Does massage play an important role in the development and growth of your child? Parents all over the world have been massaging their newborn babies for centuries. It is a more common phenomenon in Indian culture than in western countries, but the trend has probably evolved because of the health benefits.
Baby massage is nothing but the simple soothing and lovely bond of expressing your love and care for your baby. It includes the process of gentle, rhythmic, stroking of your baby with your hands.
In this article, we will talk about the benefits of baby massage, why baby massage is important, types of it, how to massage, and the best oil to massage your baby.
Does Massage Help a New Born Baby?
Why baby massage? Are you stuck with this question? I will help you out in finding the answer. Massage (R) has an ample number of benefits for your baby. Let’s list out some of the benefits that massage do for a newborn baby.
- The first foremost benefit of baby massage is that it helps in the growth and development of your baby. It focuses on the mental, physical, and social development of the baby.
- It helps in a positive way to enhance the love and bond between the mother and baby.
- Massaging the baby can help with the weight gain up to 2 months of age.
- Helps to reduce the level of chances in developing jaundice for the newborn.
- It protects the infant’s skin and provides them with healthy and bright skin.
- Baby massage helps to get away with gas and constipation problem of your baby.
- The baby gets calms responses to stress and pain.
- Massage helps the newborn to get better sleep.
- Massaging newborn bring a positive effect on the electrical brain activity and enhance learning capacity.
- It improves the heart rate, nervous system and the digestive system gets better with the massage.
Things to avoid While Messaging Your Baby
The amount of focus we give for the importance and benefit of massaging (R) to your baby the same we have to take care of things that need to be avoided while massaging. Let’s point out some brownie points to take care off.
- A proper time frame is needed to figure out, either morning or evening.
- While massaging avoid to massage on the face as it will drip into eyes and mouth.
- The head should not be massage as it is quite soft for the newborn.
- Try to avoid with deep massaging, it must be short and sweet.
- Pay your 100% attention while massaging, you should not be engaged with multiple activities at the same time.
- Try to use essential oils and avoid massaging oil with artificial ingredients, perfumes, PEG, EDTA.
- Be careful while picking up your baby after massaging.
Check Out These Types Of Massage For Your Baby
Types of Massages for Your Baby
1. Leg Massage for Babies:
Apply a squirt of oil or cream in your palm and gently rub it onto your baby’s legs. Massage heels up to toes and stroke from bottom to top of the baby’s foot. Do it a few times and then switch to the other leg. Make sure you don’t pull the fingers as you do in adult foot massage.
Benefits:
- It helps in developing the sensation in the newborn
- It makes the legs grow stronger and the baby learns to walk early.
When to do:
- Before massaging arms, hand, and body.
- Evening time is quite flexible for leg massage
How often:
- Do this 1-2 times daily for effective result
2. Belly Massage for Babies:
It is another type of baby massage that helps provide relief. Just stroke your palm from top of the belly towards downwards. Move your hands all around the belly in a circular motion and clockwise. Try to avoid the belly button of a newborn as it is too soft. The pressure in the belly massage should be gentle and light.
Benefits:
- It helps in improving the digestive system of the newborn.
- The baby gets relief from gas and constipation issues.
When to do:
- Belly massage should be after chest and shoulder massage
- The first session of massage in the morning is a good time for belly massage.
How often:
- Do this once in a day
3. Arm Massage for Babies:
The process of arm massage is quite similar to leg massaging. You should gently hold the baby’s arms and move the stroke towards forearm and the upper arms in a circular manner with your palm. After massaging one side, you should move to the other side. This type of baby massage is quite interesting and fun for the baby and moms.
Benefits:
- It helps in the growth and development of the newborn
- It helps manage stress and pain
When to do:
- After leg massage, the baby should be done with arm massage
- Morning and evening
How often:
- Do this 1-2 times daily for effective results.
4. Neck Massage for Babies:
Massaging the neck could be challenging as it is soft and delicate. Careful attention is needed while massaging. Just make a right balance between baby’s head and upper body with one hand, place your palm very gently over the neck area of the baby and give a soft and sweet massage all over the neck area.
Benefits:
- It maintains the strength of the body.
- Its keep away from cough, cold and throat infection.
When to do:
- Morning massage should focus on neck massaging than in the evening.
- Massage should be done after belly massage.
How often:
- Repeat once in a day
5. Colic Relief Massage for Babies:
Colic relief massage is one of the best massages that the baby enjoys. It really gives relief to a baby from pain and stress. You just need to rotate the knees clockwise around over the tummy and hold for about 30 seconds before releasing. Do repeat this for a few seconds. Make sure your hand’s stroke down on the abdomen. This does help with the sleeping cycles of the baby too.
Benefits:
- It helps release wind from the baby’s digestive system.
- Its develops better sensation.
When to do:
- Colic relief massage should follow after the belly, leg, hand and shoulder massage.
- It can be done during the morning as well as the evening.
How often:
- Do this two times a day.
6. Chest and Shoulder Massage for Babies:
For the chest and shoulder massage, make a gentle stroke in both sides of the shoulder towards the chest of the baby. The move should be repeated with gentle motion and done softly. The stroke of palm should move from upwards to downwards of the belly area.
Benefits:
- It takes care of the heart rate and nervous system of the baby.
- It keeps away from various chest infection cold, cough, flu, dust allergy, etc.
When to do:
- Ater belly massage, the baby should go for chest and shoulder massage.
- Morning is the best time for chest and shoulder massage.
How often:
- Do this one time in a day.
7. Back Massage for Babies:
This is the very last aspect of baby massage. Turn the baby backside and massage the back. Take a squirt of oil on your palm and rub it in an upward motion with a soft touch. Repeat the stroke for a few minutes. Make sure you don’t press too hard on the spine of the baby.
Benefits:
- Baby gets rid of congestion and hiccups issues.
- The bones of the baby grow strong and healthy.
When to do:
- End every massage session with the back massage.
- Morning and evening go well with a back massage.
How often:
- Repeat this 2 times in a day.
Baby infant massage is becoming quite popular in today’s date. A wide variety of options are available that provide the best advice and suggestion to new parents in order to deal more effectively with their newborn’s skincare and health. Massage helps a lot in the growth and development of the newborn. We hope this article was informative enough and comes in handy for you.
