Baby Massage - Benefits for baby and Mom

One of the good ways to bond with your baby is through massage. It is a lovely way of expressing your love and care towards your baby. Baby massage is a gentle, rhythmic,

stroking with oil or moisturizer, into your baby’s ankle, wrists and fingers is known to increase their blood circulation.

The following are the benefits of baby massage:

For baby:

• Aids digestion

• Improves circulation and immune system

• Eases teeth pain

• Develops mental, physical and social skills

• Bonds with mother

• Stays relaxed and not upset (Fuss less and sleep better)

A study by Touch Research Institute, on ‘Massage of preterm newborns to improve growth and development’, suggested greater weight gain and superior performance on developmental assessments persisted across the first 6 months for the group of infants that received massage treatment.

For mother:

• It reduces postpartum depression

• Helps Feel good and more empowered

• Improves bonding with the baby

The best time to massage your baby -

• Between feeds, when your baby is awake and settled.

• Morning hours- exposure to sunlight helps to meet vitamin D and thereby the calcium absorption is increased that strengthens their bones. It also improves the blood circulation. Massaging can last for 10 -30 minutes.

Requirements for baby's massage:-

• Oils - Olive,coconut oil, sesame oil

• Well lighted and ventilated room or balcony to massage and expose them in morning sun for getting adequate vitamin D

• Relaxing music (optional).

How to massage:

• Apply a little oil all over the body to see if the child is comfortable with the oil post bath.

• Heat and cool the oil or rub a little oil between your palms to warm it and work on the legs first and gradually move towards the head.

• Stroke gently and squeeze the calves of legs. Lift the leg up and down and press the knee on the tummy (not too hard).

• For chest and tummy, spread your hands flat against the center of the body and move to the sides. Use your fingertips to stroke outwards in small circles.

• Talk to you baby giving eye contact while massaging as this improves their social skills and you can find out baby cues.

• If your baby cries or gets stiff or turns face then it is time to stop massaging.

So take out some time for your baby massaging and spend special time together!

#baby massage #Oils #Howtomassage #benefitsofmassage