28
May
Baby Massage Technique Step by Step
How much massage pressure should I use on my baby? I’m sure you’ve wondered about this one many times. All you have to do is, close your eyes and press your eyelids with your palms. In the larger areas of your baby’s body, use the palm of your hand and the same amount of pressure you used when you had your eyes closed with your palms pressed on them. In the smaller areas of your baby’s body, use your fingertips gently. To “massage” your baby means to move the muscles under the skin. The “little strokes” mean that you should touch your baby’s skin gently and carefully.
Legs & Feet
- Start with the Legs: Use your whole hand to softly caress each of your baby’s leg. Press gently on the thighs. Flex the legs slightly till the knees press the thighs gently.
- Foot Massage: Massaging the foot can be so relaxing. Apply soft pressure on each toe, then the foot and then return back to the toe. You may be surprised to know that sometimes a foot massage can reduce stomach pain. Caress all the toes gently. Use circular movements at the heels.
- Squeeze Toe: Use your fingertips to squeeze each toe.
- Stretch Toe: Gently stretch the top of the foot by pulling back at the balls of the foot.
- Feet Pressure Points: Use your thumb to press all over the bottom of the foot. The nerve endings which connect with other parts of the body get stimulated. It is a good idea to gently massage sensitive body areas in your baby, to avoid any pain. Massage your baby’s heel firmly – if there have been a lot of heel pricks to draw blood in case of hospitalization. This breaks up any leftover scar tissue and eliminates fear of having his/ her heels touched.
- Toes to Ankle: Stroke the top of the foot moving from the toes first and then to the ankles.
- Circular Massage Movements: Make circles around the ankle with your thumb and forefinger.
- Rolling Massage Movements: Use your hands to roll the legs from knee to ankle. This creates a warm, soothing friction when your hands move over the skin. Gently squeeze each toe with fingertips. Stimulate nerve endings on bottom of foot. Make a circle around the ankle.
Shoulders and Arms:
- Use your fingers and thumb to form a ring around your child’s arm. Caress around the armpit and go down the length of the arm. When you reach the elbow, take care as it is a sensitive area.
- Practice slow turning movements at the wrist. Take utmost care when following these exercise movements.
- Stroke from the shoulder to alternate side. This can improve coordination. Move your hand from the shoulder to the fingertips. Repeat this several times.
- Use your thumb to stroke your baby’s palm.
Stomach:
- Move your hands clockwise starting just below the ribs. Massage stomach with circular movements. Take care not to massage the genital area.
Back:
- Turn your baby around with face down. Begin with slow large hand movements which start with head, then neck, back, legs always in one direction. Use soft strokes on your baby’s shoulders, back and massage with your fingertips in circular movements.
- Do not massage your baby’s spinal cord. Let your baby feel the warm sensation of your hands over it, without any spinal massage. You can make small circular motions on your baby’s back.
- Begin massaging the top of the legs gently and work your way down towards the foot. When you reach the feet, start massaging again from the top and move downwards. Go once again back to the head and proceed towards the toes with slow soft massage movements
Face:
Turn your baby gently to face you. Start a face massage without any extra oil.
- Begin at the center of the baby’s forehead with your fingertips and move along the eyebrows. Be very gentle! With your thumbs, lightly move along the bridge of the nose to move up to the forehead.
Jaws:
- Use very gentle movements and soft strokes to massage the front part of the neck.
- Then massage the back portion of the neck slowly and move down to the shoulders. Softly put both hands on your baby’s shoulders.
- Caress the baby from the neck to the shoulders moving in the direction of the chest.
Baby Care: Tips to Remember
- Repeat these baby massage exercise techniques whenever you want to share a few special moments with your baby.
- This baby massage exercise should be done when you and your baby have adequate time. If your baby does not cooperate, do not get impatient. Just, try again later.
- Remember that mid morning sessions are best for a baby massage. A massage close to feeding time, that is, just before or right after feed can upset your baby.
- Follow the massage with a warm water bath to relax your baby and induce good sound sleep.
- Remember that massage can be started at any age. I’m sure you have a lot more questions about infant, baby and child massages – for e.g. when to massage, why to massage, how long to massage and so on. Make sure you read Baby Massage FAQs section on this site as well.
