How to massage your baby

Inside the womb, babies depend on the physical closeness they enjoy with their mothers to help them feel safe and secure. Babies retain this need for human contact after birth. It has been proved that babies who receive constant touch show greater ability to cope with stress, and grow to be better adjusted adults.

These are ways in which a massage benefits babies:

• It gives babies a general sense of well being.
  
  
• It helps the physiological process of growth.
  
  
• It helps fight sickness and aids recovery from diseases.
  
  
• It improves the functioning of the immune system.
  
  
• Babies who are massaged regularly seem to sleep better.
  
  
• It is know to reduce crying in babies.
  
  
• It plays a role in improving digestion.
  
  
• It helps strengthen the infants bond with their parents.

Here are tips to help you massage your baby:

• Select a time of the day when both you and your baby are relaxed. Leave an interval of about half hour after your child’s meals.
  
  
• Let your baby lie on a soft comfortable place.
  
  
• Apply a little cream on your hands so that your touch feels soft and smooth.
  
  
• Start with the head, then move down to the shoulders, chest, and stomach, and finally, the legs and feet.
  
  
• While giving massage, watch for signs that will tell you how your baby is feeling.
  
  
• Speak to your baby throughout. You may also sing or play some background music.