For many babies, massage is prescribed for medical reasons - to relieve muscle tension, align asymmetry, and correct the consequences of birth injuries. Massage is good for all children, but not all of them like strangers. But mother's caring hands are always free for her beloved baby. How to massage an infant on your own?
Benefit
Massage has long been known for its broad therapeutic and prophylactic properties. There are a lot of types of massage, all of them are aimed at improving blood circulation, strengthening muscles, relieving pain and tension, as well as stimulating physical and intellectual development. Massage therapy is done after a specific diagnosis has been made, and it is better to leave it to a specialist.
Conditions
Pediatricians recommend starting massage at 4-5 weeks of age. It is believed that before this time, the newborn will already have many new impressions. In addition, in the first month of life, the child is still too susceptible to ambient temperature, and the mother is afraid to disturb him once again. In short, it is better to postpone it until the second month.
- The room should be warm, at least 20 degrees.
- The child should be fed 1-2 hours before the massage, but not too hungry, otherwise he will be quite right to be capricious and demand milk.
- Massage can be done on a changing table or on a regular table, placing a thin mattress and a disposable diaper on it (a regular diaper and an oilcloth under it).
- It is important that both you and your child feel comfortable.
- Both of you should enjoy the process. If someone is crying, nervous, or tired, it's time to end.
- Remember to trim your nails, jewelry and watches to avoid scratching your baby.
- Before the massage, you can lubricate your hands with oil or baby cream, and be sure to rub against each other to make them warm. Don't overdo it!
- It is better not to smear the child with oil. There are different opinions on this, but most experienced massage therapists do not recommend its use, as it clogs pores and forms an oily film on the skin.
Execution technique
There is nothing supernatural about a baby massage: all that is required of you is to lightly press and stroke in the right direction in the right places. The map of the application of efforts is approximately as follows: feet - legs (from the periphery to the center) - tummy - chest - palms - arms (from the periphery to the center) - turn to the stomach - shoulders - back. You can gently stroke your face while reading a poem about eyes, mouth, nose. The kids like it very much.
- We start by lightly kneading the upper part of the foot and toes - a storehouse of health points associated with all the internal organs of a person.
- We pass to the leg. With the pads of the index and middle fingers, without straining the wrist, we pass in circular movements from the foot to the buttocks. We do the same with the other leg.
- The tummy should be stroked clockwise, avoiding strong pressure and the area of the right hypochondrium.
- We stroke the chest in a circular motion. The right chest area is counterclockwise, and the left chest is clockwise.
- Gently knead the palms and fingers and move on to the hands. Move from palm to shoulder in a circular motion with your middle and index fingers.
- After turning onto your stomach, massage your shoulders and stroke the back with the front and back of your palms.
Recommendations
- Talk to your baby, name the body parts you are working with, smile, play, recite rhymes and sing songs. No mechanically executed movements!
- Don't be forced if the baby is crying. In this case, massage will do more harm than good.
- You can do a massage every day. The best time for such a procedure is in the evening before or after bathing. The kid will get tired, calm down and fall asleep soundly. But if you and the child are more comfortable in the morning or afternoon, then the choice is yours.
- If you are not confident in your abilities, you can hire a massage therapist to show you how to properly massage.
- Gymnastics, appropriate to the age of the baby, is also well suited to massage.
Contraindications
It is still worth consulting a doctor. Communicate your good intentions and take into account the opinion of a specialist who knows your child personally.
It is better to postpone the massage if:
- the child is sick
- the baby is crying,
- rash on the skin, irritation.
Touching, contact with mom is the need of every baby. No one better than you will feel the change in his mood and will not understand whether he is good now or not. Enjoy moments of closeness with your child, and your love and care will have the best effect on his health and development.
