Baby Massage

Studies have shown that more brain development takes place in an infant as a result of touch than any other sensation. You can celebrate the power of touch by giving your baby a massage. It’s easy, pleasurable, and very rewarding as long as you follow a few simple steps.

Use a Light Touch.
Unlike those Swedish hands that like to turn our bodies into playdough, infant massage requires an extra soft touch. Tread lightly over their precious little bodies.

Lubricate.
Make sure you use a good quality massage oil that will stay slick throughout the massage. Proper lubrication allows your hands to travel smoothly over baby’s body and makes the massage more pleasurable (as well as more moisturizing) for baby.

Go a Little or a Lot.
Massage is not an all-or-nothing procedure. You can take a few minutes to rub baby’s feet or run your fingers gently over her face. Or you can set aside a special time to massage her entire body.

Step by Step

• Legs – Use a gentle “wringing” stroke with the legs, followed by even stroking down the legs ending with their tiny piggies. This also helps a great deal with older children when they have growing pains in their legs.
• Arms – Follow the same stroking procedure as with the legs, using a lighter touch.
• Chest and Abdomen – Softly stroke the chest outward from the center as if you were flattening pages of a book. Rub the abdomen across from left to right and downward from the top of the belly down to the groin. This gentle technique also helps relieve gas pains that often develop in infants.
• Back – Rub shoulders in circular motions and follow with gentle circular motions all the way down the back that radiate outward from the spine.
• Face – This is the area that often lulls them into slumber. Gently stroke the forehead with your thumbs from the center outward toward the ears. Stroke the cheeks in circular motions outward; and with your most delicate touches, circle your fingers around the eye area.