How to massage your baby?

The importance of touch in pregnancy, childbirth and infancy is undeniably, the most enjoyable way to improve the development, health and well being of your baby. Massage makes use of the mother and father’s desire to touch and caress their child using soothing, healing and relaxing techniques that affects both the infant’s and parent’s contentment. It is important to perform the massage strokes and techniques in the correct way to get the full benefits and to choose a time when the baby is not hungry and preferably, just before bath time. Massage is the methodical rubbing and stroking of the soft tissues of the body, and is described as a touch therapy. Touch and massage are essential elements in the healthy development of infants in the early months of life. Research shows that babies receiving massage from their mothers have increased nerve and brain cell growth and better cell activity and hormonal growth.

Get yourself and your baby comfortable

Find a comfortable position for massaging your baby by sitting on the floor with your legs outstretched and your back supported against the furniture. The knees should be bent slightly outward, with the soles of the feet touching each other. This is called the cradle pose, which is recommended by many therapists for massaging newborns. The cradle created by the legs can then be padded with blankets and then place the infant in the center. This position will help your baby feel secure and warm. If your baby's head is placed at the arches of your feet, it will be able to look at you.

Newborns have quite a short attention span so the massage should be made up of only a few repetitions of each technique. Remember that most of your movements should come from the lower back. It is best to perform a full sequence everyday, accompanied by a nursery rhyme or constant talking. As the baby grows to enjoy these sessions, you can increase the time you spend on the massage. When preparing for infant massage, experts recommend that you use oil on the baby's skin to prevent friction. Choosing the right oil is important to avoid read more