Baby massage is an amazing way to create a bond with your baby and it is a lovely way to communicate with them and comfort them through using your loving and gentle touch.
It’s a nurturing and loving connection making your baby feel safe and protected. It’s a natural reaction if a baby cries, for parents to hold, cuddle or stroke them to comfort them and make them feel safe. Baby massage is just part of this natural impulse.
What is baby massage
Baby massage is gentle stroking actions over your baby’s body with your hands. You can use oils or a moisturiser to help your hands to glide smoothly over your baby’s skin which will also nourish baby’s skin.
As part of your massage routine, you can gently manipulate your baby’s ankles, legs, wrists and fingers. You can talk softly, hum or sing to your baby while you are massaging, creating a sense of relaxation and calm for you both.
Benefits of baby massage
Although there’s not much clear evidence about the benefits of baby massage, many people believe it can:
- Help with becoming more confident in handling your baby and become aware of their needs
- Help you to bond, interact and strengthen your relationship with your baby
- Encourage your baby to relax and sleep
- Soothe your baby if they are suffering from colic
- Help other members of the family to bond with your baby
When can I start baby massage?
A good time to start is when baby has had their six week check so that any issues such as hip dysplasia are identified. Also before then, a structured massage routine might be too soon as new parents are still settling into parenthood with the new arrival – and we all know how busy that time can be. It’s hard enough to get time to make a cuppa let alone get along to a baby massage class?
Of course you will be touching and nurturing your baby naturally from birth, but the formal, structured massage routines might be too stimulating before the six week mark. Things are a bit more settled and some kind of routine might be in place so that you can take baby massage classes.
It is great to get siblings involved with baby massage – and indeed pregnancy massage. My grandson loved giving his baby sister massage and you can tell that she loved it too.
A baby massage makes a great present too!
