Baby Massage

Touch is the most powerful of all interactions between a parent and child. Your baby will sense what you are feeling by the way they are touched.

Baby massage is a wonderful way to bond with your baby and can even help calm them for sleep. You can start when your baby is a newborn or when they're a bit older.

What are the benefits of baby massage?

There are many benefits of infant massage. Some of them include:

• Establishing and regulating healthy sleep patterns.
• Helping your baby into a state of calm.
• Improving parent-infant interaction, sleep and relaxation.
• Reducing crying, lowering cortisol levels and increasing serotonin levels - all of which helps to make your baby feel happy.
• Improving weight gain and development
• Can assist a child's muscle tone, sleep patterns and bowel movements.

Parents who massage their babies are better able to understand their baby's communication signals and their babies are more socially alert.

When and where to massage your baby

The best time to massage your baby is when you and your baby are both in a calm state. This can be at any time of the day. Ideally, your baby should be quiet and alert.

It's important to be gentle, calm and nurturing when you touch your baby as this will help them feel a sense of trust, kindness and security.

If you are feeling stressed or overtired, it's best not to massage your baby until you are in a more positive, calm state.

You can massage your baby when they are fully, partially clothed or undressed.

The massage can go for as little as a minute or as long as you are both enjoying the time together.

Choosing oils for infant massage

• Olive or any vegetable oil is usually a good choice
• Avoid using essential oils including lavender or eucalyptus oil, for infants under two years of age.
• If you have a known peanut allergy do not use refined peanut oils as they may contain traces of peanut protein and could cause a reaction to you or your baby.
• Whatever oil you decide to use, always check the ingredients on the label.

How do I massage my baby?

Start from the neck and use firm, gently, smooth and rhythmic long strokes. Glide over the skin and maintain contact at all times. 

You could stroke from your baby's shoulders to their fingers then your baby's hips to their toes. You can stroke their face and turn them over to stroke their back. 

Keep an eye on your baby and stop if they're getting uncomfortable or they've had enough.

Baby massage for wind

If you think your baby has wind pain, baby massage might be helpful to try to dislodge it. Start at the baby’s lower right abdomen and rub your hand softly in a clockwise direction around your baby's tummy. 

You could also use your palms to gently slide down from the ribcage down the tummy, one hand at a time.