Baby Massage by Caroline Graham
Massage is a great way to relax. We all know this, but did you know what the benefits are?
Massaging your baby has many health benefits for your child. It is an enjoyable way to communicate your love for them, through touch, and is a beautiful opportunity to bond and connect with your child. When we massage a baby, we always ask their permission and follow their cues to see what they want. This gives them an opportunity to build up their communication skills and gives us the opportunity to pick up on their non-verbal signals. As we interact with them and observe their enjoyment of the massage, the baby can recognize that we are valuing their responses. This provides the opportunity for the baby to begin to construct meaning and understanding from their actions and the responses received.
There are many physical benefits for a baby who is massaged. The amount of touch a baby gets in early life has been shown to correspond with their emotional and cognitive development. During massage the repeated stimulation of the skin helps the baby’s nervous system and brain to develop in a way that makes them more resilient to stress and more emotionally secure. Massage has been shown to boost the immune system and promotes the body’s healing system. Stimulating the baby’s hands can improve fine motor skills. Babies who are massaged tend to cry less and to sleep more deeply and for longer periods, although perhaps that should be a benefit for parents! Certain massage strokes can aid digestion and reduce constipation, so during our baby massage courses we suggest that parents bring a towel – just in case.
For parents, massage and touch releases a hormone called oxytocin which lowers blood pressure, pulse rate and stress hormones, it makes us more open to building connections with other people and more curious, creative, optimistic, open to enjoyment and able to learn faster. It promotes growth and healing. Oxytocin is released when we feel loving and feel loved, also when we have a hot drink or eat food – possibly one of the reasons we all like a cuppa and a nice meal out. Massage on older children, those of school age, has been linked with reduced aggression, better interaction with other children and improved physical health.
During an NCT baby massage class we follow a sequence of massage strokes using songs and rhymes whilst being responsive to the babies. Singing and rhymes help babies to pick up on speech patterns and, for parents, singing exercises our lungs and face muscles and increases feelings of wellbeing. Research shows that attending a baby massage class is linked to lower rates of anxiety and postnatal depression in adults, which is not surprising given all the benefits of massage.
For upcoming dates for our next NCT Baby Massage Course please contact [email protected] Kenilworth course starts on Nov 17 at St Francis Church 10.15-11.30