Massage can help parents bond with their baby
Touch is very important for babies. Some of the most enjoyable times for you and your baby can come through the closeness of a cuddle at feed time. It is a natural reaction to hold him against your shoulder and gentle stroke his back to help relieve wind. By doing this you are communicating with one another-you are letting him know that you can soothe and comfort him- he in turn learns to feel safe, loved and relaxed. Together you are strengthening the bonding process and building trust
Babies thrive on touch. It is one of their first senses to develop. Research studies, from The Touch Research Institute in Florida, have shown that premature babies gained more weight, were more responsive, active, and alert and exhibited less anxiety
But massage is known to have positive health benefits for all babies too. It can help stimulate their nervous organs, improve muscle tone and have beneficial effects on circulation, digestion and growth.
It is now well documented that babies who are massaged regularly feed well, have improved sleep patterns and suffer less colic, trapped wind and constipation. Massage can help settle ‘fussy’ or restless babies too, helping them to relax and settle down.
Massaging your baby
Choose a time when your baby is contented (perhaps after a bath or nappy free playtime) never massage him if he is hungry, tired or unwell .Most importantly talk to him reassuringly throughout the massage ,or sing to him and generally make it an enjoyable experience for you both.
For an 'everyday' massage oil, (and for babies under a month old), choose a base, or carrier oil, that does not contain Essential oils. Light oils such as Peach , Apricot or Sunflower are all suitable for delicate skin. Small amounts of oils, such as Calendula, Evening Primrose or Jojoba, can be desirable and helpful when added to the base oil for their skin soothing and protecting qualities. But we are all individuals and one or other of these normally gentle carrier oils may not be suitable for your baby -see essential oils advice for babies and young children
Massage oils that containing essential oils can be slowly introduced when your baby is more than 7-8weeks old-see essential oils advice for babies and young children Pure Essential oils such as Roman Camomile or Lavender have calming and soothing properties and can be helpful at times when they are overtired or fretful. Seek out ready made blends that have been formulated for babies and young children and use no more than one or two different essential oils. With young children the less ingredients in a product the better. For babies and young children we recommend using essential oils such as Lavender, Roman Camomile, German Camomile, Neroli, Mandarin and Rose Otto. Try Camomile and Rose Massage Oil. Or ‘Together’ Massage oil for Mother and Baby.
Allison England's 'Aroma Baby' massage oils were created by Allison England more than 30 years ago, and have been soothing babies (and their parents) ever since. For more information on how to use essential oils safely during pregnancy for babies and young children see Allison England’s book Aromatherapy and massage for Mother and baby.
© Copyright text and images 1985-2011 Allison England all rights reserved
No text or part of this site may be reproduced stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any way or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of the copyright holder
| 
