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Infant/Baby Massage
FAQ: Massaging Baby
Is
massaging good for my baby?
The vast majority
of pediatricians and child psychologists
believe that there are many physical,
developmental, and psychological
benefits of infant massage for both baby
and parent (especially the father in
many instances). The power of massage
to support and nurture the parental bond
through touch is great. Remember,
babies are not verbal for what may be a
long time (for baby and for you).
Gentle, loving, soothing massage is a
very powerful way to tell baby once more
that baby is loved and treasured very
deeply.
Tiffany M. Field,
Ph.D., of the University of Miami School
of Medicine has studied the effects of
massage. When infants were massaged for
15 minutes a day they spent more time in
the active, alert, and awake states,
cried less, had lower stress hormone
levels, and went to sleep faster after
the massage. Over a six-week period the
massaged babies gained weight, showed
improvement in emotionality,
sociability, and temperament. Her
study concludes that the benefits of
massage are stimulation, relaxation,
relief, and interaction.
Is
it true that massage can relieve baby’s
stress?
Babies
carry a lot of stress. As mentioned
before, babies cannot communicate
verbally. Their tiny bodies are going
through multiple changes at what may
sometimes be perceived as lightning
speed. On top of all that babies have
discomfort—muscle fatigue from sitting
in stroller too long, indigestion, and
colic that ranges from intense pain and
stimulation intolerance to mildly
uncomfortable gassy spells. Massage
helps relieve painful gas by toning the
digestive tract and moving gas and fecal
matter into the bowels for expulsion. In
addition, certain massage techniques
help in the relief of discomforts such
as teething.
What does baby massage give parents?
Typically parents
report that the focus on giving baby,
gentle, soothing touch through massage
helps them to relax. In many families,
baby massage can be a very special time
for baby and dad to bond. In some
cases, fathers may feel left out of the
special bond that a breast-feeding mom
and baby share. Massage is a way for
dad to soothe and comfort baby and make
baby more acquainted with his touch, his
manner, even his smell.
Baby massage
fosters trust as well as well as
bonding. Trust is typically a gift most
parents want in as abundant a supply as
possible.
Perhaps most
importantly: Baby massage is fun!
Can
massage help babies to sleep better?
Some infants sleep
for longer periods following massage and
appear to have longer periods of deep
sleep. Most parents are pleased with a
naturally enhanced sleep cycle for
babies and it is often the reason they
seek an infant massage course. As with
many other situations involving infants,
a course of action that is effective
with one infant does not apply to the
next. There are cases where the
problematic sleep pattern of infants is
not affected by massage.
How
can massage help a baby developmentally?
Some professional
infant massage instructors encourage
parents to name body parts during
massage. This simple practice teaches
infants games, words and speech. In
addition to this, newborns still
adapting to an environment without the
boundaries of the womb may learn things
such as where their body starts and
finishes and that their feet and hands
are in fact attached to the rest of
their body.
What do I need to massage my baby?
-
Most
importantly, a mom, dad, grandparent
who is ready to step away from the
cares of the day and focus on
enjoying some truly special time
with baby.
-
A
warm, quiet room.
-
A
clean blanket or massage mat. A
soft mat or blanket will be more
comfortable for baby. A pillow for
baby’s head.
-
Massage balm or massage oil. Before
massaging, you will put a small
amount of massage balm or oil in
your palm and rub between your hands
to warm it and cover your hands.
Avoid mineral oils and other harsh
petrochemicals. Natural emollients
like vitamin E, squalene, shea
butter, and sunflower oil will not
only feel good to baby, but will
also nourish baby’s delicate skin.
-
Absolute quiet or very soft
background music. Some parents
enjoy soft classical music in the
background. Experiment and see what
baby prefers. Remember that baby
enjoys the sound of your voice in
soft, soothing tones. Or, if baby
wants massage time to be about fun,
baby loves the sound of your
laughter.
-
To
improve and expand your technique,
there are many wonderful books
written on infant massage, many
hospitals offer courses and share
articles with new parents.
Are
there any special things to know about
infant massage?
Typically, babies
enjoy your discovery of their little
toes!
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