How To Massage Baby

Baby Massage: Benefits, When To Start And How To Do It

A baby massage is the gentle stroking of the baby’s body with the use of massage oil or lotion, specifically made for babies. A massage can be soothing for babies while also providing an avenue for the parent to bond with their little one.

When To Start Baby Massage?

There are no set guidelines regarding the minimum age to start massaging a baby . There is a general opinion that the infants must complete one month of their life before they get a massage. The reason for this is that a baby’s skin barrier is underdeveloped at birth, and it takes 15 days for the skin to become water-resistant.

At about 15 days of age, babies shed their umbilical cord stub. Until then, it can be an infection hazard if any massage oil gets trapped in it. If you plan to take your baby to group massage sessions, then it is advised to wait until the baby is six weeks old since very young babies can find crowded environments stressful.

Benefits Of Baby Massage

Massage provides several natural benefits to the baby, such as:

Relieves stress, relaxes muscles: Massage relieves stress in babies by stimulating the release of oxytocin, a feel-good neurohormone, and decreases the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone th colicky babies.

Stimulates nervous system: Massage is beneficial to the baby’s nervous system since it greatly improves the baby’s motor skills development.