Massaging Your Baby -The Joy of Touch Time

I first heard about baby massage when I was pregnant with my 3rd child.  At the time, it sounded neat, but I never got around to trying it.  With my current baby who is 8 months old I searched online for certain massages to ease her tummy.  She had a gassy tummy and never could seem to get it out.  So, I tried a ‘colic massage’ and was amazed at how well it worked.  My husband must have thought I was crazy.  We would sit on the couch and I would massage her belly and lift her legs and she would toot.  The first few times I kept saying, “That’s so cool!”

Only a parent would think it was cool to make an infant toot.

But again, that is as far as I went with massages.  I didn’t know how to get started or what moves to do.  Then I found “Massaging Your Baby” by Dr. Elaine Fogel Schneider.  The book is packed with information on the physical and emotional benefits of touch time for mom (or others) and baby, with tips to learn when, where and how to initiate massage time and when not to.  There are so many details on the actual process of massage time.  Dr. Elaine explains the tips for getting started as:

S = Stay encouraged.  Don’t let a bad experience get you down.

T = Take the time you have and use the time wisely.

A = Adjust and be flexible.  You may not be able to massage baby at the same time every day.

R = Recognize and follow your baby’s cues.

T = Talk to your baby as you massage him.

She explains the basic hand movements and shaping for each massage and gives instructions on warming up before starting.  During each exercise moms are encouraged to sing and talk to their child.  Dr. Elaine gives suggestions of songs that might go along with some of the exercises.

My favorite part of the book is the sections on specific massages for ailments baby may be facing.  For a baby with gas and colic, Dr. Elaine lists the massages that would be most beneficial for the baby.  She even gives tips on how an infant with colic might love to be held in certain positions.  Some of the other specialized massages outlined in the book are for Down Syndrome, Club Feet, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, ADD and many others.

I have really enjoyed reading this book and learning about how to initiate massage time with my baby, knowing what clues to look for that she isn’t quite ready for massage time and when she is ready to quit.

To keep up to date with tips from Dr. Elaine, visit her blog here: http://askdrelaine.com/blog/

{Buy One}

You can buy ‘Massaging Your Baby‘ on Amazon.com! You can also purchase the Baby Massage Basics app for tips on the go on the app store for $1.99!

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