BABY MASSAGE
Massage is a marvellous way to enhance the natural bonding between the mother and the (newborn) baby, as touch is a natural way to establish contact between both. All babies instantly respond to cuddling and caressing. You must have noticed how a baby tightly curls its hands and feet when touched. In the case of babies, no essential oil is used, but only light vegetable oils, like sweet almond, sunflower and baby oil or olive oil are used.
ADVANTAGES AND SIGNIFICANT POINTS OF MASSAGE
• Unless okayed by an aroma therapist, no essential oil should be added to the massage oil.
• Do not expose baby’s tender skin to intense or biting cold, cold winds and snowfall.
• Warm your hands before the massage. It is still better if the oil is also slightly warmed.
• Gently stroke the baby’s tender body and do not exert any pressure.
• Do not massage when the baby is weeping or is ill or when he resists any type of touch even.
• Room should be warm, quiet and without any draughts
• Massage relieves babies’ colic, alleviates wind, improves digestion, cures coughs and colds etc.
• Keep movements gentle and smooth flowing.
• Massage builds up general resistance of the body.
• Do not apply any oil to the baby’s face and eyes.
• Do not massage immediately before, during or after a feed. Make sure that massage helps your baby feel lighter and better and that no discomfort or agitation is caused. If the baby weeps or cries during the massage, the massage area is either painful or too sensitive. In such a situation, stop massaging. You may restart when the baby feels comfortable.
PROCEDURE
Take a large-sized towel and spread half the portion on your legs or lap and the other half under the baby’s back out. Ensure there are no wrinkles or folds. Lay the baby on its back, or lay him in a position that makes him feel comfortable. Apply some oil to your palms and, then, apply gently and softly over the frontal portion of his body. Use oil of sweet almond 5 ml. Ensure that your hands are warm, the room is warm and quiet, and there are no draughts. You can massage the baby’s body either before or after the bath, but the ideal time should preferably be said to be after the time.
FRONTAL MASSAGE OF THE BABY
(a) Gently and slowly apply a little oil over the front of the body, from shoulders to feet, but avoid the face. Now lightly stroke down the chest and abdomen using the tips of your fingers. Remember that the touch of hands on the body will cheer up the baby, and he will show his happiness through light laughter or an innocent smile. Let his legs be straight, but if he curls up his legs, let him do so. It is a sign that he is enjoying and releasing the movements.
(b) Keep the pressure very light, move both your hands smoothly and make circular strokes over the abdomen, working up the baby’s right side across and down his body’s left side. Keep your movements continuously by lifting your left hand when your arms are crossed. Now repeat such circular movements many a time.
LEFT SIDE
(c) If your baby lets you gently stretch out both arms to the sides, spreading hands and fingers. Then gently squeeze out along the arms and massage his palms and wrists with light and circular thumb movements. Before you finish your movements, do not forget to stretch out each finger with a light pull.
(d) Now move on to legs and feet, but work out only on one leg at a time. Supporting baby’s leg with both hands, gently squeeze and release the fleshy part of his thigh. Thereafter, support the leg with one hand and stroke the leg from the knee to the thigh and back down again.
RIGHT SIDE
Now move your supporting hand down to behind the ankle. Then gently smooth the palm of your hand over the baby’s foot – that if, from toe to ankle and back again. As you reach the toes, stretch each toe very gently without exerting force/pressure.
The same steps should also be repeated 4-5 times on the baby’s other leg.
BABY’S BACKSIDE MASSAGE
(a) Now turn the baby over onto the front. Then start to stroke up his entire backside so that the applied oil is evenly distributed to the whole backside. After applying the oil evenly over his backside, work up your strokes around the baby’s side and then up the legs, back and out over the arms. Massaging his backside, as suggested, will have a very calming impact on the baby’s spinal nerves because a soothing effect always cheers the baby up.
(b) To stimulate blood circulation, gently knead and squeeze his/her buttocks. For this, you should make a loose fist and rotate over the baby’s buttocks in circular movements.
(c) Now gently stroke up one side of the back to the shoulders and down again. Repeat the suggested movements on the other side of the back also.
(d) Now bring both of your hand’s around the scetes of your baby and, then, using your thumbs, massage gently up the back to the base of the neck. You should also massage the baby’s shoulders with the help of your thumbs.
(e) Finally, before you finish up, repeat the feather strokes used at the beginning of the massage by working all over the back, from the neck to the buttocks.
See how a baby feels happy, cheerful and relaxed when its mother holds it in her hands, looks into its eyes, and communicates with the baby in a motherly, affectionate, caressing mood. There is also a sort of indirect exercise for the baby. It is simply a positive reaction of affirming, affection, touch and nearness. When the infant laughs, its lungs expand, fresh air lets in, skin smooths, eyes sparkle, and the body reverberates with renewed energy. If you cling her to your breast, she will feel reassured, secure and confident.
