Klayna Snider is a Grandma!

This week, Petaluma Campus Manager Klayna Snider became a first-time grandmother welcoming Sontino Fiore Ventimiglio into the world.  Here is her commentary.

Our little bambino Tino immediately took to the kinesthetic world of snuggles, kisses, and, of course, massage. He received his first mini massage from me with some energy (Reiki) work just hours after his birth. He is a shining beacon of light. It was such a delight to share the gift of massage as a sacred connection with my grandson.

He was born (no drugs whatsoever for Momma) with 12 hours of labor including 2 hours of intensive labor. My son, Sontino, was a champion coach who literally received Tino into his arms as he was born at a birthing center in Santa Cruz. Sonny was very comfortable, calm, and extremely present and grounded throughout. Heather Marie was a “rock star hero” according to my son, throughout the miraculous birthing process.

Grandma arrived 15 minutes after the baby was born just in time to witness Tino’s awakening to the world of senses. I was stuck on Highway 17 into Santa Cruz during commuter traffic! Good thing I knew how to use my breathing techniques and ground myself!

A few nights later, we noticed that Heather was having some pretty extreme swelling in her feet. After calling her doctor and getting the “it’s normal and not to worry about it,” I spent over an hour massaging her feet with lymphatic massage techniques and joint mobilization to get the fluid moving. The swelling reduced dramatically along with her discomfort.

It’s such an amazing thing that the first sense that develops in the womb for the embryo is touch. During the birthing process, the baby receives his first “deep tissue massage” as it goes through the contractions and enters the birth canal, stimulating vital organs and muscles to prepare for his first breath. And finally he is embraced into the world by the loving yet confident, strong hands of his father and mother only to continue attuning to the world through his amazing capacities for touch.