NATUROPATHY FOR BABY MASSAGE AND BATHING
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 an aroma therapist prescribes, 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 ill or
when he resists any touch.
• 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 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 his back, or lay him in a position that makes him feel comfortable. Apply some oil to your palms and gently and softly over the frontal portion of your hips. Use oil of sweet almond 5 ml. Ensure that your hands are warm, the room is also friendly and quiet, and there are no draughts. You can massage the baby’s body before or after the bath.
FRONTAL MASSAGE
• Gently and slowly apply a small quantity of the 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. WithYou can calm your body anytime with your light and delightful stroke. Remember that the touch of hands on the body will cheer up the baby, and he will show his happiness through soft 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.
• Keep the pressure very light; move both your hand’s 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 motions many a time.
LEFT SIDE
• 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, with circular thumb movements, massage his palms and wrists. Before you finish your actions, do not forget to stretch out each finger with a light pull.
• 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. After that, keep the leg with one hand, stroke the portion 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 top of the baby’s foot—from to,e to ankle and back again. As you reach the toes, stretch each toe very gently without exerting force/pressure.
The same steps should be repeated 4-5 times on the baby’s other leg.
BACK SIDE
• Now, turn the baby over onto the front. Then start to stroke up his entire backside to distribute the applied oil to the bottom evenly. After using the oil evenly over his seat, work up your strokes around the baby’s side and then up the legs, back and out over the arms. Massaging his heart, as suggested, will have a calming impact on the baby’s spinal nerves because the soothing always cheers the baby up.
• To stimulate blood circulation, gently knead and squeeze their buttocks. You should make a loose fist and rotate over the baby’s buttock in circular movements.
• 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.
• Now bring both of your hand’s around the sects of your baby and gently massage up the back to the base of the neck using your thumbs. You should also rub the baby’s shoulders with the help of your thumbs.
• 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, he will still feel secure and confident.
BATHING—THE TIME TO ENJOY
Bath time allows the baby to enjoy herself by kicking and splashing in the water. It should be a happy time for mother and baby; if you are well prepared, it will be a relaxing time.
Most babies are bathed daily, but if you are rushing or are still not very confident with your baby, “topping and tailing” can be done instead of daily bathing. To do this, wash the baby’s bottom from front to back with cotton wool and swab her eyes. Make sure you use different cotton wool swabs for each look; otherwise, infections can be spread from one to the other. “Topping and tailing” is also part of the bathing routine.
Prepare all the necessary items for bathing before the bath. Undress your baby on a bed or table and wrap her in a towel so he will remain warm while you are washing his face and bottom. Fill the bath with tepid water and test the temperature with your hand. Never place your baby in the tub without trying the water first.
Some mothers prefer to soap up their babies before placing them in the bath. When you put him in the bath cradle in your arm and support his head on your forearm, use your free hand to splash water and play with his. Trickle some water over your baby’s head, then wash his hair gently with soap or baby shampoo. Use gentle circular motions to wash his scalp and dry his head by stroking it with a towel.
Wash your baby’s hands, feet, underarms and body and allow his some time to enjoy the feeling of the water. Rinse the soap off, lift him gently out of the bath, and pat him dry with a towel.
Dry all creases before redressing your baby. When you change your newborn baby’s nappy, always clean the umbilical cord with a cotton bud. The more often you tend the line with methylated spirits, the sooner it will fall off.
You might like to rub some oil or talcum powder on his body. Apply barrier cream to his bottom to help prevent nappy rash. Bath care liquids can be used in the baby’s bath water.
The kitchen sink, a hand basin or the laundry tub can be substituted for a baby bath.
If bathing your baby in a cold room, a heater may be necessary to keep the room temperature higher. Keep the heater away from the baby and the bath water. Choosing the right time to bathe your baby influences how much he will enjoy the water. Hungry babies usually object to bath time because they would prefer to eat than get wet, and babies who have been fed before a bath may regurgitate some of their food during their bath.