baby care-baby massage

Baby massage
Massaging your new baby is a great way to get to know them and to create a loving, trusting bond between yourself and your child. Research has proven that there are numerous benefits to regularly massaging your baby including better sleeping and settling habits. And the great news is — baby massage is simple to learn and do.
When to start
You can start to massage your baby from any age but wait until you are comfortable handling your little one and start off with small sessions with a few simple stokes, say five minutes, if they are very young and work up to longer times. Go with your baby and massage for as little or as long as they enjoy it.
Benefits of baby massage
There are many benefits to infant massage including:
Promotes a strong bond between parent and baby
Helps baby to feel loved and secure
Parents start to become familiar with their baby's visual cues
Increases parental confidence in handling their baby
Decreases stress and tension for parents and child
Relaxes baby and helps with sleep and settling
Encourages development of flexibility and co-ordination
Promotes stimulation of immune, circulatory and digestive systems
Can help to relieve wind, constipation and colic
Learning the right techniques
Most massage experts advise that you begin by massaging the legs. This is because the legs are touched constantly while changing nappies and babies will be familiar with this type of touch. Be sure to use long firm strokes. Light, feathery touch will irritate a lot of babies; however, some newborns may prefer a lighter touch, it's best to experiment and see. It's very important to maintain eye contact with your baby throughout the massage. You can start by massaging with the
baby's clothes on if you wish or have the baby undressed, including their nappy.