Courtesy photo "Research has shown that infants benefit greatly from massage," says Dr. Scott Lifschitz, demonstrating massage on infant Brilana.

For Kimberly Gooding, baby massage is a natural solution to help ease her child's discomfort from teething and other growing pains.

"He's always been a very fussy baby — now he has a couple of teeth coming in," the Westlake Village mom said about her son, Connor, who is almost 1 year old. "I don't want to constantly give him drugs like Tylenol — I want to learn baby massage because it will help soothe him and calm him down. It will also give me a chance to connect more with my baby."

Gooding is among many parents who have signed up for free baby massage workshops offered for the first time by Dr. Scott Lifschitz, a board-certified chiropractic family and sports practitioner. He will lead the workshops from 10 to 11 a.m. Sept. 6 and Sept. 8 at Oaks Chiropractic, 2060-H Avenida De Los Arboles in Thousand Oaks.

Research indicates that massage nurtures a baby's psychological, physiological and developmental growth, and supporters of infant massage say that it fosters healthy self-esteem and increases bonding between parents and their babies.

During the workshops, Lifschitz will outline these and other benefits, as well as guide parents as they massage their babies.

"Research has shown that infants benefit greatly from massage," he said, "as it promotes bonding and attachment, enhances communication between parent or the caregiver and child, improves muscle tone and coordination, reduces stress and promotes deeper sleep."

For the child, infant massage can diminish the discomfort of colic and constipation, regulate and strengthen the digestive and respiratory systems and stimulate circulatory and nervous systems. Baby massage aids growth and development, proven by studies that show increased weight gain and immune function. It can also help reduce fussiness and develop the overall body and mind connection.

"It promotes bonding and attachment to the parent," Lifschitz said. "Especially in our society, where everything is so fast paced and there are usually two working parents, baby massage offers an opportunity to really attach and bond on a deep level."

Parents who massage their newborn build confidence in dealing with a baby and learn how to better understand their child's nonverbal communication. Baby massage is known to help ease postnatal depression, and also gives parents of premature babies or babies with special needs a way to bond with and help their child.

"It enables them to read their baby better," Lifschitz said. "I have found that baby massage helps parents build up a lot of confidence, which translates in a positive way for the baby."

Lifschitz, who has treated children for many years, discovered massage for newborns after the birth of his child, who is now 5 1/2 months old.

"I started reading literature about the benefits of infant massage, and started doing it with my baby," recalled the Westlake resident. "Not only did I receive positive nonverbal cues, I felt like it was really helping."

Informally, he began passing on the knowledge to patients in his office.

"There was so much feedback and such a demand for it, I figured it would be good to get the parents in here for a free workshop," he said.

Tracie Horstman of Oak Park will attend the workshop with her 2-year-old, Olivia.

"She likes me to rub her back, so I would like to do it in a way that's going to get the best benefits," Horstman said. "I want to learn specific massages that make sense for her."

Linda Sanders of Westlake Village believes baby massage will benefit her 1-year-old, Serena.

"I think it will help calm her. If she's crying I can learn procedures that will help her relax and de-stress," Sanders said. "It's also good for bonding, which can later affect her social skills and overall development."

For more information or to make a reservation, call Oaks Chiropractic at 492-1500.