Becoming a parent is the most beautiful experience in everyone’s life. After a baby is born, you start pampering him/her, give all your love, look after all the needs so that your baby remains fit and healthy. But also, one secret that is most beneficial to your baby is a good body massage. Here in this article, I am going to share with you’ll some baby massage tips and benefits as well as some baby massage ways for proper development of your baby’s body. So go through the post to know more about how to massage newborn baby.

What is baby massage?

Newborn baby massage is a smooth, stroking of your baby’s body with your hands. You can even use an oil or a moisturizer that can make your hands smoothly glide on the skin of your baby. At the time of massaging a baby, you can manipulate your baby’s ankles, wrist, and fingers to make them healthy.

New baby massage benefits

Baby body massage is beneficial to you and your baby in the following ways.

Massage relaxes your baby’s body.

develops your baby mentally , physically, and socially. It, physically, and socially.

better sleep at night . It helps your baby to get

Stops your baby from crying and creating less fuss.

It helps your baby to recover from illness quickly.

It develops a strong bond between you and your baby.

improves the digestion and the bowel movement of your baby. Itand the bowel movement of your baby.

Create a bond through baby massage

Before the baby starts to learn the language or understand it, they feel they feel loved with your touch. You can massage your baby by singing a song, and even talking to your baby is the best practice as they can connect with you. It develops trust and communication between you and your baby. When you stroke your baby’s body, it produces a feeling hormone known as Oxytocin in you and your baby. It is a hormone that gives you a warm love feeling when you hold your baby or even breastfeed him/her.

When to start baby massage and what is the best time for it?

For the new parents, questions come in their mind regarding the baby massage like when to start oil massage for a newborn baby? Or why baby massage is important?

There is no such particular time for massaging a baby. Most of the people prefer baby oil massage before bath as after this can remove the excess oil from their skin. You can give a gentle massage to your baby when your baby is active and alert and will be able to respond to your touch. It’s better to start the massage for your baby after he/she has completed six weeks old checkup as through this you can come to know if your baby has any development issues. Avoid massaging your baby immediately after feeding as this can cause vomiting. There should be at least 45 mins gap between the feeding and the massage.

What do you need before starting a baby massage?

Before starting a newborn massage, make sure the room in which you are going to massage your baby is warm enough and free from distractions. Keep your baby on a towel in front of you in a way that you can have eye contact with your baby, make sure that there is no bright light on the ceiling that directly reflects your baby’s eyes. You can massage your baby with an oil or a cream but first, do a patch test on your baby’s skin a day before the massage so that you can come to know whether that oil or cream is suitable for him/her or not. Using newborn baby massage oil can easily glide your hands on your baby’s body and make them feel relax.

Baby Massage Steps

Massage for a newborn baby is essential as this can make them healthy as well as keep their bones strong. Here I am going to share with you some baby massage steps from which you can come to know how to massage your baby appropriately.

Baby Leg Massage / Massaging Baby Feet

Most of the babies are more comfortable with a touch on their legs.

1. Hold your baby’s ankle in your one hand and place your other hand on his thigh and slowly slide down till the toes. Do it from the inner side of the thigh as well.

2. The next step is to apply little pressure on the sole of their foot by massaging with the thumb.

3. Massage around the ankle in a circular motion.

4. Gently squeeze and slightly pull each toe.

Baby Hand Massage

Massaging hands is very similar to the massaging of the legs.

1. Hold your baby’s wrist in one hand and place your other hand on the arms and slide downwards. Keep it doing from the inner side of the arms as well.

2. Apply little pressure on their palm and massage it with your thumb.

3. Massage the area around the wrist in a circular motion.

4. Gently squeeze and slightly pull each finger.

Baby Massage For Gas / Baby Stomach Massage

Massaging their tummy can help them with digestion and tummy problems. So here are the steps for baby tummy massage for gas relief.

1. Lay down on your baby on his back.

2. Place your hand on the top of your baby’s rib cage and bring your hands down, applying pressure on his stomach.

3. Place your fingertip over your baby’s belly button and move it gently in the circular motion in the clockwise direction as doing this can eliminate the gas and also stimulates the bowl if he feels constipated.

4. Lastly, take the baby’s ankles and gently press it towards the baby’s chest

Repeat all these steps a few times.

Baby Back Massage

It is done to strengthen the spine of your baby. Here is the step by step back massage procedure.

1. Stretch your legs straight and place your baby on them which his back on the upside so that you can massage him also keep his hands in front and not at the sides.

2. Massage your baby’s back by moving your hands back and forth in the opposite direction, from his neck to the buttocks.

3. Move your fingertip in a circular motion on one side of the spine, moving towards others. Avoid applying the pressure directly on the spine.

4. Massage the shoulder with small circular motions.

5. Massage the buttocks with large circular movements.

6. Making your fingers like a rake, stroke his back.

Baby Head Massage / Baby Face Massage

It is done to enhance the facial features of the baby.

1. Massage your baby’s scalp with your fingertips, but avoid the fontanel that is soft part on the top of the head.

2. Massage his ears by holding between your index finger and the thumb.

3. Place your thumb between his eyebrows and stroke out.

4. Again with your thumbs stroke outside the baby’s eyelids.

5. Massage your baby’s face in a heart-shaped from his forehead till the hands meet the chin.

6. Massage your baby’s nose by pushing it upwards from the cheeks.

7. In circular motions massage the jaws of your baby.

Baby Chest Massage

1. Place both your hands on the baby’s chest and stroke it outwards from the sternum to the shoulders.

2. Start from the sternum and trace a heart-shaped by bringing both your hands, up to the shoulder and then down and back together.

3. Stroke diagonally from one side of the shoulder to the opposite side of the hip with both your hands turn one after the other.

What oil to use for baby massage?

Many people look for the best baby massage oil available in the market, that are beneficial for their babies but using season-specific oil can keep them happy the whole day.

Oils that are good for your baby in Summer

1. Coconut Oil

2. Sesame Oil

Oils that are good for your baby in Winter

1. Mustard Oil

2. Olive Oil

3. Almond Oil

4. Sunflower Oil

Among these, most of the moms prefer olive oil for baby massage but choose the one that is suitable for your baby’s skin.

When to stop baby massage?

There is no specific age for massaging your baby and you can do it till your baby enjoys it as massage makes your baby’s bones strong and also ensures proper growth and development. Most of the parents stop the baby massage when their infant has transformed into a toddler. But, as every baby is different so it depends on you when to stop it as you know your baby better than anyone else.

Baby Massage Tips & Techniques

For first time parents, who are new to this routine here are some massaging techniques and baby massage tips that are helpful to you’ll.

Choose the time at which your baby is in a good mood, relaxed, and not hungry.

Collect all the things required for and after the massage that is the oil, towel, nappies, and clothes.

Use a comfortable place to massage your baby and make sure the room has sufficient light so that you can see the face of your baby.

Wash your hands and remove all your jewelry.

Wipe off the excess oil from your baby’s body as they have the habit of putting their fingers in their mouth.

Interact with your baby as this helps to strengthen your bond with your baby as your touch can make them feel loved.

Stop the massage and move on to the other one if your baby finds it irritating or has become cranky during that step.

Massaging baby is essential in the initial phase to make the bones of the baby strong. So these are some newborn massage tips for all the mums, and I think now you must be knowing how to give massage to your baby.

If you found these tips helpful then do share it with others.