Babies simply love to be touched. In fact, they thrive on it -- it is a critical part of growth and development of a baby. Not only can you use massage to bond with your baby, it can also help with: digestive discomforts like gas and constipation, sleep, and sibling bonding.
Massaging your baby can be just as relaxing for you as it is for them. Pick a time in the day where you are both calm and add it to your daily routine. Make sure you set up you massage area in a warm room before getting started.
You will also need a large, soft surface (on the floor for a mobile baby), an extra blanket to ensure your baby stays warm, toys to keep your baby entertained and an all natural oil like the Weleda Calendula oil or for sensitive skin the White Mallow Body Lotion.
Next, ask your baby for permission and get them ready for massage time. I like to teach parents to wiggle there fingers and rub their hands together while they verbally ask permission. This helps to give their baby the cues for the massage.
In the baby massage classes I teach at my clinic Fully Alive Wellness Centre in Oakville, Ont., I talk to parents about reading their baby's body language and listening to the noises they make during massage. Rigid unsynchronized limb movements and grunting noises can mean baby needs a break or is uncomfortable with the massage technique. Cooing sounds and direct eye contact can be signs that your baby loves the massage!
As a new parent myself, I understand the stress of watching your new baby suffer with gas pains or having a bout of constipation. Massage is an all natural tool parents can use to relieve their child's discomforts. Common techniques are leg pumping, the I Love U technique, and clockwise circles along the large intestine (an upside down U shaped organ about half an inch away from their belly button).
I have had a lot of parents report to me that they use massage to help their little one sleep better. You can use long soothing strokes on your baby's body to calm and relax them before nap or bed time. I have found this beneficial for newborns and I have also experienced them falling asleep during massage.
Remember that your baby may not always be in the mood for massage, so don't give up just try another time of day. If you would like more information on baby massage, visit our website or to find a RMT in your area who works with babies go to www.cmto.com.
Nicole Nifo Registered Massage Therapist, Certified Pediatric Massage Therapist, Doula
Fully Alive Wellness Centre
289-815-0338
www.fullyalivecentre.com
www.facebook.com/fullyalivewellnesscentre
