Chelsey Reiter, an occupational therapist in Trinity Health’s Newborn Intensive Care Unit, has earned recertification as a Neonatal Touch and Massage Therapist, according to a press release from Trinity.

Neonatal Touch and Massage is a method of nurturing contact that promotes healthy development of newborns while giving families the tools to bond with their infant. Research shows that neonatal massage is associated with weight gain, neurological development, and gastrointestinal function in premature infants, according to the press release.

To achieve recertification, Reiter completed six hours of additional training to maintain her skills in the areas of handling, positioning, skin-to-skin contact, swaddled bathing, infant massage, and advanced practice techniques such as myofascial trigger point release.

“We’re proud of Chelsey for bringing this expertise to our NICU,” said Lisa Burke, Occupational Therapy Manager, in the press release. “Most importantly, we are pleased to be able to help NICU babies and their families by maximizing the positive long-term development of infants.”

Reiter has a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of North Dakota. She’s one of 1,228 neonatal professionals in the country trained in Neonatal Touch & Massage.