A Little History Behind Touch. Attach. Grow (formerly Hannah Bromwell Baby Massage)

Before 2024 came to a close, I started to reflect on my life, especially my journey with my baby massage business. This is a post I put together to honour the first group of mums that completed my first ever course and to acknowledge and appreciate how far I've come along the way. So I thought, why not share the history from the start of my baby massage journey.

The above photo and the ones below are of a lovely group of mums who completed the first-ever baby massage course with me in January 2022. Since then, they’ve formed close friendships, attending each other’s weddings, christenings, numerous playdates, as well as enjoying nights out together. One of the many special benefits of a baby massage course is the social connection it offers. Becoming a new parent can feel isolating at times, and having a supportive community can make all the difference.

I feel an overwhelming sense of pride and joy, thinking about how far my business has come and how many incredible people I’ve had the privilege of meeting along the way. It’s inspired me to share a little bit of the history behind my business and this post.

During the early days of the pandemic, Sarah, one of the mums in the group, became seriously ill with COVID while pregnant. Her condition was so severe that she was placed in an induced coma, and her baby was delivered by C-section at just 30 weeks. Doctors gave her a 50/50 chance of survival. Miraculously, Sarah made an incredible recovery and was finally reunited with her daughter, Sofia, when she was 7 weeks old. Sofia is now a thriving three-year-old, and Sarah has gone on to build a successful business, helping others with mindset, positivity, confidence, and the law of attraction. Week 1 of the course was a special milestone for Sarah. It was the first time she’d spent time alone with Sofia outside the house without her partner. Baby massage was the perfect activity for them, as it’s gentle, slow-paced, and great for bonding and relaxation.

One of the hurdles I encountered during the early days of running my own business was finding an affordable venue to deliver my courses from, as room hire costs in most half decent places were so high. My courses run for five weeks, with each session lasting an hour and a half, because mums already do enough rushing around, and an hour just isn’t long enough for me to cover what I need to in order for parents and babies to truly benefit from the session. I felt so nervous before starting the first week of the five-week course. It had been a while since I’d worked, as I’d been focused on raising my boys. Week 1 was a great success but sadly, shortly after running that session the business owner informed me that I couldn’t continue the course there because the room had been accidentally double-booked with another children’s service provider.

The last thing I wanted was to let the mums down. I searched my local area for a venue that was clean, warm, and affordable, but nothing seemed to work. As a last-minute and temporary solution, I cleared my dining table out of the front room and started hosting the sessions at home. I wasn’t sure how it would go, but the mums absolutely loved it! Word got around, more parents started to book on to courses, and my little business slowly began to grow a bit.

So often, mums have arrived at my house after a rough night with their babies, dysregulated, anxious, and sometimes tearful. One mum even showed up without her shoes on, while others admitted they hadn’t had time to brush their teeth or change their underwear. We’ve all been there, haven’t we?! There’s something so liberating about sharing those truths with people who GET IT during moments of despair. I feel like the raw honesty helped mums feel less alone in the chaos of motherhood. My front room became a sanctuary, a place where they could slow down, breathe, cry, find calm, have a laugh, and bond with their babies.

My business is still small, but I’m so proud of myself for finding the strength and confidence to run courses, especially over the last two years while surviving on little sleep with a toddler who’s boob-obsessed and not a great sleeper!

I now work from Beyond Midwives in Liverpool City Centre, which is the perfect location for what I do. I feel so fortunate to have met Maria and Nadia, who are genuinely the kindest and most supportive women I've ever met. Every time I set up in their special space, I’m reminded of how lucky I am.

Thank you to everyone who has booked a course with me since January 2022. Your support means so much, and spending time with you and watching you bond with your babies has motivated me and inspired me to keep going. Motherhood is such a whirlwind isn’t it? Beautiful, wild and chaotic at the same time!

Here's to a happy, healthy 2025 that’s filled with love, laughter, and strength!

Hannah

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