Colic is characterised by bouts of extreme crying in otherwise healthy infants three months old and under. There is usually no specific underlying cause.

The study involved 100 babies who had been referred for help with colic, between 1 and 2 weeks of age.  The mothers were assigned to one group who used massage or a second group who held and rocked their babies. In the massage group, mothers were asked to massage their child three times per day over a period of 7 days. In the rocking group mothers rocked their child during the periods of crying every day over 7 days. In both groups mothers recorded the duration of their infant’s cries by using a checklist.

In the massage group the average crying time and duration of crying for infants was more at the start of the week than in the rocking group. However by the end of the week the results showed a mean difference in crying time duration reduce to 1.32 hours/day in the massage group compared to 2.14 hours/day in the rocking group. There was also a more significant reduction in the times per day a baby cried in the massage group than in the rocking group.

The researchers therefore concluded that infant massage not only reduces how many times a baby cries and duration of crying in infants with colic but can also enhance the relationship between mother and child.

Source:

Gazerani, N., Nahidi, F., Yousefi, P., & Abadi, R. (2012). The effect of infant massage in comparison with rocking on the duration and frequency of crying time in patients with infantile colic. Arak Medical University Journal. 15 (60), 9 -103.

Infant massage more effective than rocking for relieving colic: study is a post from: Baby Massage Tips

Infant massage isn’t just for healthy newborns, but it can also be put into practice as massage therapy for children who have special needs. In particular, many studies have found that children with autism actually respond quite well to massage despite the fact that children with autism are generally averse to touch. Additionally, many children with autism thrive on the routine that regular massage can provide, which presents a continual opportunity for the parent and child to bond in a positive way.

If you have a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and are interested in trying out massage therapy, then you should learn how to do the strokes properly by taking accredited infant massage classes. That being said, the following points generally describe the modifications you will have to make when massaging your child.

Environment

As stated, children with autism often thrive on routine, which means the massage sessions should occur in a room your child is comfortable and familiar with. Similarly, light and noise may be an issue for your child, so since the massage requires a lot of touching to begin with, you should remove any other source of potential discomfort from the room.

Positioning

To keep your child feeling comfortable, you may have to change their massage positioning so that they can physically and emotionally distance themselves from you throughout the session. Either have your child lay on their abdomen, lay on their side or sit up throughout the duration of the massage. This not only helps them feel distanced, but also helps them avoid eye contact with you if they wish.

Modifications to the stroke sequence

There are a few ways you will want to modify the average baby massage sequence to ensure your child stays comfortable.

Children with autism often have very short attention spans, so it’s important that you respect your child’s needs and wants and only perform the massage strokes for a short period of time.

Keep open hands well away from your child’s face, and try not to engage in too much eye contact with them throughout the massage.

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) don’t offer much in the way of responding to the permission sequence, so you’ll have to rely on your knowledge of what makes your child happy or unhappy.

Begin the session by massaging your child’s back first, as this allows more distance between you in the beginning. Then, you can progress the massage by moving to their legs and arms. Leave out any strokes involving the face, chest and abdomen initially because massaging these areas is far more intrusive for them. Only start introducing these areas to your routine when you feel like it would be well accepted by your child.

It has been found that, through massage therapy, children with autism become less touch-averse, are less distracted by sounds, are more attentive in class, have better relationships with their teachers, score better on the Autism Behaviour Checklist, and score better on the Early Social communications Scales. By learning the massage techniques and modifying them to suit your child, you can not only help to bring about these wonderful changes, but you will feel good knowing you can do something so positive for your child.

Modifying Baby Massage Techniques for Children with Autism is a post from: Baby Massage Tips

While there is no consensus among medical professionals as to how colic is specifically defined, it is widely accepted to describe a combination of symptoms of general abdominal pain in infants that should not be ignored. Luckily, it has been found that infant massage techniques that are focused on the abdomen can help to relieve the symptoms of colic, wind and constipation in two to four weeks with regular sessions. The following guide will help you get a handle on your baby’s colic symptoms through massage.

Recognising the symptoms

Before you can use massage to effectively relieve colic, you need to be able to properly identify the symptoms. Common symptoms of colic include a painful cry that may last for hours, continuous leg-pulling toward the abdomen, crying at consistent times throughout the day, and a distended and firm belly that presents along with the crying spells.

Massaging a crying baby

Trying to massage a crying baby can be quite stressful for parents, but it is recommended that the massage be carried out while your baby is experiencing the discomfort, so in the case of colic you will just have to make the most of it. To help your baby relax during the massage, try to keep yourself calm so that you can continue to reassure your baby by speaking softly, making eye contact and cuddling.

The colic massage sequence

The colic massage sequence is a series of massage techniques that will help to relieve your baby’s symptoms of colic, wind and constipation. You should aim to repeat the steps of the sequence three times during each massage session, with six repetitions of each stroke. The following are brief descriptions of each step:

Start each massage session by reassuring your baby. Over time, your baby will begin to understand that, through the massage, you are trying to help. Place your hands on the centre of the body for comfort, establish eye contact, and say in a calm voice, “I understand you’re in pain and I’m going to help make it go away.”

Warm up your hands and the baby massage oil before putting them on your baby’s skin, as cold hands and oil will only make their discomfort worse. Once the oil is warmed (but not hot), spread it over the abdomen.

Place your hands flat across the width of your baby’s tummy and “scoop” downwards from just below the diaphragm to the base of the tummy, alternating hands with each stroke.

Hold your baby’s ankles firmly and, with the knees together, bend the legs inwards until the knees are putting very gentle pressure on the abdomen. Count out loud for six seconds, and then begin gently bouncing the legs as you bring them back down while repeating; “relax” in a calm voice.

Commence the lower case ‘n’ stroke by placing your left index and middle fingertips just on the inside of your baby’s right hipbone. Move your fingers upward in a straight line, stopping just before you reach the diaphragm. Retrace the movement again using your right hand instead.

When you reach the diaphragm again with your right hand, continue to move your fingers across the tummy (under the diaphragm), and then downwards again to the inside of the left hipbone.

Repeat the knees to the tummy step complete with bouncing down the legs.

Repeat steps 3-6 twice more.

Using Infant Massage to Ease the Symptoms of Colic is a post from: Baby Massage Tips

Massage therapy has been used for centuries to help with pain, injury and illness, and infant massage in particular has been found to benefit not only physical health, but also the emotional and psychological health of babies.

With regular massage, infants experience improved function of the respiratory and digestive systems, reduced levels of stress hormones, enhanced cognitive ability, reduced crying and better, more regular sleep. Not only that, but infant massage has also been found to help with infant reflux as well. Read on to find out more about how infant massage can help your baby get relief from reflux.

What is reflux?

Gastro-oesophageal reflux (or simply ‘reflux’) is when contents from the stomach — including stomach acid — are spontaneously passed into the oesophagus, causing a lot of discomfort. You can tell if your baby is suffering from reflux through symptoms such as regurgitation, possetting and projectile vomiting, but unfortunately, a child can suffer from reflux without any of these symptoms presenting as well.

While it’s common for people to think that reflux is something their baby will eventually grow out of, in some cases it doesn’t just go away; instead, it ends up causing far worse complications.

How does infant massage help?

Reflux is a direct result of the incomplete development of the muscle between the stomach and the oesophagus, and, unlike regular muscles, it can’t be helped directly with massage therapy. Instead, it is the skin stimulation from the massage that affects the nervous system, which in turn helps the muscle develop in two major ways:

Massage on any part of the body stimulates the vagus nerve, which is a nerve in the brain that controls various regions of the respiratory and digestive systems. This includes the oesophagus and the stomach.

Massage helps the nerves in the body to develop more quickly, which means they can begin to operate more effectively sooner. Since nerves control the muscle between the stomach and oesophagus, massage should help to improve its ability to function.

Starting the infant massage

To prepare your baby for massage to ease reflux, begin by placing them on the floor with a blanket or baby cushion underneath so that they are at a comfortable 45-degree angle. Choose pure, cold-pressed, edible, and organic massage oil that is free of any essential oils or perfumes, and begin rubbing it between your hands to warm it up. While you are doing this, start talking, making eye contact and smiling at your baby so that they know you are about to massage them.

When you begin the massage, start by stroking the legs with long, firm, confident strokes. After the legs, begin progressing to other areas of the body that your baby enjoys, being careful to avoid the abdomen if you think it might result in possetting. If you want to switch to massaging your baby’s back, using a side-lying position on a massage cushion or a cuddle position where you support your baby on your chest while leaning back is best for infants with reflux.

How long should you massage for?

You generally only need to massage your baby for short periods of time to get the full benefit, and you definitely don’t want to overdo it. Continue massaging the parts of the body your baby seems to enjoy and stop right away if they show signs of dislike. Massage your baby in this manner twice a day to ensure you are being effective in helping with the reflux.

How Infant Massage Can Help With Reflux is a post from: Baby Massage Tips

Everyone enjoys the feeling of relaxation and good health that comes from being massaged, and it’s no different for infants. Baby massage is an ancient set of techniques that has been used in many parts of the world to promote infant health and wellbeing, and it is rapidly catching on in popularity in parenting circles across the globe.

The benefits that your baby receives from being massaged are quite varied and range from immediate physical benefits to long-term emotional benefits. If you are considering taking an infant massage training course, then the following are just some of the great reasons why you should follow through.

Improves sleep

All new parents will be delighted to know that baby massage can help improve their baby’s sleep by regulating their sleeping patterns. When a baby is massaged, the central nervous system is stimulated and causes the release of the hormone serotonin, which has been found to regulate anger, aggression, temperature, mood, appetite and a host of other bodily functions that effect quality of sleep.

Baby massage also helps to regulate the secretion rhythms of the hormone melatonin, which, when it’s secreted, is associated with bringing on sleep. In essence, a regular melatonin secretion rhythm means your baby’s ‘body clock’ will run on time.

Enhances emotions and improves mood

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and a hormone that, when released, promotes feelings of euphoria. Massage acts to increase dopamine levels in babies, which helps to prevent the feelings of anxiety and sadness that come when there is a deficiency.

Strengthens the immune system

Babies who receive massages regularly are proven to have stronger immune systems and are less likely to get sick. Massage is one of many activities that increases the number and function of natural killer cells in addition to the neutrophil count (white blood cells that are important for immune system function). Additionally, massage acts to reduce the levels of stress hormones in your baby’s body, which will in turn enhance the immune system as well.

Enhances the recovery of low birth-weight infants

Research has found solid evidence that baby massage actually helps low birth-weight infants gain weight more quickly, which reduces the risk of health issues early on. During massage, the vagus nerve in the brain becomes stimulated and gut motility is enhanced, which both promote weight gain by making babies hungrier more often. Not only that, but massage also reduces pain in premature babies and decreases their stress levels.

Promotes learning

Any time a baby feels a new sensation, such as stroking of the skin during massage, their body develops stronger pathways in the brain that are involved in processing new information. New sensations cause the release of the adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), which actually promotes the growth of millions of new connecting links between neurons in the brain. The end result of this process is that the baby’s brain is able to process information more quickly, and convert new and potentially stressful situations into those that are recognised as being predictable and safe. In general, this makes babies easier to soothe.

There are plenty of emotional and physical health benefits that babies receive from being massaged, and performing massage daily can greatly enhance your baby’s overall wellbeing.

Health Benefits of Massaging Your Baby is a post from: Baby Massage Tips

It seems that parents of every new baby quickly become challenged by broken sleep and their baby’s unpredictable and erratic sleep patterns. It is hardly surprising then that parents are eager to learn techniques to help their child sleep better.

While a child may not sleep well or follow a logical sleep pattern, the effects are equally as profound for sleep-deprived parents. Some new parents are surprised to learn that ‘sleeping through’ is defined as sleeping for five consecutive hours, according to many studies of infant sleep.

The great news is that a number of gentle and calming strategies can be used in an effort to help a child and their parents sleep better. Here we take a look at seven of these:

1:  Recognise and understand the baby’s tired signs 

For all of us, there are few things as horrible as being made to stay awake when we are exhausted and want to sleep. Instead of waiting for a baby to become ‘over-tired’, it is helpful to put a baby to bed as soon as they exhibit signs of tiredness, such as becoming increasingly quiet, jerky movements, losing interest in toys and people and being overly fussy. Recognising and acting upon tired signs is important, as a grumpy, over-tired baby can be very difficult to settle.

2:  Infant massage

An increasing body of evidence shows the benefits of infant massage for children and their parents. Some studies show that infants and toddlers who receive massage on a daily basis have less difficulty settling and falling asleep than other children of the same age.

Infant massage creates a unique and special opportunity for children and parents to bond and, when delivered using a safe and natural baby massage oil, the experience can be all the more enjoyable, calming and can help your child to regulate their sleep/wake cycle.

3:  Follow a bedtime routine

Even very young babies benefit from consistency and learning the cues that indicate it is time to settle and prepare for sleep. One of the best elements of a bedtime routine is a warm, relaxing bath, perhaps followed by soft music, a song or story, just before bedtime.

4:  Music

Traditional lullabies are perennially popular and effective in soothing a baby because they may help a child to recall the music that they heard while in their mother’s womb, including the mother’s heartbeat and the sounds of fluid rushing through the placenta.

Other music designed specifically for babies includes white noise or elements that replicate the rhythm of the mother’s heartbeat. These sounds tend to have a wonderfully soothing effect on babies and it is sometimes recommended that they be played continuously throughout the night.

5:  Motion

Many babies love motion, particularly the relaxing sensations that come from a rocking chair or the movements of a parent as they carry the baby in a sling. Devices such as baby hammocks are also used by some parents to soothe their baby off to sleep.

6:  Swaddling

It is understood that some babies disturb their own sleep with their sensitive startle reflex. This reflex causes jerky, reactive movements that can occur even when the baby is asleep. Swaddling a baby can help them to feel more secure and enable them to sleep more soundly by limiting the impact of the startle reflex. A newborn should be firmly wrapped in a muslin or gauze piece of cloth in the warmer months and something a little warmer in winter. As the baby grows and ages, they can be wrapped more loosely until the startle reflex disappears (usually around the age of three months).

7:  Time feeds appropriately

When your baby is old enough, many parents recommend timing feeds so that they help the baby to distinguish between day and night. If a baby sleeps for long periods between feeds in the daytime (for example, four hours), it can be appropriate to wake the baby and offer them a feed in the hope that they will sleep for longer at night.

Some parents also swear by giving a dream feed — the offering of a feed just before you go to bed yourself, no matter what time the baby received their previous feed. The intention of this practice is to have your baby’s longest sleep occur at the same time as your own.

Almost all parents are eager to have their children sleep better. The aforementioned techniques and strategies offer some practical suggestions that have been successfully used by some parents.

Helping Your Child Sleep Better is a post from: Baby Massage Tips

Postnatal depression is a real and crippling experience for many new mothers. Despite the incredible desire to have a baby and the excitement and joy of a child’s birth, hormonal changes and the far-reaching changes brought about by motherhood can result in some women experiencing overwhelming feelings of sadness and despair.

While awareness of postnatal depression is increasing, it seems that this form of depression is quite often under-recognised and therefore, under-treated. However, many leading doctors, academics and those who have had first-hand experience of postnatal depression are realising that infant massage can play a very significant role in helping to reduce the effects of depression following the birth of a child.

What is postnatal depression?

It is estimated that approximately one in seven women (or sixteen per cent of women who have experienced childbirth) will also experience postnatal depression. It is common for women who have postnatal depression to experience difficulties interacting with their baby; these difficulties range from the mother being too intrusive and interfering with their baby’s activities to the extent that the child withdraws, to the mother being so withdrawn that they are disengaged and do not interact with their baby. In such cases, it is common for the baby to experience distress and cry excessively.

What are the impacts?

When a mother has postnatal depression, it can be more difficult for the infant to form a secure and trusting attachment to their mother. The real effects of this situation may be seen in later years when an infant experiences difficulties in terms of cognitive, social and psychological functioning and development. Infants affected in this way may exhibit behavioural problems and have high stress levels.

How does infant massage help?

An increasing body of evidence shows that infant massage can be an effective way to positively impact the interaction between an infant and its mother. Baby massage can help a mother to feel more confident and grow in understanding of the verbal and non-verbal cues that her baby communicates to her.

Particularly when a good quality baby massage oil is used, the massage experience is enhanced and is an altogether more relaxing experience for the baby and its mother. Effective and enjoyable baby massage can help both the mother and baby to relax and cause oxytocin (a hormone that supports bonding) to be released.

Mothers who undertake a quality infant massage course also tend to feel more confident that they are delivering the correct baby massage techniques in a way that will be both enjoyable and beneficial for their baby. Receiving credible and correct infant massage training is important for any parent, but for mothers experiencing and identified as being at high risk of postnatal depression, quality training is all the more significant.

Psychological and physiological benefits…

For women with postnatal depression, the psychological and physiological benefits of baby massage are important. Because the training process involves a mother being equipped with time to observe their baby and a certified infant massage instructor being there to help them at every step, they tend to feel well-supported and better able to increase understanding of their baby’s cues and the most effective ways to massage their baby.

Of course, no woman wishes to experience postnatal depression, but it is heartening to know that advances are being made in terms of identifying and appropriately treating this form of depression. Infant massage is an important component of this and is proving to be an effective and beneficial practice that can help to reduce postnatal depression.

How Baby Massage can Help to Reduce Postnatal Depression is a post from: Baby Massage Tips

As more and more parents are discovering, infant massage is one of the best and most effective ways of comforting and bonding with a baby. Not only is touch very important in helping to create the bond of love and trust that exists between a parent and their child, baby massage also can assist with a range of medical conditions and can even improve the mental state of a mother experiencing postnatal depression.

Here we look at five facts pertaining to the therapeutic benefits of touch:

1:  Infant massage can help to establish better sleeping and settling habits

A growing body of research shows that of the many benefits of baby massage, the benefit that is often most valued by parents is the improvement that can result in a child’s sleeping habits. By the parent administering particular infant massage techniques, the baby can be settled more effectively and assisted to relax as they approach sleep time.

In fact, many parents successfully build massage into their daily routine and claim that the baby massage experience is relaxing and nurturing for both them and their baby.

2:  Infant massage can help to promote the bond between a parent and child

From the earliest moments of a child’s life, the bond that is established with their parent(s) is incredibly significant. All babies need to feel loved and secure and infant massage can certainly help to establish and nurture the connection between parent and child.

A baby can be massaged from any age, so long as the parent feels completely comfortable handling the baby. A good way to begin is to start with short sessions in which just a few simple strokes are used and build on this as the parent and baby get to know each other better and grow in confidence.

For parents, baby massage can be a very useful way to learn more about their baby’s visual cues. These cues are significant and infinitely useful for parents who initially find it difficult to understand what their child needs or wants.

3:  Infant massage helps to build parental confidence and decrease levels of stress and anxiety

Unfortunately, parenthood does not come with an instruction manual and it is natural for many parents (particularly first time parents) to feel apprehensive and worried when handling their baby and knowing what to do. Infant massage has been shown to be effective in building parental confidence and reducing the levels of stress and anxiety that new parents so often experience.

However, it is not just the stress and tension levels of the parent that tend to decrease through baby massage. More and more evidence suggests that the stress levels of babies simultaneously decrease in line with those of their parent(s), when baby massage is delivered.

4:  Infant massage is enhanced through the use of quality baby massage oils

The effects of baby massage can be enhanced through the use of baby massage oil. Of course it is important to test the oil first, to ensure that the baby does not react to it, but the use of baby massage oil can definitely enhance the experience of baby massage – for parents and their children.

The benefit of using baby massage oil is that strokes are often smoother and parents should also be aware that scented oils are not necessary.

5:  Infant massage has medical benefits

Baby massage is renowned for its stimulating effect on the circulatory, immune and digestive systems. As well as this, many people support the use of baby massage to help with the symptoms of colic, wind and constipation.

The therapeutic benefits of baby massage are becoming much better understood. Infant massage is a wonderful way for parents and children to bond and it is increasingly valued as a practice that delivers a variety of positive effects for parents and children.

The Therapeutic Benefits of Touch is a post from: Baby Massage Tips