Posted on October 24, 2007 in Massage Techniques
Every mother wants her child to be healthy, in fact more and more healthy as the child grows. Also, she wants to develop a good bond with her baby. For this, baby massage, also known as infant massage, is a common practice followed since ages. Regular baby massage helps the child to grow healthy – physically and mentally. Baby massage refreshes the body and mind of the baby and makes the child learn how touch is an important tool to express love or feelings.
Benefits of baby massage
Regular baby massage helps the pre-mature babies to gain weight. It reduces colic in babies and strengthens the immune system. Infant massage is the best way a mother can help her child to have overall growth and muscle development. Apart from these daily baby massage offers the following great benefits to your baby.
- Helps parents bond with their infants
- Smoothens the transition of womb to world
- Teaches baby the first lesson of loving with touch
- Creates a feeling of security for the kid
- Helps in overall development of the baby – body, mind and soul
- Helps reduce the problems like constipation
- Regulates and strengthens child’s digestive and respiratory systems
- Stimulate circulatory and nervous systems
- Gives relaxation
- Reduces fussiness and betters sleep
- Improves the health of the skin
How to give baby massage?
Here are ways and tips on how you can give a good infant massage to your baby.
- Before starting massaging your baby remove the jewelry on your hands. It may poke or cause damage to the soft skin of your baby.
- Wash your hands before starting the massage. Make sure your hands are warm not cold because it will disturb your baby if you touch with cold hands.
- Keep all necessary requirements for baby massage – oils, bath mats, towels and diapers.
- Spread the mat on a flat surface. Undress your bay and keep him on the mat with the face up.
- Massage your baby with firm and smooth strokes, not hard strokes.
- When massaging stomach area, use light circular movements. Avoid massaging the spine.
- When applying strokes – in case of arms and legs they should be directed upwards and on back directed downwards.
- Maintain eye contact with your baby while massaging. You can sing some good song or talk to your kid.
- Don’t apply massage oils to your child’s fingers or palms, because your child may put them into his/her mouths.
- Don’t massage when your baby when he/she is ill or even just after feeding. Don’t wake up your baby for massaging.
- Avoid the body areas that have rashes, wounds or received injections, because the massage may cause pain to your baby rather than relaxing.
Comments
Leave a Reply
