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There are plenty of benefits from a baby massage. With every gentle stroke, your little one will feel loved and nurtured, reinforcing the bond between mother and child. A baby massage can also let your baby feel more relaxed, effectively helping him sleep.
Baby massage oil will not only help deal with skin friction but can also soothe an anxious or restless baby. There are even studies that suggest that baby massages can promote better growth. Though these researches need further verification, collective feedback from parents somewhat validate this finding.
If you want to try massaging your baby, but you are not sure where to start, read these techniques and benefits.
Baby massage promotes parent-child bonding
As you interact with your little one, communication and trust are improved. The gentle touch of hands can calm your baby while also making him cared for and loved. Parent anecdotes also suggest that babies feel relaxed when they are massaged. As a result, they sleep better, and they feel less anxious.
Baby massages can stimulate the digestive and circulatory systems
In research conducted by the International Association of Infant Massage or IAIM, it was revealed that baby massages could help stimulate the baby’s digestive and circulatory systems. Because of this, babies suffering from constipation, colic, cramps, and gas can feel relief.
Aside from these, massages can also ease teething discomfort, growing pains, and muscular tension, while also stimulating the infant’s preterm growth. A word of caution, though, if your baby has any pre-existing health condition, speak with a doctor first before trying massaging your baby.
When should you start massaging your baby?
According to IAIM, it is okay for parents to start massaging their babies as soon as they are born. Dads and moms love to place their babies on their chest, skin to skin. In this position, you can slowly stroke your baby’s back and legs. After this, you can also move to other parts of their body like the arm.
During the first few weeks after the baby’s birth, you can start massaging your little one. You have to consider your baby’s mood, though. Only massage him when he is content, alert, and calm. If your baby seems uncomfortable with your massaging technique, stop doing it.
Massaging with baby massage oil
The good thing about a baby massage oil is that it reduces the skin friction the baby feels because of the massage. If you prefer to use massage oil, make sure to go for the edible and odourless ones. Babies can get oil residues in their mouths. It is also safer if you opt for organic oil, as this can pose lesser risks of irritation to your baby’s skin.
To make sure that your baby is not allergic to the oil that you will use, run a test first. Dab a patch of your little one’s skin with the oil. If you can see some rashes or if you see that your baby is scratching that area where you dab oil, discontinue using it.
The Final Takeaway
Giving your baby a massage can bring excellent effects not only to the baby but also to the parent. The bond between parent and child becomes better because of these intimate and loving massages. However, not all parents feel comfortable giving their babies a massage. That is why you do not have to be discouraged if it does not work out well at first. With practice, you and your baby can enjoy the plethora of benefits from baby massages.
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