Who can resist touching babies? That soft, brand-new skin just begs for kisses and caresses by the dozen. Of course, for those who need an excuse, there's always baby massage, which--aside from making fond parents happy--has been proven to be beneficial to a baby's healthy development, incorporating as it does the essential element of touch. Gentle Touch: Infant Massage features methodical demonstrations of full-body massage, from head to toesies, front to back, with fathers as well as mothers fearlessly kneading diaperless bundles of joy (with more courage than I can muster--my baby has a well-earned reputation as a “little squirt”), all set to the accompaniment of peaceful background music. In fact, the babies looked so comfy I thought, hey, there's an idea for a video: massage for babies and parents! Haggard new moms and dads could really use a rubdown. Highly recommended, especially for libraries that don't already own Lasting Impressions Infant Massage (VL-9/03) or Baby Massage (VL-5/97). Aud: P. (R. Reagan)
Gentle Touch: Infant Massage
(2003) 48 min. VHS: $19.95. Natural Journeys (dist. by Goldhil Home Media). PPR. Color cover. ISBN: 1-58565-828-6. Volume 19, Issue 4