How Massage Helps Your Baby To Sleep
Research is revealing that massage can assist your baby to fall asleep. And daily massage will help to get his circadian rhythms established. This means that your baby will fall asleep easier and sleep longer through the night. The positive result is that your child will be more active and alert during the waking hours of the day.
Circadian rhythms influence the mental and physical variations we are naturally designed to experience every 24 hours. The circadian rhythms affect the changes in brain waves, hormone production , body temperature, sleep, and appetite that the body should naturally experience.
The sleep-enhancing hormone called melatonin is produced by the brain and is needed to help relax your baby in preparation for sleep and to keep him asleep throughout the night. Melatonin is naturally released in darkness. However, massaging a baby also helps to release vital melatonin. In fact, research reveals that babies that are massaged have a higher level of melatonin than babies who are not massaged, show less sleep delay activities, and have shortened periods of inactivity before sleep onset.
Child Psychologist Reveals Baby Sleep Secret
Baby sleep issues arent just about finding short-term fixes to a long-term problem. Difficulties such as sheer inexperience, mounting sleep debt, unavoidable mental breakdowns or lack of a solid strategy can severely affect the wellbeing of mothers who are desperate to find an effective, practical solution to this delicate problem.Lets face it, ignoring the problem and waiting for it to go on its own isnt a choice, says Mary-Ann Schuler, creator of babysleepmiracle.com. Your approach determines not only the emotional environment your baby will sleep and live in, but also his present and future mental development.Fact: Tens of millions of American mothers are in a desperate need of a solution for their babies sleep problems, with millions more already having invested valuable resources in time-consuming band-aids. Where to Massage Baby to Sleep
This is why Baby Sleep Miracle was created. Author Mary-Ann Schuler says, we want moms who struggle with this kind of problem to be aware that there is a solution to this. The product contains specific strategies on how to establish healthy sleeping habits for any child, with special sleep guidelines for newborn babies and general sleep rules for children up to age 5, complemented by psychologically-backed tips and tricks.
How To Massage Your Baby
We cannot teach you all the ins-and-outs of infant massage in a blog article. Infant massage is not a complicated process, but it does require that specific techniques be applied in specific ways to specific points on your infants body.
We can, however, give you an overview of how infant massage works. This video demonstrates the basics:
Interested in massaging your baby? Here are a few tips from one of our own sleep consultants, Elaine, whos trained in infant massage:
If youd like to learn how to perform infant massage, visit the Infant Massage USA website, to see if there is a class in your area. Or, check with your local hospital to see if they can recommend a trained infant massage specialist.
If you would like to read more about the origins of infant massage and to learn more about Vimala McClures infant massage techniques, check out her book, Infant Massage: A Handbook for Loving Parents.
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Technique 1 Head & Face Massage
Step 1 Place baby on back facing you or sit with your knees raised and place baby on thighs.Step 2 Cradle babys head from behind in both your hands holding with your fingertips.Step 3 With your thumbs gently stroke from forehead to behind ears. Repeat multiple times.Step 4 Shift head cradling to your palms and gently massage the scalp with your fingertips, avoiding the soft spot .Step 5 Supporting babys neck take your thumbs and index finger and gently massage ears and end by thumbs stroking down sides of neck.Step 6 Lay baby down and trace around outside of face with palms from top to chin. Repeat 3 times.Step 7 Place thumbs at bridge of nose and sweep outwards over brows. Repeat.Step 8 Place thumbs at bridge of nose and sweep outwards over eyes. Repeat.Step 9 Place thumbs at bridge of nose and sweep down nose and outward over cheeks.Step 10 Place thumbs at base of ear. Gently massage along jawline in circular movements toward chin.Step 11 Place fingertip pads on forehead and gently feather from forehead around face toward chin. Repeat.
Note: be careful not to massage around your infants crown soft spot that has not closed.
Strategy #1 Learn To Spot Your Childs Sleep Cues Where To Massage Baby To Sleep
Like the rest of us, your child has a sleep window of opportunity, a period of time when he is tired, but not too tired.If that window closes before you have a chance to tuck your child into bed, his body will start releasing chemicals to fight the fatigue and it will be much more difficult for you to get him to go to sleep. So how can you tell if your baby is getting sleepy? Its not as if your one-month-old can tell you what he needs. Here are some sleep cues that your baby is ready to start winding down for a nap or for bedtime:-Your baby is calmer and less active this is the most obvious cue that your baby is tired and you need to act accordingly.-Your baby may be less tuned-in to his surroundings his eyes may be less focused and his eyelids may be drooping.-Your baby may be quieter if your baby tends to babble up a storm during his more social times of the day, you may notice that the chatter dwindles off as he starts to get sleepy.-Your baby may nurse more slowly instead of sucking away vigorously, your baby will tend to nurse more slowly as he gets sleepy. In fact, if hes sleepy enough, he may even fall asleep mid-meal.-Your baby may start yawning if your baby does this, well, thats a not-so-subtle sign that hes one sleepy baby.
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When If I Massage My Infant
Baby Massage For Sleep too soon after feeding may cause your baby to inhale thus wait at least 45 minutes after feeding. Also, pay careful attention to your childs mood. If your infant has a constant gaze and looks content and calm, they may like a massage. If your infant turns her or his mind away from you or becomes stiffer on your arms, then it may not be the ideal time to get a massage.
When and how frequently you massage your baby is your decision. You may give your furry friend a daily massage. Your toddler may enjoy a massage during the nighttime as a soothing portion of her or his bedtime routine.
Prepare Yourself For This Time With Your Baby
Turn off the ringer and let the phone go to voicemail. Begin by washing your hands and soothing your baby with a soft voice. Use this time to tell her what you plan on doing and how much youre going to enjoy this special time with her. Put a teaspoon or two of oil in your hands and rub your palms together to warm it.
Wonder why newborns wake up at night so much?Read: Why Newborns Wake at Night and 10 Things You Can Do About It
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What Is Infant And Baby Massage
In truth, infant massage is nothing new. The practice of gently massaging babies has been around for centuries, in many cultures . However, infant massage is a relatively new practice in the West. Thats due largely to the work of a woman named Vimala Schneider McClure.
While working at an orphanage in India, Vimala watched as a 12-year-old girl routinely massaged all the children. Although the children lacked proper nutrition, they all thrived McClure came to believe this was thanks to the regular massages they received. Returning to the United States in the mid-70s, McClure set out to spread the word about infant massage. Her message received attention, and now, infant massage is widely recognized as a beneficial practice.
McClures approach to infant massage includes the Indian massage strokes she learned while working there it also includes Swedish massage strokes and reflexology techniques.
Baby Massage Enhances Learning
Studies show that massages can promote alertness, and when baby is more alert, he/she learns more. In one study, 4-month-olds who were given 8-minute massages responded more favorably to audio-visual habituation tasks than infants who did not receive massage.
A relationship has been shown between skin-to-skin touch and intelligence, says Koch. The more tactile stimulation a baby receives in its first months of life up through the first year can impact their brain development permanently.
Another study shows that this benefit of massage applies to preschoolers as well. When preschoolers are tested post-massage, they perform better.
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Start With Babys Head And Face
First, you will want to make sure that your babys head is well supported. Begin by cradling the babys head in one hand and gently massaging the scalp as if they were being bathed. Be sure to rub their ears more gently than other areas. Give them a calming eyebrow rub by placing your fingers between their eyebrows and slowly rubbing outward. Very gently use your thumbs to stroke their eyelids, and end by doing small circles on their jawline.
Baby Massage Promotes Sleep
Research from the University of Warwick found that baby massage lowers levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and stimulates melatonin production. Because melatonins main job is to regulate sleep cycles, baby massage helps babies fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Given the apparent effect of infant massage on stress hormones, it is not surprising to find some evidence of an effect on sleep and crying, Angela Underdown, University of Warwick
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Benefits Of Baby Massage
Infant massages are not new. In fact, baby massages have quite the history. Evidence of the earliest infant massage dates back to ancient India. Even then, massages were more than just a form of relaxationthey were incorporated into Ayurvedic medicine as a way to enhance circulation, get rid of toxins, improve digestive function, and boost overall well-being.
Today we know just how much a newborn benefits from massage and that all babies, particularly low birthweight babies, often thrive when exposed to human touch. Over 100 studies confirm the wide range of massage benefits for common maladies from gas to colic to sleeping problems. Lets unpack some of the biggest benefits of baby massage:
Target The Right Body Parts
Benefits of Baby Massage Mother Massaging Babys FootMassage babys feet using soft, gentle strokes.
Massage babys legs, working the shins and the thighs.
Move to the arms, making sure to massage babys hands, too.
For babys stomach, massage in a clockwise direction .
Massage babys chest, but avoid the delicate head and neck area.
Flip baby over and massage his/her back.
*Avoid massaging the head since your baby still has soft spots
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Is Massaging Your Baby Before Bed A Good Exercise For Sleep Training
Sleep training, like all kinds of training that seem challenging at first, takes persistence and patience. The idea is that once your baby is between 4-6 months old, they are likely ready to self-soothe and sleep for longer stretches of time. With sleep training, youâre giving your baby the tools to not just fall asleep, but also to fall back asleep on their own⦠which hopefully means that you, too, can sleep longer and better. That said, if massaging your baby before bed is a part of your established bed time routine, then by all means, stick with it!
Massaging A Baby’s Arms
As with the rest of the body, massaging baby’s arms can help improve muscle tone and coordination, as well as increase body awareness.
1. With one hand, hold your baby’s wrist. Relax the upper arm by tapping it lightly.
2. Hold the baby’s wrist with one hand, and hold your other hand in a C-shape around the upper arm stroke from the shoulder down to the wrist.
3. With each hand grasping the arm, one right above the other, stroke down from shoulder to wrist with both hands rotating in opposite directions, as if you were gently wringing a towel.
4. Massage the palm, moving thumb over thumb from the heel of the hand to the fingers.
5. Stroke down top of hand from wrist to fingertips. Gently squeeze and pull each finger.
6. Massage the wrist by moving your fingers in small circles.
7. Roll their arm between both your hands.
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Before Massaging Your Infant Take Note Of The Following Tips:
- Make sure that the room is warm enough at around 24 °C with no flow of air
- Place your baby down on a towel or change math underneath
- If its a little cold, you may keep your babys vest on
- If you have pets, place them in another room so that there arent any distractions
- You can play also relaxing music with a volume low enough that your baby can still hear you
If its your babys first time to undergo touch therapy, massage your babys legs first until she gets familiar with the sensation. Then, try to follow a routine pattern to make it comforting for your baby.
How Often To Perform Baby Massage
How often you massage your baby depends on you and your baby. Some parents give their baby massages daily, while other parents massage their little ones every other day.
You can massage your baby during the morning to get the day going or at night before bedtime to help soothe your baby to sleep. Pay attention to your babys cues to help determine the best massage routine.
Here are some tips and techniques that will help you and your baby make the most of massage time.
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How Do You Massage Your Baby
With just a little bit of prep and some basic massage techniques, you are all set to start massaging your little one. Follow these five easy steps:
1. Pick your location. Find a warm, calming environment, like a quiet room or a shady spot outdoors on a nice day. The massage can take place on the floor or the ground, on a bed, or on the changing table. But be sure not to leave your baby unattended on a high surface, as he could roll and fall. Always keep a hand on him during the massage.
2. Get your baby ready. You might consider massaging your baby after a bath as being bathed may help calm him in advance. Gather your oil if you’re planning on using it. Once youâre ready to begin, place your baby on a blanket or towel. Remove his clothes except for his diaper, and softly tell him itâs time for a massage.
3. Pay attention to your touch. Start by massaging your little one with gentle strokes on each part of his body, including his head, neck, upper back, shoulders, hands, waist, thighs, and feet. As he gets older and more accustomed to the routine, you can gradually increase the pressure or firmness of your touch. Avoid tickling or irritating your baby but do whatever makes him happy. You could try some of the following massage variations:
Things We Know To Be True About Baby And Toddler Massage
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How Do I Give My Baby A Massage
Create a comfy atmosphere. Choose a quiet, warm room with a comfortable surface you can lay your baby on. That might be a blanket placed on the floor in the living room, or the bed in a spare bedroom. Be sure to remove any jewelry and make sure your nails are trimmed and smooth.
Use a natural, edible oil. Some parents find that oil can help prevent friction between babys skin and their hands. If you choose to use oil, avoid using anything scented, which may irritate your babys skin and senses. Organic coconut or almond oil are good choices.If your baby has sensitive skin or allergies, or if you find oil too messy, you can skip using it.
Start with babys feet and legs, working your way up. Your baby will already be used to being touched on their legs and feet thanks to diaper changes, so this is a good place to start. Gently stroke each part of her foot and leg to stimulate circulation and relax muscles.
Continue to the tummy, arms and hands, face, then back. Gently stroke each area of your babys body for a minute or two each. Rubbing the tummy in a clockwise motion can aid in digestion. Kneading the arms, hands, and back can improve circulation and help baby relax.