Baby massage is a gentle, nurturing practice that promotes bonding between parents and their infants while offering numerous physical and emotional benefits. Through soothing touch, parents can help improve their baby’s sleep, digestion, and circulation, among other things. Here are must-know tips for new moms and dads who want to incorporate baby massage to improve their little one’s health and wellness.
Why do I need to massage my baby? I can’t possibly add another thing to my schedule!!
Baby massage is often viewed as a nice to have when in reality it’s a must-have. Not only does it help with your baby’s social, neurological, and emotional development, but it will also help you cope with the many challenges of parenthood and develop a deeper bond with and understanding of your baby. And the great thing is, you don’t need to set aside hours or even 30 minutes daily to do it. You can sneak in a quick 5-minute massage into your daily routine anytime you’re with your baby and they seem alert and happy, whether you’re bathing them, changing their diaper, playing with them on the floor or even traveling or running errands. You just need to be consistent.
My baby hates massage and squirms/cries every time I try!
Can you imagine someone not appreciating a good massage? As much as we would love for someone to massage us all day every day, you have to remember that every baby is different. Some are more sensitive to touch and need to time to acclimate. Massage can be stimulating for more sensitive babies. The great thing about babies is that the one thing you know for certain is that they will change, not only daily but hour to hour. As they go through different stages like teething and sleep regressions, their needs will change and what they hated yesterday they will love today. The key to massage is trying a little every day, trying different body parts and techniques. Pretty soon they will get used to the routine and even look forward to it.
How do I prepare for baby massage?
The key to a good massage is that the parent must center and calm themselves first. After all, the process of becoming a mother/father comes with a whole host of physical, emotional, and hormonal changes. Your baby feels your every emotion and heartache, even when they can’t see your tears or read your mind. They instinctively mirror us and understand everything we are feeling.
And don’t get me wrong. As a new parent, I was anything but calm. Every time I sat down to relax, my baby would start crying. Or, when I rocked my baby for hours and finally got him to drift off to sleep, he would of course startle and wake up the moment his head hit the breathable mattress. It’s easy to think in moments like that your baby is just out to get you, but as we all know your baby is not trying to manipulate you.
Maintaining your composure and calm during these times is no easy matter so don’t blame yourself when you become agitated or disgruntled. Just take a few deep breaths and remember that being a baby is surprisingly hard work. They’ve spent months incubating in the soft, safe confines of a mother’s belly, and the world with all its lights, sounds, and new sensory experiences can be quite jarring.
Mastering the baby massage is fairly simple. All you need to do is take a few long deep breaths and settle into your body. Imagine you are sitting down to meditate and ease into the experience much as you would for yoga.
Now that you’re calm, here are some other tricks for getting started:
- Only massage your newborn at a time when they are alert but aren’t irritable or fussy. If your baby is hungry, crying, or restless for any reason, massaging them will not calm them down. It may overstimulate them, causing them to be more distressed.
- Remove any jewelry and wash your hands
- Place your baby on a blanket on the floor, bed, or changing station.
- Verbally engage with your newborn, place your palms together, and ask their permission “Would you like a massage?”. If they smile and make eye contact, the answer is “Yes.” If they are scrunching their face, crying, and arching back, you may want to find another time for a massage.
- Have a quality organic massage oil on hand. I especially love our new Kahlmi Calming Massage Oil, made with all organic ingredients.
As a new mom, I wish I had known about the role that touch and massage plays in establishing the connection between mom and baby.
This book is my way of giving something back to myself that I never learned and a way of helping other parents learn what I never did when my babies were little.
Elina Furman is a Certified Infant Massage Instructor with over 15 years in the baby products industry. She is the author of the new book, 101 Baby Hacks where she offers natural solutions such as baby massage and other science-backed wellness hacks to address nearly every ailment and issue our babies experience—colds, gas, constipation, colic, fussiness, teething pain, restless sleep and more. She is also the inventor of Kahlmi, the first bonding and massage tool for babies/children using Acu-touch technology and gentle, low-frequency vibration to help families connect, calm, and comfort their little ones.
