Baby Massage – Your Chiropractic Guide
Baby Massage
For centuries, baby massage has been used to promote wellness: a healthy circulatory system, improving immune function and release emotional stress. More and more studies are showing that infants may enjoy these same healthful benefits.
You may find that providing baby massage lifts your mood and helps you to feel more empowered as a parent. The time you set aside for a massage can be your special time together. As you massage your baby, it comes naturally to chat and have plenty of eye contact.
Baby massage can also be a valuable tool in helping mums who are feeling overwhelmed and struggling to cope with the new busy life balance that comes with being a parent. It can be a wonderful stress reliever for all mums as the focus is all about relaxation, interaction and quality time for both parent and child.
What About Dad’s & Baby Massage
Baby massage can be great for dads, too. Some dads may miss out on a lot of the hands-on care of their babies, especially if they’re at work and their baby is breastfed.
A regular massage with dad can become a routine, perhaps at bedtime that helps to bring father and child closer together. Dads too will benefit from the same one on one quality time out that we all crave and need.
It is never too late to begin baby massage. Whether your baby is a newborn or several years old, massage can bring immediate and lasting results. Expectant parents who take infant massage instruction in advance are ready to begin this wonderful loving touch right from the start.
Baby Massage Benefits
In my opinion, the benefits for infants, babies and children can include:
Provide a special one on one time that fosters love, compassion, and respect
Improves general well-being
Provides an intimate time for children to confide in parents
Improves overall functioning of the gastrointestinal tract
Promotes relaxation and helps babies self-regulate calm, which may reduce crying
Helps to normalise muscle tone
Improves circulation
Enhances immune system function
Improves midline orientation
Helps to improve sensory and body awareness
Enhances neurological development
Helps baby/child to sleep deeper and more soundly
Enhances release of hormones in the body
Provides all of the essential indicators of intimate parent-infant bonding and attachment: eye-to-eye, touch, voice, smell, movement, and thermal regulation.
Stimulates all of the physiological systems. Massage sparks the neurons in their brains to grow and branch out to encompass other neurons.
How Can I Learn Baby Massage?
Your local maternal health nurse centre may offer classes that are quick and easy to attend.
If you would like to make a start now, I recommend using a gentle, baby massage specific cream or oil (lavender based is a good option). Best to do after their bath time, start your bubba on their tummy (double bonus is it’s tummy time here as well) and spend a couple of minutes gentle rubbing in the cream from the calves and thighs and along their back. Roll them over onto their back and apply the cream around their tummy and arms. Make clockwise circular motions around the tummy to facilitate their digestion. Start from their legs, both hands at a time, you can also do gentle squeeze, hold and relax actions, working up their body. This helps give lots of deep sensory skin input. Finish by bringing both knees up to the chest area.
If you need help or further assistance or advice, feel free to contact me via email or leave a comment below.
In health and wellbeing,
Dr. Andrea Parisio-Ferraro Chiropractor, Wellness Practitioner, Mumma x 2
Presented by Dr. Andrea Parisio-Ferraro Chiropractor & Wellness Practitioner, Special Interest in Care of Infants, Pregnancy & Fertility
For more information, email at contact@halowellness.com.au
This article is for general information purposes only & does not form full medical diagnosis and treatment. If you are experiencing pain, a proper consultation with you health care provider should be performed.