Massage for Infants

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

25 Mar 2008 07:58 PM

A friend of mine has been teaching infant massage classes in Cape Fear, North Carolina. Massage is beneficial at just about any age, but can have some special benefits for an infant.

The benefits of infant massage include:

• A stronger bond between parent and child. Ideally, you want to find fifteen minutes every day to massage your baby. But if you can only find time once a week, you'll both still benefit from the time together.
• Longer, deeper sleep for the baby (which means more restful nights for the parents, too).
• Relieve discomfort from gas, colic, and constipation. Massage can also be a general digestion aid.
• Improved circulation.
• Enhances nervous system development and immune system function.
• Stimulates neurological development -- increasing alertness and awareness.
• Relieve the pain of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

For premature babies, massage can help them gain fifty percent more weight each week -- and often allows preemies to leave the hospital six days sooner.

When giving an infant a massage, you do need to keep a few things in mind:

• You might want to use a waterproof pad, as accidents can happen! (Especially since your baby will often be naked during the massage.)
• Use baby-safe lotion or oil -- it has to be edible because babies often put hands and/or feet into their mouths.
• If your baby isn't interested in massage, you should stop.
• Different infants react differently -- some become sleeping while others feel energized.

Toddlers are less likely to be interested in sitting still for a massage. But if you start when your child is an infant, you might have better luck with massage as your child grows.

If you're interested in learning infant massage, check around. Your local hospital may be a good place to look for classes. You can also talk to massage therapists to find one who is certified in infant massage.

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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