Infant Massage

What are the benefits of infant massage?

Infant massage has many positive effects for babies. There are various strokes you can use to alleviate pain or discomfort. For example massaging the baby’s tummy in a gentle circular motion can aid in alleviating gas. The benefits of infant massage are so great that a full list is at this juncture is impossible. However, the some of the main benefits are listed below:

• Speeds myelination of the brain and nervous system
  Skin stimulation speeds the process of myelination of the brain and nervous system therefore improving brain-body communication and enhancing neural-cell firing.
• Relaxation and enhancement of neurological development
  Massage provides both stress and relaxation for an infant, both being components of optimum learning conditions.
• Sleep
  Some infants sleep for longer periods following massage and appear to have longer periods of deep sleep.
• Teaches infants that touch is a form of expression. Positive touch learned early will help children deal with stressful situations later in childhood. Adoptive parents often use infant massage as a way to connect with their adopted baby, the touch teaches the child to trust the parents and depend on the parent for the babies needs.
• Helps tone muscles and aids growth
• Enhances the bonding process
• Increases infant’s body awareness
  Naming body parts during massage teaches infants games, words and speech. In addition to this, body awareness can assist newborns who are still adapting to an environment without the boundaries of the womb.
• Strengthens the immune system
  A study conducted at the Touch Research Institute in Miami, Florida, found that massage resulted in a significant increase is Natural Killer Cell numbers. Natural Killer cells are a group of white blood cells that kill many types of tumour cells. This is thought to have particularly positive implications for children suffering from HIV and cancer.
• Increases oxygen and nutrient flow to the cells
• Increases circulation
• Improves sensory awareness
• Parents feel more confident in their new role
  Knowing that they can do something themselves to enhance the health and development of their child.
• Massage provides quality time with a working parent
• Increases the parent’s ability to help relax their child in times of stress