Infant Massage
Touch is an important way to communicate with your baby.
Infants need touch to be healthy, to grow and develop.
Infant massage is a special way of touching your baby that
has many benefits.
What are the benefits?
- Relaxation. Gently massaging a baby eases their muscles
and reduces tension. This can help with colic, releasing
gas and easing muscle spasms that often accompany colic.
Massage can also help ease the pain of teething and
constipation. Massage can reduce fussiness and
irritability and help the baby sleep better. The person
giving the massage also gets the benefit of relaxation.
- Bonding. Spending time caressing and touching your baby
with loving care can help you feel more connected and in
tune with your baby. This can be helpful for the father,
who may feel left out, especially if the mother is
breast-feeding.
- Growth and development. Research has shown that infant
massage can stimulate growth promoting hormones. This
can result in increased weight gain, which is very
important in premature babies. It can also improve
immune functions which can result in fewer illnesses.
- Communication. Talking to your baby as you massage her
teaches her valuable communication skills. Babies learn
to speak by watching your lips form words, by listening
to the tone of your voice, and by hearing the words.
- Increased awareness of the baby. Infant massage can help
you get to know your baby's temperament. It can also
help you become more familiar with your baby's body.
This helps alert you to changes from illness or other
conditions.
How do I start?
- Choose a relaxing time to massage your baby. This can be
upon waking, after a bath, before bed, or whenever it
fits in well. It helps to be on a regular schedule.
- When you give the massage, make sure that the room not
too bright, and that there is no light shining directly
on the baby's face. Keep the room warm and free from
drafts.
- Most babies prefer massage with oil. Vegetable or plant
oils (such as grape seed oil and sweet almond oil) are
better than baby oil, because they are easily absorbed
into the skin. Look for an oil that says it "cold
pressed" on the label. Do not use nut oils. They can
cause an allergic reaction.
- It is best to massage babies while they are not wearing
clothes - not even a diaper. This allows more contact
and is more relaxing for the baby.
How do I massage my baby?
It is best to start with the legs and feet using slow, long,
gentle strokes. It is recommended that you then move to the
chest, starting a long stroke at the stomach that moves up
to the shoulders. Then, continue the long slow strokes down
the arms. End with massaging the baby's back, slowly moving
from the bottom up to the shoulders. Pay attention to what
your baby likes the most. Remember this if for them! Stop
massaging if the baby cries and try again at another time.
Infant massage is an activity that comes naturally to many
parents. However, there may be special situations. For
example, babies who have a seizure disorder or motor
impairments may not respond well to infant massage. If you
have trouble, there are massage therapist who specialize in
infant massage. There are also classes that parents can
attend to learn how to massage their babies. These are
often offered at community centers, pediatrician's offices,
hospitals, and massage centers.
Written by Judith J. Becerra, MS, LPC.
This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to
change as new health information becomes available. The
information is intended to inform and educate and is not a
replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or
treatment by a healthcare professional.
Copyright © 2006 McKesson Corporation and/or one of its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.