concludes, the NPSP will be providing infant massage instruction to parents with children between zero and five years old, so all parents can better bond with their children.
The study, which is just getting underway, is still looking for participants. After the initial meeting, parents are required to participate in five training sessions, either at home or at the NPSP office, to learn and conduct the infant massage techniques. For more information or to participate, call 449-9501.
| Date Taken: | 03.06.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 05.21.2015 14:34 |
| Story ID: | 164105 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 127 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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