Baby Massage

 

Baby massage is gentle, rhythmic stroking of your baby's body with your hands. As part of your massage routine, you can gently manipulate your baby's ankles, wrists and fingers. You can talk softly, hum or sing to your baby while you are massaging, which may make it more reassuring for your baby.

The soothing strokes of your hands stimulate the production of the feel-good hormone oxytocin in you and your baby. Oxytocin is the hormone that gives you that warm, loving feeling when you hold your baby close.

 

You may find that giving your baby a massage lifts your mood and helps you to feel more empowered as a parent. The time you set aside for a massage can be your special time together. As you massage your baby, it comes naturally to chat to her and have plenty of eye contact with her. 

This is one reason why massage can help mums with postnatal depression, or who are at risk of depression, to interact with their babies.

 

The key elements of baby massage are:

 

• Touch

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

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Benefits of baby massage

 

• Promotes bonding and attachment

• Increases sense of love, acceptance, respect and trust

• Improves ability to read infant cues

• Increases communication

• Improves relaxation ans stress

• Provides quality time

• Stimulates circulation

• Strengthens digestive, circulatory and gastrointestinal systems

• Reduces discomfort from teething, congestion, gas and colic

• Improves muscle tone and co-ordination

• Improves sleep patterns and longer durations

 

Benefits for mum

 

• Improves sense of well being

• Reduces blood pressure

• Reduces stress

• Improves overall health

• Improves body awareness

• Increases confidence

• Promotes parenting skills