Your baby’s wellbeing: A holistic approach to health and happiness

As parents, we all want the best for our little ones. We want them to grow up healthy, happy, and thriving—not just physically, but emotionally and developmentally too. But with so much advice out there, (especially from Dr. Google and ChatGPT) it can be overwhelming to know where to start.

What is holistic health for babies and young children?

Holistic health focuses on the whole child—not just treating symptoms, but supporting their physical, emotional, and developmental wellbeing. It’s about prevention, balance, and support, using natural and alternative methods alongside traditional medical care.

From gentle sleep coaching and touch to gut health and emotional bonding, let’s look at simple ways you can support your baby’s holistic development.

Gentle sleep foundations, with no cry it out.

Sleep is the foundation of good health—for both babies and parents! But sleep doesn’t have to be a nightmare.

A holistic approach to sleep focuses on:
Understanding your baby’s natural rhythms rather than forcing a strict routine- you can't rationalise with a baby!
Using gentle sleep coaching to encourage independent sleep skills, slowly and naturally rather than stressfully.
Creating a calm and safe sleep environment with natural sleep cues, exactly what a baby needs.
Supporting sleep through baby massage and relaxation techniques

Top tip: A warm bath followed by a gentle baby massage can help relax your little one before bedtime, encouraging a deeper and more restful sleep. However, many babies are ready for sleep at the end of the day, not massage, so always follow your baby's cues.

Breastfeeding & infant nutrition, supporting gut health naturally

Breastfeeding is nature’s perfect first food, but whether you choose to breastfeed or bottle-feed, a healthy gut plays a key role in your baby’s immune system and digestion.

Ways to support gut health holistically:
Breastfeeding (if possible) to provide natural antibodies and good bacteria
Introducing solids mindfully—starting with gut-friendly foods like avocado, sweet potato & bone broth
Avoiding processed baby foods and opting for organic, whole ingredients
Considering probiotics (under guidance) to support digestive health

Did you know? A baby’s gut microbiome is established in the first 1,000 days of life—this means the choices you make early on can shape their long-term health.

Baby massage, the power of touch for growth & development

One of the simplest yet most powerful ways to support your baby’s emotional wellbeing is baby massage.

Regular baby massage can:
Help with colic and digestion- baby massage teaches you ways to help your baby while their little tummy is still developing and adjusting to life.
Improve bonding and attachment. Baby massage is one of the few times that you will have, uninterrupted, with your baby.
Promote better sleep and relaxation- after a class, several mums always text to say their baby has had the best nap ever!
Support neurological and sensory development. A baby's neurological system is very much still developing when they are born. Baby massage helps you become in tune with your little one, learning their cues and giving them exactly what they need to grow and develop.

Try this: Use a natural, baby-safe oil and follow your baby’s cues—gentle strokes on the tummy can ease wind and colic, while soft movements on the legs help strengthen muscle tone.‍

Gentle, responsive parenting involves emotional wellbeing & secure attachment

Holistic health isn’t just about the body—it’s about the mind and emotions too. Babies and young children need connection, love, and security to thrive.

Ways to support emotional wellbeing can include:
Responding with empathy—your baby’s cries are their way of communicating, not manipulating.
Encouraging bonding through skin-to-skin contact- baby massage is fabulous for this.
Using play therapy to help toddlers express emotions. I'm a huge fan of play therapy because my many years in children's nursing have shown me how much easier children learn and deal with new concepts if they learn through play. Older babies and toddlers react better to being involved in changes & processes, rather than just 'having things happen' to them.

Try this: Watch your baby. Learn how they get to sleep, watch what they do when they're entertaining themselves. This is how we learn our baby's patterns, and which methods are suited to their needs, rather than guessing.

First aid for parents means being prepared for holistic wellbeing

While we focus on prevention, knowing baby and child first aid is essential for every parent. Being prepared for common childhood emergencies can give you confidence and peace of mind, even with things as 'everyday' as baby led weaning

Join a Lullabies first aid awareness workshop to learn:
How to respond to choking or allergic reactions so that you can approach weaning confidently and ready to hit the ground running once your little one is ready.
Baby & child CPR techniques- hopefully you never need it for your child, but it's a valuable skill to have.
Managing fevers and common illnesses. Every baby and child gets sick, knowing how to handle it can really help you remain calm, and when to call for reinforcements!

Being equipped with the right knowledge means you can respond calmly and effectively, ensuring your baby (or someone else's) gets the best possible care.

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Baby signing - giving your baby a voice before they can talk

It’s one of the most common frustrations for little ones: they know what they want, but they just can’t say it yet.

That’s where baby signing can make all the difference. Baby signing is a gentle, visual way to support your baby’s communication skills—using simple hand gestures for words like milk, more, all done, or tired. And no, it doesn’t delay speech—in fact, it often does the opposite. I took baby massage classes with my own child, and really found a reduction in temper tantrums and melt downs in comparison to friends who hadn't.

Baby signing can:

Reduce frustration for both baby and parent. Baby can communicate their needs, rather than you just guessing.
Help babies feel seen and understood. They understand that you understand what they need.
Support early brain development and language skills. Babies learn the value early on how to communicate their needs.
Encourage connection and interaction- once babies realise that they can be understood, they want to be understood even more!
Offer toddlers a helpful way to express themselves before tantrums hit- as I found with my own son.

The long-term benefits

Even after they’ve started talking, children who’ve used baby signing tend to:

• Have larger vocabularies
• Show more confidence in communication
• Experience fewer behavioural struggles related to frustration

Best of all? It’s a great way to bond—pausing, looking into each other’s eyes, and sharing a moment of understanding.

I still remember the first time my son signed milk—it was like a window into his world had opened, and I felt amazing that I had taught him his first 'word'.

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‍Small steps for a healthy start

A holistic approach to baby and child health isn’t about doing everything perfectly—it’s about making small, mindful choices that support your child’s overall wellbeing.

At Lullabies Expert Sleep and Lactation Consulting, we’re here to guide you through antenatal education, gentle sleep coaching, breastfeeding support, baby massage & signing, first aid, starting solids, and more.

Want to learn more? Follow us on Instagram @lullabiesdxb for tips and expert advice, or book a consultation to create a personalised holistic plan for your baby’s health and happiness.

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