Encouraging interaction between you and your baby, helping them relax and sleep, and positively affecting their hormones that control stress are just some of the many benefits of baby massages. With each gentle stroke, your baby will feel nurtured and loved, strengthening the bond between the two of you. Massages will also allow your baby to feel more relaxed, which can improve their sleep. Infant massage promotes bonding through eye contact, smiling and relaxing vocal sounds, loving touch, caresses and mutual interaction.
Studies show that bonding increases parents' feelings of attachment, as well as their desire to care for and nurture their baby. How can children's massages benefit your little one? It can help relieve your baby's stomach problems and teething pains, stimulate their muscle development, calm them when they are upset, and help them to sleep. Benefits of Baby Massage: Mother's Massage for Baby's Feet Massage baby's feet with gentle, gentle movements. When Stephanie Agakian gave birth to her baby at 25 weeks gestation, she was just 1 pound 5 ounces.
Agakian was told to massage her baby at home to promote growth and overall health. This is because many studies link massage to healthy weight gain. Other researchers have found similar benefits. A study suggests that massages stimulate the vagus nerve, a long nerve that links the brain and abdomen, leading to better digestion and absorption of nutrients. This in turn can help babies gain weight. Daily tummy massages can also reduce stress and pain, which may be especially important for premature babies who spend long, lonely months in the hospital.
Saxena, a former advertising executive, is originally from the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, known for her tradition of massaging both mother and baby shortly after birth. Studies also show that parents who practice children's massage can communicate better with their children. Common reasons that babies begin to worry during a massage are that they are hungry, very cold, or even bored. Because melatonin's primary function is to regulate sleep cycles, baby massage helps babies fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. While the use of oil can make massage easier for parents and more relaxing for their baby, there is limited evidence as to which oil is best used for baby massage.
By using simple massage movements, you can enhance your role as a parent and provide the right kind of stimuli to promote optimal development. According to a study published in the journal Indian Pediatrics, the type of massage oil you use can affect your baby's health and growth. Baby massage was introduced some 30 years ago in neonatal wards to support the development of premature babies in intensive care units. Studies have shown that these oil massages, when done correctly, can increase weight gain in babies, prevent bacterial infections and reduce infant mortality by up to 50%. The researchers concluded that baby massage noticeably reduces stress and therefore promotes the maturation of the immature nervous system of premature babies. Additional research suggests that infant massage is especially useful for mothers with postpartum depression who have trouble bonding with their babies.
More than 100 studies confirm the wide range of benefits of massage for common illnesses, from gas to colic and sleep problems. In another study, newborns who received massage gained more weight per day, appeared more conscious, and had greater motor skills. Baby massages offer a variety of benefits for both parents and babies alike. Not only do they strengthen the bond between parent and child but they also help babies relax and sleep better while promoting healthy weight gain.
Massages also reduce stress levels in premature babies while helping mothers with postpartum depression bond with their babies. Finally, massages stimulate muscle development in newborns while helping them gain weight faster.
