The English update issue 164 164 | Page 12

Babies by Adele Rothstein How can you make your baby smarter? The ancient secret of a human touch Of course, you enjoy hugging and kissing your newborn. But, have you ever given your baby a massage? It’s time to get started. For infants, massage is much more than a luxurious, sensual experience or a type of physical therapy. It’s a tool for maintaining a child’s health and wellbeing in many ways, physically and emotionally. It helps parents feel confident in their ability to do something positive for- and get a positive response fromthis new little piece of humanity in their lives. As we massage our baby we prepare him for the big wide world out there, full of pressure and uncertainty. The feelings of love, encouragement and warmth will positively influence his self-image, enabling him to be loving and giving to others. Massage is nothing new. From mother to daughter the tradition would be taught- until the last century- when the new ideas of spoiling your child became the trend. I’m sure you’ve all had the dilemma: Should I pick him up now or am I going to spoil him? After thirty years of research, it has become obvious that like fruit, it is neglect rather than attention that