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Infant massage is an ancient practice that has many benefits for a baby’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It was popularized in the West by Vimala Schneider McClure in the 1970s. Massaging babies aids digestion, stimulates blood flow, strengthens immunity, improves sleep, and helps premature babies gain weight. Parents can perform massages at home by creating the right atmosphere, undressing the baby, placing them on a soft surface, using natural oils, and stroking their body gently. Bonding with the child is also important. Regular massages should be given at a specific time during the day.
Baby massage is the ancient practice of applying regular and gentle pressure to a baby’s body for their physical, mental and emotional well-being. While infant massage has been practiced for centuries in regions such as India, Pakistan and Africa, it was popularized in the West by Vimala Schneider McClure in the 1970s. McClure traveled to India and noticed the benefits of infant massage while she was visiting an orphanage. When she returned to her home in the United States, she wrote about the practice and founded the International Infant Massage Association.
The benefits of massaging babies are numerous. On a physical level, infant massage aids digestion by reducing gas and colic, stimulates blood flow, strengthens immunity, increases nerve function, improves sleep, and helps premature babies gain weight. The children’s intellect and motor skills also benefited from the practice. Infant massages can also strengthen the bond between parents and babies. While some parents choose to take their babies to a professional trained in baby massage techniques, a baby massage can be successfully performed at home:
Create the right atmosphere. The baby should be relaxed, in a room around 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25.5 degrees Celsius), and fed for the last 30 minutes. The soft lights also help reduce the child’s stress level and fear of the new activity.
Undress the baby. Performing a massage on a naked baby allows the baby to react naturally to the physical stimulation inherent in an infant massage. However, intact areas of the body should be covered in cold weather to protect against disease.
Place the baby on a soft, spongy surface. Placing babies on a bed or on your lap makes them more receptive to massage. Pillows can be used to help baby feel safe, secure and comfortable, but babies respond best to the skin-to-skin contact offered by bare legs.
Put grapeseed or sweet almond oil on your hands and rub them to warm them. Natural oils are good for baby massage because they are smooth, easily absorbed into the skin, and can be digested if the baby puts some in their mouth. Other types of natural oils such as coconut, apricot, safflower or avocado can work just as well, as long as they contain vitamin E and have been cold pressed. Patch testing the oil on a baby’s skin about 30 minutes before a massage can warn of potential allergies.
Beginning by stroking baby lengthwise from head to toe. Applying the same amount of pressure to the child’s body as you would to the eyes without hurting them is the right amount of force to use. Massage your baby’s face, shoulders, arms, chest, stomach, legs, ankles, feet and toes in that order. A gentle squeeze on the appendages can stimulate blood flow. Crying, tensing, or other signs of discomfort should be taken as cues to end the massage session.
Use your fingertips and the sides of your fingers to gently stroke sections of your baby’s body. Babies tend to respond especially well to circular motions on the abdomen and around the belly button. The scalp, the tops of the eyelids, the ears and the area between the eyebrows also deserve attention. Because every baby is different, the massage motion and areas being massaged should be informed by the baby’s responses to them.
Bond with the child. Making eye contact and talking to your baby provides an opportunity to connect. Some parents sing or explain each new movement to the child as a way to establish communication and enhance the development of verbal skills.
Baby massages that become a regular part of a baby’s routine should be given at a specific time during the day so that the baby can get used to receiving them. Many parents choose to give their baby a relaxing massage in the morning, after a bath or before a nap. Also, announcing the massages as they are being performed allows children to connect speech to action. As a result, and over time, they will be able to signal their receptivity to one when it is announced and offered.
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