Massage plays an important role in the healthy growth and development of babies both emotionally and physically. Infant massage is not only a great way to bond with your baby, but it also helps to improve their sleep pattern, immune system, circulation and digestive system function. To increase the effectiveness of your massage and protect your baby’s sensitive skin, it’s crucial that you choose the right oil. There are several oils available, but before you choose one, consider some of the dos and don’ts of baby massage oil.

Do: test for skin sensitivity

Every infant’s skin is different, so it’s recommended that you patch test for any sensitivities she or he may have before you begin with the massage. Performing a patch test is the best way to test your baby’s sensitivity to new oil since it’s easier to deal with one inflamed piece of skin than the entire body. To perform a patch test, place a small portion of oil on the inner arm in the morning, and then continually monitor it throughout the day. Any redness that develops indicates an allergic reaction or sensitivity to that particular oil.

Don’t: use oil you wouldn’t want your baby to eat

Infants often put their hands and feet into their mouths during massage, so for this reason you should only use massage oil you would feel comfortable with your baby eating. Of course, the reverse of this is not true: not all edible oils are appropriate for massage. For example, olive oil is edible, but its texture is too thick and won’t be absorbed sufficiently by your baby’s skin.

Do: choose pure cold pressed oils

Pure cold pressed oil is easily absorbed by the skin as opposed to those that tend to leave a greasy film, such as mineral oil. Since these oils soak into the skin so readily, however, it is important that they are organic and free from pesticides as there is a common concern that the harmful pesticides could also be absorbed into the skin. Use oils such as organic almond/sweet almond oil, sesame oil, apricot kernel oil.

Don’t: choose essential oils

While essential oils smell nice, they are not recommended for infant massage. The reason for this is twofold: their increased potency and their strong fragrance. Bonding time is one of the biggest benefits of baby massage, and odour plays a large role in infants and parents learning each other’s ‘signature fragrance’, so strong-smelling oil will inhibit this bonding process. When it comes down to it, essential oils are generally not edible either, so there is a strong case for avoiding them altogether.

Do: be aware of nut allergies

If there is any history of nut allergies in your family, you should take extreme caution before choosing nut oil for baby massage. If you are unsure about whether or not your baby might have a reaction, then you should avoid using nut oils altogether until you can be sure. Of course, peanut oil is never recommended for use in baby massage regardless.

There are so many fantastic infant massage oils on the market these days that it shouldn’t be hard to find one you and your baby both love. Just make sure you do your research and a patch test before you cover your baby with any new type of oil.

Choosing the Right Oil for Massaging Your Baby is a post from: Baby Massage Tips

With ever-increasing interest in the benefits and advantages of infant massage, many parents realise the importance of learning proper baby massage techniques. When people learn about baby massage and become better educated in how to provide nurturing touch most effectively, the use of baby massage oil quickly becomes a factor to consider.

The fact is that there are many advantages of using an oil when massaging your baby. Understandably, parents want to ensure that the oil they use is suitable and will not cause an adverse reaction for their baby. Because parents want to know that the products they use are safe and nurturing for their baby, here we have compiled a list of eight things to know about baby massage oils:

1:  The use of an oil to massage your baby can be so effective because it helps your hands to smoothly deliver massage strokes and results in less friction against your baby’s soft and very precious skin. On this point, the use of infant massage oil can allow you to use a little more ‘depth’ as you massage, without hurting or causing discomfort to the baby.

2:  It is very important to select and use a good quality massage oil. The oil should in no way be sticky and it should always facilitate smooth and even movement; in this way the massage action will be free flowing and gentle.

3:  Light oils are recommended for massage because they are readily absorbed by the baby’s skin and tend not to leave layers of oil that need to be washed off following the massage. It is possible to use pure, cold-pressed oils (such as olive oil) or oils derived from a fruit or seed so long as it is pesticide free – examples of this include: sunflower seed, grape seed and sweet almond.

4:  You should seek a baby massage oil that is organic as this helps to guarantee that the ingredients are as natural as possible and untainted by pesticides and other harmful chemicals. Vitamin E is an important and beneficial ingredient of the highest quality and most highly recommended massage oils.

5:  It is essential that you are mindful of any oils that stimulate an allergy in your baby. You should always test a little of the oil on a small and inconspicuous part of a baby’s skin (and keep an eye on it for at least twenty four hours). Also be aware that particular oils should not be used on baby’s with known allergies. For example, peanut oil should never be used on an infant with a peanut allergy, just as wheat germ oils should be avoided for children with allergies to wheat or gluten.

6:  It really is not necessary for the oils that you use to be scented. In fact, heavily perfumed oils should be avoided as these oils, in particular, can irritate a baby’s skin. Also, the use of a heavily perfumed oil can be annoying and unpleasant for the baby and the person delivering the massage.

7: It is vital to read the labels on the baby massage oil that you use. Unfortunately, a number of these oils are mineral based by virtue of the fact that they are created with the use of petro-chemicals. Such oils can cause the baby’s skin to become dry and leave a layer of oil which can only be washed off with soapy water; if this is not done, the baby’s pores can become blocked.

8:  When massaging your baby, it is recommended that you pour a small amount of oil into a bowl or container as this makes it easier to access and use. If you do not use all of this oil, do not attempt to pour the remnants back into the bottle as this can cause the oil to be contaminated.

Baby massage oil can certainly enhance the experience of massage for both baby and parent. Baby massage is known to have many powerful and beneficial qualities which are made all the more significant and important through the use of infant massage oil.

All About Baby Massage Oil is a post from: Baby Massage Tips