Some Tips About the Massage

Oil

Research on hospitalised babies showed they did better with an oil versus a dry massage. Massage with oil has more positive effects of neonatal infants:
Infants showed fewer stress behaviours (e.g. grimacing and clenched fists) and lower cortisol levels (stress hormones) following massage with oil versus, massage without oil.

Massaging with oil is also easier as it allows smooth gliding movement, which are soothing to the baby instead of the frictional movements, which come from the dry massage.

What Oil to Use?

Use any light edible oil. Studies have shown that infants and mothers can recognize each other by smell very soon after birth. Your baby will become deeply attached to you, and this recognition is an important part of that. The massage time can promote this attachment. While you are learning to massage and while, your baby is learning to trust the massage as a reliable connection to you, stick with unscented oil. Grape seed and almond oil, often sold as massage oils, are great.

Even vegetable oil from your kitchen will do. Remember babies love to suck on their fingers, so use a product that you wouldn't mind them eating. You may want to use old towels underneath your child, because it may be difficult to get the oil out of your linens.

Later, when you are massaging a toddler you can be more casual and use any scented oil you prefer.

How Much Oil to Use?

Connecting with the Baby During the Session

• Focus all of your attention on your baby, let go of all distractions.
• Stifle the urge to chatter non-stop, communicate with your facial expressions and hands.
• Practise listening with your whole body and all your senses.
• Wait for your baby's answer when you ask them something, they will often respond with non-verbal "mouthing", facial expressions and body language.
• Breathe deeply and keep your hearts connected.

If Your Baby Doesn't Seem to Like the Massage

Most babies enjoy being massaged, it is rare to find one who doesn't. Maybe you are not doing it the right way, or maybe the baby finds your strokes too heavy and uncomfortable. Try to be gentle and use soothing touches and then graduate to firmer strokes. Once the baby is used to your touch and strokes, it is likely to demand more of it.

You may have to be persistent to get your child into a massage rhythm with you. A baby can't even turn over, or can't move about as we do, if their muscles get sore and cramped. They may be uncomfortable, and at first, just as, when you get a back-rub, they become more aware of the discomfort in their body. Follow your baby's lead, continue to offer small amounts of massage a few times a day. Make it a soothing and pleasurable routine instead of trying very hard.

What Happens, When They Get Older?

Chances are that by the time the baby is six months old, they would be hooked to the massage routine. He is not likely to want an end to the soothing therapy, but older babies are more playful and hate being tied to a routine for too long a time-period.

The two of you will modify the routine to something that works for you. The adjustment bit has to come from you, mainly. You may find as they go through important developmental stages that they won't want a massage, as they are concentrating on, whatever task they are trying to learn.

When they have passed this particular stage, they may settle into the massage routine again. It may depend on their personality. Some children never stop once they are up and running, others will still want the bedtime routine of the massage. Toddlers like to rub themselves with lotion. Older children may want a back-rub, or leg rub as part of the goodnight routine.