When is Infant Massage not Appropriate?

Anytime your baby cries or is irritated, your first instinct will be to give a massage. If you do it well, the young one will enjoy, feel relaxed and be quiet. However, sometimes an infant massage is not appropriate. You must also learn the basic techniques during your prenatal clinics so that you don’t injure the child.

Infant massage is not appropriate if:

1. The infant does not give permission. Yes, your baby has to allow you to massage him/her. If he/she cries and can see that the child is uncomfortable, you might have to wait. Also, don’t do it when the little one is asleep to avoid shocking the baby.
2. The baby has a skin rash/irritation (excluding dry skin conditions). If a baby has eczema, the eczema cream can be stroked onto the area affected. Infant massage may help with applying the eczema cream as it can create a more pleasurable process for baby and parent.
3. Your baby is unwell or has had a vaccination. You also don’t like disturbance when you’re sick, so why not give the little one time to heal?
4. The infant is suffering from a soft tissue injury or fracture of any kind.
5. The infant is undergoing specialist treatment – unless medical permission has been given.
6. Immediately after a feed (abdominal massage).

Creating a relaxing environment for massage

1. 1. Choose a time when your baby is content and alert, not tired or hungry.
   2. Try sitting on the floor, bed, or sofa, with your baby safely on a Baby Banda Multipurpose Mat in front of you.
   3. Take a comfortable position, which gives you good eye contact with no overhead lights.
   4. Ensure that the room is warm.
   5. Any plain, edible vegetable-based oil (e.g., coconut or sunflower) is perfectly adequate. Your baby may end up ingesting some fat, so you really want to make sure it is safe (petroleum-based oils or oils containing nuts aren’t recommended).
   6. You may like to introduce a massage after a bath and before bed as part of a bedtime wind-down.

Benefits of infant massage

1. To boost sleep. The baby feels relaxed, loved, and unique, which is essential for a peaceful sleep.
2. To boost digestion and circulation. If your child has gas or constipation, try giving a massage to relieve him/her.
3. To ease any other tension in the body as a result of muscle cramps and teething.
4. Massage can also boost growth in preterm babies. However, please consult your doctor before you do it.

Read more about Infant Massage here. Also read more about how to massage your baby your baby

Conclusion

Massage time gives both parents an excellent opportunity to bond with the baby. The skin-to-skin contact should begin a few weeks after birth. However, your health care provider will guide you on how often you can do it in a day.