Baby Massage

Infant Massage: Touch to Thrive!!!! Communicating Love through Touch

PURITY……..INTEGRITY……QUALITY!!!!!!

A POSITIVE TOUCH With Massaging your Baby

When a baby is born there is a divine connection, between the mother and the baby.

When you touch, the child instinctively feels this bond. Bathing the baby is one of the most intimate expressions of this very bond. When you start giving your baby a tub bath, you need to take special care and precautions.

Before bathing your baby, you should always keep ready, a baby shampoo, baby cleanser, dry towels and hooted towels.

Babies enjoy a warm water bath. Pour cold water in the bath, followed by hot water to prevent accidental scolding of your baby. Swirl the water gently, to ensure there are no hot spots. You can use a thermometer to check the temperature of water. Water that is warm to about 37 degree centrigate, is just right. You can also use your wrist or elbow, to feel the temperature of water.

If you are living in a hard water area, then only water may not be enough to bathe your baby. However, hard water may dry your baby's skin and is linked to eczema and skin rashes.

Use a gentle moisturizing pH neutral liquid cleanser, that does not upset the delicate natural balance of your baby's skin.

GETTING STARTED

Baby massage is soothing and can comfortably last for almost 10-30 minutes. Before starting, make sure the room is warm and your baby is quiet, well-rested and alert. Good times to perform massage on your baby include after a nap, when your baby is clothed or in the cot, and after a bath.

To get started, smooth a few drops of edible oil such as olive or sweet almond oil into your warm hands and begin massaging the soles of your baby's feet. Use firm, gentle, slow strokes from the heel towards the toes. Always keep one hand on your baby; while massaging.

Continue with long smooth strokes up your baby's legs.

Massage from the ankle up to the thigh and over the hip. You can try massaging both legs at once or one at a time. Hold your baby's leg under the knee and gently press it towards the tummy to help her expel gas.

Start the upper body massage with your hands on your baby's shoulders. Make gentle strokes in towards the chest.

Massage baby's arms by stroking from the shoulders down towards the wrists. Try not to get oil on your baby's hands. If this happens, wipe his fingers clean before he sucks them.

If your baby's tummy feels soft, massage his belly using circular, clockwise strokes. Babies' tummies are sensitive, so if he gets unsettled, move on to the next step. Avoid massaging the naval area if the cord hasn't completely healed.

Use your fingertips to massage your baby's face. Stroke from the middle of her forehead, down the outside of her face and in towards her cheeks…. With your fingertips, massage the scalp in small circles as if you're shampooing her hair.

If your baby is still relaxed once you've finished massaging the front of her body, you can turn her onto her tummy and use long, smooth strokes from head to toe.

Use respectful touch and stop the massage if your baby is not enjoying herself or is showing signs of discomfort. It's also best to avoid a massage if you're very tense, or if your baby is agitated or upset!!!!!!