Eight Reasons to Learn Baby Massage
The benefits of baby massage are gaining increasing recognition and many parents have some awareness that massage is known for its soothing and calming qualities.
While general awareness of the benefits of baby massage is good, there are many good reasons why baby massage should be learnt and practiced. Here we provide an overview of eight of these reasons:
#1: Reduces stress…for Mum!
An increasing body of evidence shows that massaging your baby can help to relieve stress and tension and even reduce the effects of post natal depression. The power of massage to have this effect on mothers speaks volumes about its importance and wide reaching benefits.
#2: Something different in your day
Life with a baby can often seem like an endless and repetitious cycle of feeding, winding, playing and settling. While all of these things are necessary and important, they can quickly suck up the minutes of your day, with all days seeming to blend into one.
However, taking some time in your daily routine for baby massage can provide something different and an activity that both you and your baby will look forward to. Because baby massage is about nurturing and caring for your baby, it can be easily incorporated in your daily routine and can deliver some very positive benefits.
#3: Develop the connection between parent and baby
Few things are more important to the development of the bond between parent and child than touch. Massage that is delivered through positive touch helps to strengthen these ties and develops the relationship between parent(s) and child in a way that few other practices are able.
It is a popularly held belief that babies who are regularly massaged become confident and well-adjusted children and adolescents. When parents receive training and know how to massage their baby in a way that enhances the child’s enjoyment and relaxation, the results will almost invariably be positive.
In fact, as you massage your baby and experience a sense of calm and peacefulness yourself, your baby is bound to pick up on your state of increased relaxation and tranquillity.
#4: Range of movement for baby
When you think about it, babies spend a lot of time in their prams and car seats – situations where they are generally curled up tightly and have a restricted range of movement. Through massage and stretching, your baby’s joints will become more flexible and mobile and they will welcome the opportunity to stretch and be less confined.
#5: Overcome pains associated with colic, wind and digestion
It is well worth receiving massage training to learn how to help your baby alleviate the discomfort that so commonly comes with colic, constipation and wind. Some quite simple massage techniques can be used to reduce the baby’s pain and discomfort and thereby make everyone’s life a lot more comfortable!
#6: A healthier baby
It is widely believed that when infants are correctly massaged on a regular basis, they are less likely to contract infections and thereby have stronger immune systems. If a baby has a reduced likelihood of picking up colds and other bugs, both baby and the parent(s) will be much happier.
#7: Improved sleep
When a baby arrives, parents quickly find that they become obsessed with sleep and finding ways to help their baby sleep for longer. Baby massage has the potential to help infants sleep for longer periods and more deeply during the day and at night.
Imagine it, a lovely massage complete with baby massage oil and a parent’s loving, comforting touch and a baby is better settled and prepared for sleep. Many parents testify that massage as part of the night time routine helps to settle babies and children more quickly and easily.
#8: A useful skill
Receiving baby massage training will provide you with useful skills that you can apply throughout your child’s infancy and well into their childhood.
Baby massage is understandably popular and a well-respected practice for calming and settling babies. With positive benefits for both children and parents, the value of massage training is all the more apparent.