I’m Jenna, the owner of Grounded Babes. I create relaxed, supportive spaces where parents and babies can slow down, connect and feel a little more grounded together.
About
Featuring the hands of a baby and parent, flower and sun, the Grounded Babes logo represents the experience of growing together and the wider village of support that helps families flourish through every phase of early parenting and infant development. Our whole purpose is to support parents and babies to feel a little more grounded together through the simple practice of baby massage. Baby massage can help parents and babies feel more grounded in their attunement, safety, attachment, connection, confidence, boundaries and vulnerability.
Get to know me
Why I support parents and babies
My passion for supporting parents and babies is personal.
My first baby was born prematurely at 34 weeks. Because of the pandemic directive at the time and my baby being admitted to NICU, I wasn’t allowed to meet, touch or hold my baby for 10 days. That separation, followed by further hospital admissions when I was diagnosed with bowel cancer four months into motherhood, meant my early motherhood and parenting experience was extremely challenging.
Baby massage became an important practice for me to experience calm, nurturing connection with my baby and focus on being present together. That experience inspired me to share the practice of baby massage with other parents and their little ones so I trained as a Certified Infant Massage Instructor.
Alongside my work in baby massage, I’m currently a midwifery student. My fascination with the postnatal period and the importance of touch continues to grow as I learn and inspires the way I hold space for families during our sessions.
Baby massage is a beautiful and gentle way to help parents and babies experience connection and community in an educational and non-clinical setting.
Consent, cues and child safety
One of the reasons I value baby massage is its role in teaching consent from birth.
I never massage your baby. Only parents massage their own baby. I spend time talking about when massage is appropriate and, just as importantly, when it’s not. Baby massage is a cue-based practice. It is not a clinical treatment. Parents can learn how to recognise and respect their baby’s cues during massage.
Asking a baby for permission to give them a massage is part of the program I’m trained to teach. Observing and respecting a baby’s cues in the context of baby massage is a simple and important way to contribute to child safety because it models respect for bodies and boundaries. If a baby’s cues indicate they don’t want to be massaged, the massage shouldn’t continue at that time.
Lived experiences and community
You’ve learnt a bit about me and my ‘why’ for Grounded Babes. My baby massage classes aren’t a space for me to share my lived experiences or provide advice. They’re an opportunity for parents to slow down, have fun and safely learn baby massage.
Although Grounded Babes isn’t a peer support group service, parents might also naturally share their lived experiences, creating connection and community along the way.
I know how hard it is to get out of the house with a baby, so my hope is that every parent who comes to one of my classes feels supported, relaxed and able to enjoy a bit of calm and connection with their baby. Everybody is encouraged to feed, settle and care for their baby as needed during class, just like they would at home.
I can’t wait to meet you and your baby and share the joy of baby massage together!
Disclaimer: It’s important to be clear that Grounded Babes is not a midwifery, maternity, fertility, lactation, parenting, child health, psychology, peer support, mental health or similar health or medical service provider. Nothing taught or communicated on the Grounded Babes website or in the Grounded Babes baby massage classes should be interpreted as health, medical or professional advice, and should never replace the advice and guidance of healthcare providers or delay you from seeking medical or professional advice for your health or your baby’s health. If your baby has a medical condition, illness or injury, please seek advice from your healthcare provider before joining one of the Grounded Babes baby massage classes.
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