Baby Massage - Part 2
The secret of good baby massage
Throughout the session continue to talk to your baby; the
communication helps them to relax, look at your baby in the eyes. Our
hands and wrists should be relaxed and finger joints loose. The secret
of a good baby massage is to create as much contact as possible using
the entire area of your hand, especially your palms. Find your pace with
slow movements, the massage is like an intuitive dance, be firm with the
pressure, your baby is stronger than you think. You can stop at any time
and then come back and resume where you left off.
You are not obliged to perform all exercises in each massage session.
If your baby cries and does not stop do not continue the massage, your
baby and you should consider massage as a happy event. The following
exercises are suggestions you may want to change the order, omit certain
movements or adapt until you and your baby become more comfortable with
one another.
Introduction to baby massage
You can start with a light massage for ten minutes; the massage can
be done every day after bathing or be integrated into a complete massage
regime. It is a good exercise for a newborn that can not stay quiet for
very long.
Tilt your baby lightly on its side and with well-oiled hands rub gently
around the shoulders and on the side. Try to make your movements flow as
long as possible. Doing small clicking noises with your tongue can
sometimes focus their attention and often prevent them from crying.
Always inclined use circular motions, slow and wide on one side
backwards to the buttocks.
Massage the back of the hips, the base of the back and buttocks with
slow outward moving circles.
Turn your baby on the other side and repeat the movements.
Then put your baby on his back and put your two hands at the base of his
spine. Using slow movements go around the buttocks and draw your two
hands simultaneously down to the lower legs. Straightening and gently
stretching the legs of baby at the same time, with your thumbs rolling
smoothly on top of legs and wrap the greatest possible amount of flesh,
you will need a generous amount of oil on your hands to do that. Change
each movement by turning your wrists slightly, to cover as many areas as
possible inside and outside of the legs of baby.
Starting with both hands on the baby’s chest, stroke up and around the
shoulders and down along his arms to the ends of fingers. Again, use any
area of your hand and vary the angle on each movement to cover as much
flesh as possible.
Place one hand flat on baby’s stomach and hold for ten seconds. Then
with your other hand on the side make circles slowly and gently on the
belly. This can be a sensitive area if your child resists hold your hand
immobile for a while before returning slowly to circles.
Place baby against your belly and slowly rub the back down in
alternating movements, going very slowly when you move down the spine.
The movement from top to bottom has a calming effect on the nervous
system of your baby. Separate your hands slightly so that each hand rubs
one side and movements maintain a steady and continuous flow, without
ever forgetting to communicate with your baby. |
