How to give your baby a massage

Giving your baby a massage isn’t difficult, and these precious moments will help you establish real communication between you and her.

You can start giving your baby massages from the time she’s born, though parents often wait until the end of the first month, and carry it on until age 3. The average massage lasts for around 30 minutes but it may vary depending on the baby’s age and her familiarity with massage.

The right environment for a good massage

Baby massage should be performed in a quiet and well-heated room (around 26°C), before nap or dinner time. Massage has the ability to calm the baby and will help her fall asleep. Giving your baby a massage after her bath is a great idea. The only time when you should not massage your baby is after meals and bottle- or breast-feeding.

The position should be comfortable for the baby as well as for the parent. To achieve this, there are several possibilities:

• Sit down on the floor or on the bed with your back straight. Place your baby in front of you, on a pillow or a towel, as close to you as possible to reassure him or her;

• Sit with your legs outstretched in front of you and your back upright. Place your baby in between your legs, on a towel or a pillow;

• Lay your child down on her change table.

Remove any jewellery you may be wearing, such as rings or bracelets, wash your hands and, most importantly, relax. This is a key element to making baby massage profitable. Coat your hands with oil or cream and rub them warm for a few moments.

How to massage your baby

Massaging is different from caressing: contact should be warm, gentle and firm at the same time, with stimulating and comforting pressure. Remember to always keep one of your hands on your baby. If you are massaging a very young infant, be especially careful with her skull, which remains fragile during the first couple of months. Start with the ends of your baby’s limbs, as beginning with her trunk might make her nervous.

If your baby isn’t used to massage, go about it gradually, for example by massaging her legs only, and doing more the next time.

Basic massage techniques

Here is an overview of some basic massage techniques:

• The legs: massage each leg with the interior of your hand, between your thumb and index finger with your thumb downward. Alternate each hand from your baby’s groin down to her ankle. This will relieve tension in her legs and stimulate blood circulation to the feet. Then, raise one leg toward you while checking that you’re not lifting her pelvis, ring her leg with both hands as though you were making a bracelet. Perform a gentle “screw-unscrew” motion with the aim of relaxing the muscles. You can also roll the leg between your hands, from thigh to ankle.

• The feet: a foot massage affects the whole body as the feet are loaded with nerve endings. Alternately run each thumb along the soles of your baby’s feet, from the heel up to the toes. Then massage each toe separately. Gently massage her heel, then the sole with both thumbs. Don’t forget the instep and ankles. Once you’re finished with your the legs and feet, use your fingers to draw small circles on her buttocks.

• The belly: rest your hands on your baby’s stomach and leave them there for a while, then start massaging her by running one hand after the other down her belly. Then, slide your hands down either side of your child’s tummy and proceed to draw clockwise circles with the balls of your fingers. Belly massage strengthens the digestive system, and helps regulate bowel movement as well as relieve bloating and constipation.

• The arms: hold your baby’s wrist with one hand and use the palm of the other hand to massage her arm from the shoulder down to the wrist. Hold your baby’s shoulder in place to avoid lifting her up. In the same way as you did with the legs, proceed with a gentle “screw-unscrew” movement, with your hands still close together to avoid twisting your little one’s elbow.

• The hands: as with the feet, massage your child’s fingers, the top of her hand, then her wrist with small circles.

• The face: run the balls of your fingers smoothly from your baby’s forehead down to her temples. Then, massage your child’s eyebrows, from the bridge of her nose down to her temples. Run your thumbs up and down either side of your baby’s nose, all the way down to her cheeks. This helps clear the nose and relaxes the muscles of the cheek. Then, with the tips of your thumbs, slightly stretch your child’s upper lip, then her bottom lip, as if to put a smile on her face. Lastly, use your fingertips to trace small circles on your baby’s jaw in an effort to relax her muscles.

• The back: back massage is often felt by the baby to be the most relaxing. Place your child facedown on your lap, or on the change table, and rest your hands across her upper back. Run your hands up and down perpendicular to your baby’s backbone, one hand after the other, down from her shoulders to her rump and all the way back up. Put one hand on your baby’s buttocks, and slide the other along the entire length of her back. Finish with light circles over the whole surface of her back and run your slightly parted fingers from his shoulders to her buttocks.

You may finish this massage with simple exercises designed to stretch your baby’s muscles. However, make sure these exercises are adapted to your child’s age and motor skills.

Remember that you can and should talk or even sing to your baby while massaging her, which is great for reassurance and bonding between you. If you wish to learn more about baby massage techniques, inquire about baby massage workshops in your area and feel free to join one!

Hélène Jolly

Copyright © 2009 Doctissimo

Posted 19.07.2010

Get more on this subject…