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‘My massage helps Swedes to bond with their babies’

French entrepreneur Anabelle Lindqvist tells The Local how she combined her twin passions of wellness and working with children by launching baby massage classes in Stockholm.

Published: 11 April 2016 06:58 CEST
'My massage helps Swedes to bond with their babies'
Anabelle Lindqvist demonstrating baby massage on a dummy. Photo: Private
 
When Lindqvist was first asked to tell Sweden's Migration Agency how long she was planning to live in Sweden, she wrote the words: “I hope forever”. A laughing official swiftly asked her to amend her comment to a more paperwork-friendly “permanently”. 
 
“This is something I can't explain, there is no rational explanation, just an emotion,” says Lindqvist of her decision to move to Sweden, after falling in love with the Nordic nation during a number of vacations.
 
The France-born 32-year-old landed in Stockholm in 2011 without a job, friends or family. But since then she's more than fulfilled her goal of setting up home here, having worked, studied, met and married a Swede and most recently started running baby massage classes.
 
Glowing with passion for her new business project, Lindqvist says her core goal is to help parents bond with their newborns while seeking to build global awareness for her profession.
 
“When I tell people I am a baby massage instructor, for many it is the first time they have heard about it, although they are always positive and enthusiastic,” she says.
 
“It's soothing and very gentle care for a baby. It is just so healthy and it helps parents to connect with their children and to relieve among other things stress, crying and pain associated with colic,” she explains.
 
The programme includes Swedish and Indian massage techniques, yoga and reflexology. Lindqvist holds both private and group lessons for new parents to teach them how to massage their infants and is currently forging connections with health and wellness professionals and starting a collaboration with an international playgroup in the Swedish capital.
 
“In other cultures baby massage techniques have been used for generations – for example in India and Africa mothers teach their daughters and it is so natural. It would be beautiful if more parents could experience that here. The dads too!” she smiles.
 
“Touch is the first sense to develop – even when the baby is in their mother's belly – and it is the last one to die in our lives. Baby massage is a wonderful way to nurture your baby into our world.”
 

Lindqvist hopes to encourage both Swedish and international parents to try out baby massage. Photo: Simon Paulin/Image Bank Sweden
 
Originally from Bordeaux in south-western France, Lindqvist tells The Local she has long been fascinated by the wellness industry, despite enjoying a fast-paced career in marketing in her twenties which took her around the world.
 
After relocating to Sweden, she took a job as a teaching assistant and says her life was “truly enriched” by spending her days working with children. When contacts she made through her network at the school introduced her to the concept of baby massage, she was instantly hooked.
 
“It all came as a surprise to me,” she explains.
 
“I heard about this international diploma where you can become a baby massage instructor and I just thought 'wow this is for me, this is what i have been waiting for for years'. It connected two worlds that bring me so much happiness,” she beams.
 
Lindqvist says she was spurred on both by her supportive husband and help from the Swedish employment service (Arbetsförmedlingen) and ALMI, which offers business advice in English for startups.
 
“Ever since I had this idea, I really felt backed here in Sweden. I was able to go on courses in English – for free. And Arbetsförmedlingen is a fantastic resource for job research and support when you are establishing a professional project.”
 

Anabelle Lindqvist retrained as a baby massage therapist after working in marketing and teaching. Photo: Private
 
The French business woman says she's now sure she's settled in the Nordics for good, although there will always be a part of her heart that belongs to her home country.
 
“As French people we are maybe more extravagant, we like to enjoy life and to show this too (…) it's maybe not so much like that in Sweden!” she laughs.
 
Her top tip for other international Swedophiles planning a move: “Friendships and love can take a bit more time here, so really it's your job to open up a bit more and go to see people (…) But it's all really, really worth it.”
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WORKING IN SWEDEN

Five things you need to do right away if you’re getting laid off in Sweden

Facing a layoff in Sweden? Here are the key things you should do right away.

Published: 13 August 2024 10:26 CEST
Updated: 9 September 2024 14:38 CEST
Five things you need to do right away if you're getting laid off in Sweden

Employment levels in Sweden have been quite volatile in 2023 and 2024, with several major companies in the country announcing significant layoffs. On September 9th, Northvolt became the latest company to announce it would be reducing its workforce.

In early August, the Swedish Labour Ministry announced that the country was facing its highest unemployment rate in a decade, excluding the pandemic period.

This economic landscape has left many workers uncertain about their job security.

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And while receiving a layoff notice is undeniably stressful for anyone, this stress is often magnified for foreigners who may not be completely familiar with the Swedish employment system and their workplace rights.

Without proper knowledge, you might agree to terms that aren’t in your best interest. This can, in turn, lead to decisions that could have long-term career consequences.

The Local has consulted experts in the field to compile an overview of the critical actions you should take if you ever face a layoff in Sweden.

Don’t rush to sign anything

Amanda Herzog, founder of Intertalents in Sweden, a consultancy that helps international job seekers find their dream job in the country, published a popular post on LinkedIn Pulse in December 2023 with multiple excellent tips for workers regarding the Swedish layoff process.

She told The Local Sweden that her recommendations still stand in mid-2024, permitting us to re-share her tips, and pointed to some of the more important ones.

“Never, ever sign a termination agreement on the same day you receive the news,” Herzog advised, noting that the emotional shock can cloud your judgment.

  • Don’t miss any of The Local’s stories about working in Sweden by downloading our app (available on Apple and Android) and then selecting Working in Sweden in your Notification options via the User button

Instead, find a union immediately, preferably the same day, to get a second opinion on the terms and conditions.

“During my first layoff, I joined a union and sought advice the same day. It took a week to accept their terms, which worked in my favour as the company was keen on a voluntary headcount reduction,” Herzog shared.

Contact a labour or immigration lawyer (if you’re on a work permit)

Losing your job affects your right to stay in Sweden if you’re on a work permit.

You typically have three months to find a new job and submit a work permit application with your new employer (The Local has a more detailed article on the layoff implications on your work permit, which you can find here).

However, Saaya Sorrells-Weatherford, co-founder of the relocation consultancy Emigreat, told The Local that as a foreigner, you might not be familiar with the nuances of the Swedish employment system and could agree to terms that shorten your stay in Sweden.

“If you are given your termination notice, contact a labour or immigration lawyer immediately,” she said.

Consulting with a lawyer ensures you understand your rights and work through facts and applicable regulations, not word-of-mouth anecdotes.

Negotiate your severance, use leverage

Herzog also singled out several necessary actions that workers who are about to be laid off need to consider regarding severance contracts.

“Severance contracts can be negotiated,” Herzog emphasised.

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Nothing is final until you sign the agreement. The company might present the decision as final, but you have leverage.

“A union process can be time-consuming for the company and may not end in their favour,” Herzog said.

Use this to your advantage to negotiate better terms.

“I was able to negotiate a raise during my first layoff, even though I would no longer be working, as well as negotiated two extra working months from the termination date.

“This meant I had seven months total of future salary coming to me. I was also able to negotiate a free cell phone and laptop that I was using at work,” she noted.

Get recommendations early – and build a portfolio of your work

Asking your coworkers for recommendation letters and LinkedIn recommendations before your last day is imperative.

“People forget and move on and are less responsive when they no longer see you daily,” Herzog said.

So, make sure to secure these endorsements while your contributions are still fresh in their minds.

Furthermore, you should compile a portfolio of your work as soon as possible.

Companies can restrict access to files and systems post-layoff, making it crucial to collect relevant data while you still can.

“Start collecting work samples, case studies, photos, results, and important contacts in the same week you receive the news,” Herzog suggested.

Ensure that your layoff is being handled properly

Make sure your layoff is handled appropriately and legally.

“One of my layoffs was mishandled, and I used union support to hold the company accountable,” Herzog recalled.

While legal advice can be expensive, it’s far more affordable than fighting deportation, Sorrells-Weatherford told The Local.

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