Finally, your little one is sleeping soundly in your arms after your long personal-choreographed dance. You now put her down and voila! She cries. You pick her up again and just like magic she is wide awake and smiling again. It’s how soothing the power of your touch is. Before babies are able to speak, they communicate and interact with the world around them through touch. Maybe that is why they love to cuddle up with you when they are upset or when they needed to feel secure. If just holding your baby can be so comforting, imagine what it’s like for them if you give him/her a full body massage.
Moms, especially the new ones, have unending doubts and ideas in their heads when it comes to taking care of their babies. These include managing the pain and stress their babies have especially during the early stages of their lives. Massage is a lovely way for you to express your love and care for your babies.
Lots of good things happen when you give a baby a massage. Both babies and parents benefits in infant massage. Babies develop attachment and bonding with the parent, better self-esteem, develop positive connection between body, mind and spirit, better sense of love, respect, trust and acceptance, and better communication. On the other hand, parents also benefits from giving infant massage such as better parenting skills, improved ability to read cues offered by the infant, improved bonding between the parent and the baby, more confident parenting, improved communication – verbal as well as non-verbal, and provides quality time with the child.
Aside from these, just as adults benefit from a massage, there are numerous advantages associated with infant massage for better physical development.
1. Better Sleep
Infant massage helps in increasing serotonin levels in the body. This neurotransmitter is known to regulate mood. High levels of serotonin provide a feeling of well-being. As a result, it ensures better sleep that is deeper and more restful.
2. Reduces stress and cranky behavior
It is common for babies to cry for various reasons. General reasons causing your baby to cry or act cranky include discomfort, pain in legs or abdomen, tiredness or improper sleep. Regular massage can relieve your infant from pains and discomforts, thus providing better sleep. This further reduces the crying and cranky behavior of the infant.
3. Relief from flatulence
Many infants experience chronic abdominal pain due to intestinal gas. Belly massage increases the pace of waste removal from body. This way, trapped wind is also easily released by the body.
4. Relieves digestion problems
Massage speeds up the natural progression of food along the digestive tract. This way, the massage has proven to be helpful is eliminating problems like constipation and acid reflux.
5. Strengthens the immune system
Just like massage benefits various physiological processes in the body, it also benefits the immune system. Regular massage gives a newborn baby’s immune system a boost, thereby keeping common ailments at bay.
6. Improves weight
Some babies are underweight at the time of birth. Massage provides significant improvement in the weight gain process, thus providing healthy weight to underweight infants.
7. Improves motor development
Baby massage stimulates the nervous system. This makes the infants more aware about their body’s functions during the massage process. This way, infant massage improves flexibility, co-ordination and muscle control.
8. Relieves congestion
In addition to benefits like speeding up of nervous system and providing relief from digestion problems, baby massage also provides relief from congestion. Massage aids improved drainage of sinuses, thus preventing fluid accumulation in the sinuses and airways.
For a better and more relaxing baby massage, use a massage oil that is safe and specifically made for babies. Oleia Topical oil is 100% natural and safe for babies. It comes in relaxing scents of Lavander and Chamomile that your babies will surely love! Try it now and let your baby experience the soothing feels of your loving touch.
About The Author
Andrea is a full time home maker. When she is not busy taking care of her husband and kids, she goes out giving financial management talks. She is a proud breastfeeding mom for four years running and an avid Oleia Topical Oil user.
