Massage Montage

Archive for the ‘Infant Massage’ Category

Understanding what it is that your baby wants or needs can be a very frustrating ordeal.  In order to reduce your feelings of frustration, I’m going to go over some obvious and not so obvious indications of whether or not your baby is enjoying themselves.

The following non-verbal cues are indications that your baby is enjoying the massage;

Calms down and becomes still

Gazes at your face

Reaches for you

Watches your movements

Smiles, giggles, babbles

Begins to suck on their lower lip

Their eyes get wide and bright

They try to raise their head

The following are non-verbal cues that indicates that your baby is no longer interested what is occurring:


Begins arching their back

Spits up

Cries or begins fussing

Falls asleep

Turns their head away from you

Wrinkles their forehead, frowns

Looks away from you

Breathing increases

These cues are important to know and understand before, during and after your massage.  Try and stay alert and observant of your babies actions during the massage. By paying attention to your babies non-verbal cues during your massage time, you are more able to understand what your baby is communicating at any time.

Preparing the environment you are giving your baby a massage in is very important.  The following information is just some general things you will want to do and have on hand before you begin massaging your baby.

Start with the temperature of the room.  The most comfortable temperature for babies to relax in is between 88 and 90 degrees.  This temperature may not be the most comfortable for you, so do your best to find a temperature that is comparable for you and your baby.

Massaging your baby in a dimly lit room with soft music playing in the background will help both you and your baby prepare for the massage. Doing these two things provides a soothing and relaxing atmosphere that will help you get into the right frame of mind and if you are consistently massaging your baby, this will indicate that it is time to relax.

Be sure to have soft toys at hand before you begin the massage.  This will keep your baby entertained as you go through the massage routine.  If you can only use soft to the touch toys. Toys that produce no sound are good but not a must.

You will need a padded surface to lay the baby on.  You can use a blanket folded up but if you do you will need something extra to support your baby’s head. You need all the baby essentials: diapers, wet wipes, burp rags, bottles, blankets and pacifiers. Finally you need oil.  There are several types of oil you can use but I recommend grape seed oil, almond oil and apricot kernel oil (which is very hard to find, but a very good massage oil).

Click here for some more specific products that are recommended to have in order to create a more relaxing massage time for you and your baby.

Now that you have all the things you need to create a relaxing environment, its time to massage your baby. I know what you’re thinking…”how do I do that?” Well, I will run through a detailed sequence of how to massage your baby in the next few days, so check back…the information is coming.

Questions are welcome. Let me know if there is anything I can clarify for you.

As stated in Benefits of Infant Massage Part 1, there are many benefits to infant massage. This post will be touching much more strongly on the benefit to the parent of caregiver who is performing the massage.

Benefits of Infant Massage:

Giving your baby a massage can drastically improve communication between you and your infant.  Massaging your baby can increase your ability to read what is going on with his or her body.  You will be able to more quickly understand what their facial expressions  and different their cries mean simply by giving you baby consistent massages.

You get more sleep, why do you get more sleep….because your baby gets more sleep.  The statement, “If Mom ain’t happy….nobody is happy” is only a half truth.  The real truth is if baby ain’t happy…NOBODY is happy.  Giving your baby a massage can mend this situations. You and your baby relax during and after massage time which helps everyone involved  be more restful at bedtime.

You will boost your self-confidence as a parent/caregiver as you feel the connection grow stronger with your baby. Bringing your baby joy and relaxation through massage only affirms what everyone else already knows, and that is that you are a good parent/caregiver and your baby is lucky to have you.

The bonding element of massage is so important, it warrants revisiting again.  Taking time out of your busy day to massage your baby can create a lasting bond of trust and tenderness.


The benefits I have mentioned here and in the other post are just a portion of what can be felt and achieved through infant massage. Take the time to learn how massage your baby. The knowledge and practice will pay you back in ways you can’t even imagine.

Infant massage is one of the lesser known forms of massage and yet is can be one of the most beneficial. Massage in and of itself is a wonderful practice that helps adults and babies alike. Giving a baby a massage takes the practice of massage to a higher level because it teaches body awareness at such a young age. In this post you will learn the specific benefits that massaging infants offers the baby as well as the practitioner.

Benefits for the Infants:

There are several benefits for your infant when consistently receiving a massage. An infants neurological functions improve while being massaged. This improvement is do to the systematic stimulation of your baby’s nerves and muscular systems. This stimulation also assists in your infant’s post-natal muscular development. Massaging your baby will increase your babies range of motion. Infant massage has gentle stretches that when done consistently help babies become much more flexible. This increased flexibility is also a way to assist in the development of the muscular system.

Massage improves the digestive system of your baby. When massaging a baby there are several of stokes performed on the abdomen.  This eases any blockages of food or gas.  The stimulation also increase blood to the stomach area which aids in digestion. Babies that are massaged are able to put on weight easier because of the aid to their digestive system.

The birthing process is very traumatic to your baby.  Giving your baby massages will ease the trauma of the birth.  A massage will teach your baby soothing touch and through that soothing touch your baby can and will release the stress they experienced in birth.  Massaging your infant will also help your baby sleep more deeply and less fitfully because the stress and trauma have been massaged away.

Finally massaging your baby will increase the bond the two of you share.  Practitioners of infant massage often suggest that fathers learn to give babies a massage because of the depth of the bond that is created during a massage.  Mothers generally have an instinctual bond with their baby, massage allows that bond to be shared by all practitioners, creating a family bonding environment.

Thank you for taking a moment or two to read about the benefits of massaging your baby.  Take a minute to look at the post Benefits of Infant Massage Part Two before you read about massage preparation in order to fully understand what infant massage can do.

Questions are welcome, feel free to ask anything that comes to mind.