Massage For Babies – Part II

As promised, I am back with the second part of this blog. This is a subject that has been very close to my heart hence, I have quite a lot of information to share with all of you.

The best time for a massage

Many a time new parents are in a dilemma about the right time to massage their bubs. Let me tell you one thing. Always go by the cues your baby gives you. Ideally, you could pick a time when your baby is between feeds. That way, the child won’t be too hungry or too full. Also, please do not begin around your baby’s nap time as you do not want to end up with a wailing and inconsolable child. I made that mistake during the first few days of Riaan’s birth and it made the whole experience very cumbersome for all of us. I had appointed a lady for Riaan’s ‘maalish’ (the term for massage in Hindi). She used to come in at 10.30 am and very soon I realized that it was his nap time as he used to be very cranky and used to cry his lungs out. It was a lesson learned the hard way and I switched the timings after which, he used to be ready and waiting for the lady to come home.

You could also make it a bedtime routine for your baby, helping him/her to calm down and be ready to sleep. I must warn you though that babies love this pampering so, once they get used to it you will not be allowed to skip a single day. But, in places which are cold please keep a tab on the right water temperature if you are going to bathe your baby later because babies tend to catch a cold pretty soon. A very good alternative to this could be to massage your baby with a nice moisturizing lotion before bedtime.

Things to keep in mind before beginning

It is very important to keep all the required items handy before you begin the massage as it is practically impossible to get up midway hunting for something. If you have help at home then you could still overlook this aspect but, if you live by yourself then as per me, it is strictly not advisable.

• Pick a quiet, warm corner of your house. Let it just be you and your baby completely undisturbed.
• A soft towel or a mat where can lay your baby.
• Some relaxing music always helps or better yet, you could sing to him/her.
• A good massage oil – this will be as per your choice and what suits your baby’s skin.
• Soaps and shampoos if you will be bathing your baby post the massage.
• Clothes and nappies

This sums up pretty much everything about a baby massage as per my knowledge. There are an ample number of videos available online on the right techniques of massage so please do have a look. I learned it from the elders in my family and the internet as well ☺. Once in a while, rope in the daddy as well. Let him also experience this lovely feeling. (oxytocin, remember?)

Disclaimer: All photographs in this article are original and belong to the author. Reproducing them in any form without the permission of the author will not be allowed.

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