Using Infant Massage to Ease the Symptoms of Colic
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.