How To Massage a Baby

You just had a baby. Congratulations are in order!!! If this is your first child this time can be scary, especially for new dads. Infant/baby massage can be a great way to bond, and help your child adjust to being in the world as I describe in my previous article "Benefits of baby massage" So lets get right to the heart of the matter and break the massage down into simple steps.

Getting ready:First things first, oil. Your choice of oil for your massage time is very important. Baby skin absorbs more than adult skin, so a good choice would be a nice organic unscented grapeseed oil. Once you've gotten that your going to want to make sure the space is nice and warm and that your baby is in a good mood. Start by asking your child's permission. I know this seems a bit odd and strange but we as adults expect our personal space to be respected and this is a good exercise to show respect to our baby's bodies. They hear us and know that their body is theirs, from the very beginning. Now you can undress your baby down to the diaper. We want to introduce our touch gently and make sure baby is aware that the massage is going to start. Rub oil together in your hands so they see you.

Massaging the feet and legsBabies come from a place that is warm, wet, and secure. Once baby's are born they are often met with heel pricks and other painful health precautions. This can cause issues with some children's feet. When reaching for your baby's feet be aware that they may fear their feet being touched due to these first encounters. Let your child express his/her pain. Let your baby know that its ok and lets replace those painful memories with good ones of massaging touch. Ticklish or light touch is too stimulating and uncomfortable for most babies, so take a firm grip on your baby's thigh and gently but firmly squeeze and pull down to the foot. Repeat with the other leg. Talk to your baby. Smile, let this be a happy experience. You can then slide your thumbs firmly up the soles of your baby's feet. Rotate and stretch the muscles. You can then squeeze back up from foot to hip. Experiment. See what your baby likes. Each person is different! Spend time finding out what your baby likes.

Massaging the stomachMassaging the stomach area can be beneficial for many reasons. If your baby is colicky massage can help reduce is greatly. If not massage can still help to keep digestion in working order. Start by applying more oil and then gently and slowly pull towards you with the side of your hand. Switch hands and do this three or four times. Talk to your baby. See how he or she is responding to this motion. Does it seem to cause any discomfort or is it soothing? Next we can rub in circles. Always go clockwise because that's the direction our intestines move in. Slowly but with good pressure start under your babies rib cage and go around the fullness of his or her stomach. Three times would be good. This would also be a good time to try any rocking, or playing with your baby's legs, pushing them up into his or her chest to help move gas.

Massaging the chestThe chest is a small space, but very important. The muscles there help baby to push up when on his or her stomach and can easily get tight in babies as well as adults. Start with a bit more oil and make a heart shape with the flat of your hand across your baby's chest. Follow this movement a few times. Next crisscross movements. Taking the flat of your hand rub across your baby's opposing pectoral up over the shoulder.

Massaging the arms and handsWe address the arms and hands in the same way we did the legs. Squeeze the arms starting at the shoulder and moving down to the hands. You can do a milking or "Indian burn" type movement if you use a gentle touch and enough oil. Repeat this three times, or as often as your baby likes. You can rub your baby's growing biceps and triceps. Move down to the wrist and roll his/her wrist while massaging the backside of baby's wrist and hands. Next comes fingers. Gently pull each finger and then turn baby's hand over to rub the palms.

Massaging the faceWith the face we're not going to use any oil. The other thing about the face is those babies 3months and under have a "rooting" reflex. That is, every time something brushes their cheek they turn towards it; its part of breastfeeding and make massaging their cheeks ineffective. Starting with the forehead, take your thumbs and draw them out towards the temple. Using your finger tips you can rub the scalp and pet what hair they may have. Rub their ears and just breath in your baby.

Turning over to the backIf your baby can hold his/her head up then let them have some tummy time. If not, hold your baby close to you or whatever position would be comfortable for both of you to massage the back of the body. Start with long deep presser strokes from your baby's neck down to buttocks. Repeat this a few times and give your baby a chance to adjust to the change in position. Follow this with small circles along the spine. Never put direct presser on the spine itself. If you have both hands available; with the flat of your hands start close to the spine and rub out across the shoulder blades. Deep presser but always gentle. Pay close attention to what kind of pressure your baby likes and appreciates.

After the massage get your baby dressed and move on with your day. You can always use some of these strokes where ever you are. If your baby or toddler gets upset while your out and about you can use some of the hand/arm or leg/feet techniques. Get creative! Not all babies like massage. That's ok, but if your child does this will be wonderfully bonding for you both. All children may not sit through the entire protocol. That's ok too, just listen to your child's cues, likes and dislikes and above all enjoy each other.