Massaging Your Baby

Each baby needs to feel safe and warm, surrounded by the love of his/her parents. That is a feeling that can be reinforced with the help of the massage, and we will mention one of the easiest ways to do it, so that your baby feels protected and comfortable.

What do we need to know before the massage?

You can always start massaging your baby right after his/her umbilical cord falls off and heals. The massage must be performed of course in a warm environment. You should also choose the right moment for your baby, and avoid massaging him/her when hungry or tired. This special affectionate activity must be an occasion of happiness, for both the parents and the baby. It should not last more than ten minutes.

Therefore, this is how it should be: the baby should be placed on a flat warm surface. A blanket on the carpet can be useful. Special massage oils, made of plants, or even special baby oil, warmed up in your palms before the massage helps relax your baby’s body and also help your hands slide on the soft skin of your baby.

Another thing: during the massage, try to look into your baby’s eyes. Pay attention to the reactions of the baby, and you will see when something is not right for him/her. If such a thing should happen, reduce the intensity of your touch, or just stop what you are doing. The younger the baby is, the lighter your hand movements should be. You should use your whole palm for massaging, but at the same time taking care not to press too much. If the touch is too gentle, your baby might be tickled, and if it is too hard, it will hurt.

A few massage techniques

Chest

Use your hands do “I’ shape movements, starting from the chest towards the legs, on both sides, along the baby’s ribs. Turn back around the chest area and repeat the procedure. Then, with the same type of movement, alternatively, massage the baby from the hip to the opposed shoulder, on both of the sides as well

Tummy

The same type of movements should be used starting from the middle part of the chest where the abdominal cavity starts, down to he hips, with both hands, alternative motions. Then draw clock direction, half circles starting from left towards right. Then, repeat the two types of movements

Hands

Massage your baby’s arms with your hands, alternatively, starting from the shoulder down to the wrist, and support the arm of the baby at the same time, with the arm you don’t use for massage. Then massage the wrist of the hand and the back of the baby’s palm with circular moves, using your fingers. Also, massage the baby’s inside palm from the wrist toward the fingers, and do not forget to give some attention to the fingers as well.

Feet

With your baby’s feet, you should precede the same as with hands massage, starting from the hip down to the ankle. You can also massage the foot of the baby, because there are nervous centers corresponding for most of internal organs. The inside of the foot is massaged with the help of the thumb by slowly passing it from the heels up to the toes.

Back

Massage the back with both of your hands, starting from the shoulders and down towards the behind of the baby, and back, and remember the two tracks left behind by your hands must be parallel. Then, with one hand, “pull” along the spine. For closure, rerun the first type of movements, extending them on the legs, and the feet.

Ending the massage

Take the arms of your baby and cross them on his/her chest. The next move is to grab at the same time opposed hand and leg, and directs them on diagonal. Cross the baby’s legs on the abdomen at the end of this procedure. You could also ask the doctor for extra information on the massage you perform on your baby.