Building Baby Bonds Through Massage in Maynooth

When Caroline's second daughter arrived during the first COVID lockdown, it changed everything. She left her healthcare career to retrain as a Certified Infant Massage Instructor, bringing something special to families in Maynooth: a chance to connect with their babies through the gentle art of massage.

What Caroline teaches goes far beyond a simple weekly activity. "Baby massage is a learned skill which can be enjoyed for as long as the growing baby allows," she explains. The benefits ripple outward—strengthening parent-baby bonds, helping with sleep and tummy troubles, boosting brain development, and building parents' confidence as they learn to communicate with their little ones through nurturing touch.

Her five-week courses welcome mothers with babies from six weeks to pre-crawling age, with an add-on class for dads to learn too. Each two-hour session becomes more than instruction—it's a gathering place. Over tea and coffee, parents chat, laugh, and support one another. "My classes provide space to offload, to cry, to connect," Caroline says. The friendships formed often continue long after the final class, helping to ease the loneliness that can creep into early parenthood.

It's this sense of village that Caroline values most. Through her classes and involvement with Maynooth Baby Club, she's discovered how much new mothers need that circle of support—and how powerful it can be when they find it.

Caroline also runs Tummy Time workshops and is a member of Baby Massage Ireland, meaning parents with private health insurance may be able to claim back some of the course cost.

Bookings open a month before classes begin. You can find Caroline at www.babymassagemaynooth.com or on Instagram @babymassage.caroline.

When asked about other local businesses she'd recommend, Caroline couldn't pick just one, rattling off a list of women supporting women across the area—from physios to reflexologists to yoga instructors: LWF, Belú Physiotherapy, Leah Bryans Physio, Bubbles Play & Music, Linda Kekoe Holistic Therapies, Geal Healing, Yográ & Fern Yoga, Acuwellness. It's clear she's not just building a business; she's part of a community.

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Weather: Ice tonight, wind Tue–Wed, calmer by weekend

Worst of it's early in the week. Ice warning for tonight through Tuesday morning—bridges, shaded footpaths, and estate roads'll be dodgy after the wintry showers. Wind warnings Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th—mostly coastal but expect branches down, bins doing laps, maybe rail or bus delays if it gets lively.

Rest of the week: 7–9°C Monday–Wednesday (windy), settling to 8–10°C Thursday–Friday, then 9–11°C weekend with dry spells. See Met Éireann | Tuesday | Wednesday

Rail engineering works last weekend of Feb

Weekend 28 Feb–1 Mar: Maynooth/Longford/Sligo line works. Expect bus transfers between Connolly and Maynooth, some evening cancellations, M3 Parkway branch also affected. Check journey planner before you head. See Irish Rail

Creative Communities Grant — free advice sessions all week

If you're part of a community group, school, arts club, or running any sort of local project, the council's doing Creative Communities Grant info sessions Monday through Wednesday this week. Application deadline's 6 March, so you've got time. See all of last year’s grants here.

New tenancy rules start 1 March

New rental legislation that kicks in 1 March. If you're moving or signing a lease near end of February, worth checking whether your tenancy counts as "existing" or "new" under the changes—could affect your rights and the landlord's obligations. Affects renters and landlords in Celbridge, Leixlip, and Maynooth especially.

Ongoing roadworks

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