Baby Massage: Tips and Benefits for Newborns
Infants thrive on touch – it’s a way that parents can connect with their baby in a nurturing way. Newborns especially love to be cuddled and held as it helps them feel secure and loved. In some ways, touch is an essential nutrient for growth. That’s why baby massage is a great way to soothe and calm your baby. Infant massage is the perfect way to interact and bond with your baby. There are countless benefits of baby massage from soothing a teething baby to easing symptoms of colic and gas. Read on to discover the amazing benefits of baby massage and simple techniques to get a new mom started.
When should I start massaging baby?
It’s best to wait until baby is between 10 days and two weeks before starting infant massage. This is due to the fact that baby’s skin barrier hasn’t fully developed, making their skin vulnerable to becoming dry or reacting to whatever oil or lotion you choose to use.
What are the benefits of baby massage?
1. Boosts psychological and social development
Stimulating baby’s sense of touch has a positive effect on their psychological and social development. It also helps to strengthen the bond between baby and parent, and promote learning through touch.
2. Relaxes muscles and eases stress
You might be wondering what kind of stress a baby would be under but their little systems can feel stress, especially when dealing with things like colic. Massage helps to relieve stress and relax baby’s muscles which stimulates the release of oxytocin and decreases levels of cortisol (a stress hormone).
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3. Stimulates the nervous system
Massage helps to stimulate the nervous systems and improve baby’s motor skill development.
4. Helps baby sleep
Babies who are massaged before bedtime sleep better and produce more melatonin (a sleep regulating hormone) than babies who haven’t been massaged. To help soothe and calm baby even further before bedtime, try using a sound machine and light projector like Bubzi Co.'s Baby Sleep Soothing Owl. This sleep owl sings 10 gentle lullabies and projects colorful starlight in the nursery to softly soothe your baby to sleep. It’s the perfect companion to your nightly massage routine.
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5. Provides comfort for teething pain
Massaging baby improves their blood circulation which can help decrease the level of discomfort caused by teething.
6. Helps ease baby’s tummy troubles
Massaging baby’s tummy can help provide relief to your little one from common tummy troubles like gas, colic and constipation by improving bowel motility and function.
What is the best time to massage baby?
The best time to massage your baby is when they are alert, well-rested and aware of the environment around them. Wait at least 45 minutes in between feeding sessions to massage baby as the massage may be uncomfortable on a full stomach. After the massage wait another 15 minutes before feeding baby again to allow them some time to relax completely.
You can also try adding massage to your bedtime routine. It’s a great way to soothe baby to sleep and will help them develop a correlation between massage and bedtime. Another good idea is to give baby a massage before their bath so that you can wash away any oil left on baby’s skin after their massage.
How do I prepare for baby’s massage?
Lay a comfortable blanket on the floor and lay baby on top. As you’re massaging your baby, pay close attention to how they react. Only continue the massage if baby is comfortable and responding well to the touch. If they seem irritated or upset, it’s better to stop and try again at another time. There really is no set amount of time that the massage should last.
As you massage your baby, use an all-natural, non-irritating oil or lotion that is meant for babies. This will moisturize the skin and make the movements easier.
How to Massage your Baby: A Step by Step Guide
What are some techniques for massaging baby?
Areas to avoid – Chest and Face: This is especially important for very young babies who aren’t used to massage yet. They may become defensive when it comes to someone touching their chest and face, especially with oil or lotion.
Arms and legs: Gently squeeze baby’s arms and legs, applying gentle pressure as you do so. Glide your hands down away from the center of baby’s body, stroking their arms and legs away from the heart.
Wrists and ankles: Gently rotate the wrists and ankles to exercise baby’s joints. With your fingers, make small circles on the palms of baby’s hands and the soles of their feet.
Back: Using a gentle, swooping stroke, move from baby’s neck down to their bottom. When massaging baby’s back, avoid massaging them directly on their spine and never use your fingertips.
Tummy: Applying gently pressure, massage baby’s tummy using clockwise circles around the belly button, making sure your hands are flat as you do so. Avoid using your fingertips on the tummy area.
Giving your baby a daily massage not only benefits their little bodies and minds, it also helps you bond with your baby. Massaging your baby on a regular basis can provide comfort to your little one. A nightly massage can have great benefits for sleep, while a gentle tummy massage can relieve the discomfort of gas and colic. However you choose to massage your baby, just know that you are supporting their overall health and development and nurturing that unmistakable bond with your baby. So go out and get some oil and brush up on the massage techniques above to start seeing the benefits of massage for your baby.
Photo credit: Bigstock, Pixabay
