Benefits of Infant Massage

Infant massage is practised throughout the world community and is a gift that any parent can give to their child, no matter what their background.

Touch is vital for an infants well being and development. It has been proven through studies that touch is as, if not more, important than nutrition. Not so long ago in America, hundreds of orphans under the age of 2 were dying. They had enough food, drink and medical treatment and yet, they were still dying. It was as if they were giving up on life. Studies show that this was due to touch deprivation. Daily handling/rocking increased the infants survival rate by almost double in orphanages throughout the US.

In the West we are all so preoccupied with getting on with our own lives that we tend to put our babies down and leave them to cry in order to make them independent as early as possible. Why? They are babies. They need to be loved, protected, cuddled and squeezed as much as possible. The belief that picking up a crying baby too often spoils them is in my mind, simply not true. The only spoiled child is one neglected of touch and love. You decide.

Massage, however, is a wonderful way of healing wounds, both yours and babies after a difficult birth, bonding issues you may have and may have had with your own Mother and helping you and baby understand and listen to each other more to create a happy and healthy relationship.

Benefits:

1. Stimulation: Skin sensitivity is the earliest developed function, the most important of all sensory systems to overall development.

2. Relaxation: Massage helps create a healthy balance between stress and relaxation. Thus providing help for sleep problems and over stimulation.

3. Relief: Massage provides relief for many conditions such as colic and wind as certain strokes help tone the intestinal tract. Massage also provides relief from teething pain, congestion
and emotional stress.

4. Interaction/Attachment: Massage is an invaluable tool in aiding the bonding process between carer and baby.