Infant Massage can help families connect more closely with their baby and understand their baby's cues and communication. At the same time, it gives parents an interactive practice that improves their baby's sleep patterns, helps alleviate postnatal depression, enhances interaction, and reduces stress for both parents and baby. There are three \ main categories of benefits for the baby: interaction, stimulation, and relaxation.A Certified Infant Massage Educator (CEIM)/ Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI) is trained to help parents position the baby for a successful interaction. Private sessions and group classes are available to assist the parent in developing this exchange. The instructor helps to create an environment that promotes the development of loving bonds, good communication, and a time of relaxation.

The Family Enrichment Program (FEP) is a free personal visiting program for families with children birth to age three. Goal is to promote early development, learning, and health of children by supporting and engaging their parents and caregivers. Program also provides prenatal services. FEP provides support and encouragement to families through: - Prenatal support: Provide information, support, activities, and resources throughout pregnancy. - Personal visits: Parent educators encourage activities for parent-child interaction, provide information on child development, and focus on your family's needs, concerns, and hopes. Families can participate by having in-home visits, virtual visits, or phone visits. - Group connections: Share parenting experiences, gain new insights, talk about topics that interest the family, and provide opportunities for children to interact. - Screenings/Early Learning Checkups: Children are screened on a regular basis to ensure they are healthy, safe, and developing on track. - Monthly newsletters or Facebook: Share up-coming community events, group connections, recipes, and age-appropriate activities. - Services for Spanish-speaking families: Currently in the Galena area, families whose primary language is Spanish can be connected with a Spanish-speaking parent educator. - Lending Libraries: Parents may borrow books and toys for use at home with child. - Resource Network: Parent educators will share community resources to help support you through your parenting journey. - Car Seat Safety Checks (Stephenson County): Provide car seat safety checks by certified seat technicians. - Infant Massage (Stephenson County): Certified infant massage instructors are available to demonstrate massage techniques and discuss all the benefits of massage.

Provides infant massage technique instruction to help parents and their infants bond, as well as improving the infant's eating, sleeping, digestion, and overall development.

The Family Enrichment Program (FEP) is a free personal visiting program for families with children birth to age three. Goal is to promote early development, learning, and health of children by supporting and engaging their parents and caregivers. Program also provides prenatal services. FEP provides support and encouragement to families through: - Prenatal support: Provide information, support, activities, and resources throughout pregnancy. - Personal visits: Parent educators encourage activities for parent-child interaction, provide information on child development, and focus on your family's needs, concerns, and hopes. Families can participate by having in-home visits, virtual visits, or phone visits. - Group connections: Share parenting experiences, gain new insights, talk about topics that interest the family, and provide opportunities for children to interact. - Screenings/Early Learning Checkups: Children are screened on a regular basis to ensure they are healthy, safe, and developing on track. - Monthly newsletters or Facebook: Share up-coming community events, group connections, recipes, and age-appropriate activities. - Services for Spanish-speaking families: Currently in the Galena area, families whose primary language is Spanish can be connected with a Spanish-speaking parent educator. - Lending Libraries: Parents may borrow books and toys for use at home with child. - Resource Network: Parent educators will share community resources to help support you through your parenting journey. - Car Seat Safety Checks (Stephenson County): Provide car seat safety checks by certified seat technicians. - Infant Massage (Stephenson County): Certified infant massage instructors are available to demonstrate massage techniques and discuss all the benefits of massage.