Bonding Through Touch: 10 Infant Massage Questions Answered by Massage Expert

Massaging your baby can be a wonderful way to bond and promote relaxation. It's essential to follow proper guidelines, especially when it comes to the umbilical cord area.

For new parents, skin-to-skin contact and gentle strokes can be incredibly soothing for babies, even from birth. This early contact can help with:

• Bonding
• Regulating baby's temperature and heart rate
• Promoting feelings of calm and security

Baby Massage 101: Answers to Your Most Pressing Questions

When can one start with infant massage?

You could start massaging your babies 3 weeks post birth once the umblical cord has fallen off and the area is completely clean and dry. Babies shouldn’t have any tenderness around the cord site. However, for the initial days, you could do loads of skin-to-skin contact with your baby and light strokes to soothe them.

Which oil is best for infant massage? I use mustard oil heated with garlic.

When it comes to baby massage, selecting the right oil is crucial. Opt for oils that are gentle, non-greasy, and easy to wash off. Avoid thick, sticky oils that can strip your baby's skin of its natural moisture.

A few things that you can keep in mind is :

1. Cold Pressed: Look for oils extracted using cold pressing methods to preserve their natural benefits.

2. Locally Sourced: Choose oils from local sources to ensure freshness and sustainability.

3. Single Ingredient: Avoid mixing oils; instead, select a single, high-quality oil.Best oils : Almond oil, Coconut oil, Jojoba Oil. Mustard Oil is Suitable for colder climates, as it provides extra nourishment and warmth.

Any massage tips to relax crying baby at night time?

So many mums believe that massages should be given only during daytime and then bathe the baby immediately. But have you ever tried massaging your baby at night and giving a nice warm bath post that? This in itself will make a lot of difference and babies sleep better as they are completely relaxed and there’s a good rush of oxytocin that you have passed through your touch.

Some soothing techniques to try include:

- Light circular motions on the soles and toes

- Gentle stretching of hands

- Butterfly strokes on the back

I give massage to my 3-month-old with coconut oil, before bath in the morning. How important is bed time massage? And is it to be done with oil again or with moisturiser also works?

There's no hard and fast rule that babies can only be massaged once a day. If your baby enjoys being touched and caressed more, you can give a light massage at night as well. Coconut oil is lightweight, so it's perfectly fine to leave it on your baby's skin after a nighttime massage without bathing. If your baby has a relaxing massage, they might drift off to sleep, which is completely okay. You can bathe them later.

Hi Mekha, please tell the infant should be massaged once or twice a day? Also, any specific massage technique if one wants to massage the baby themselves?

But would you like it if you are offered a head champi or a foot massage twice? The same goes with babies too. The reason why we massage babies is to bond better with them and to start early initiation of good therapeutic touch.

There are a lot of strokes that we actually cover in our Infant massage sessions from head to toe. Simple light strokes over different parts for beginning is good enough, but always remember- face is the last place that babies like to be touched.

Hi, my baby is 1.5 months old.. i want to give her massage everyday but as soon as I open her clothes she starts crying and continues until we dress her up again

Alright, there are so many things to consider here - What time are you giving her the massage? ⁠Have you heard about consent-based massage? ⁠What is the environment or room setting?

Just like how we as adults like to be asked before touching, during my sessions I actually talk about consent based infant massage.

Your baby gives you enough cues if they are comfortable and calm for a massage.

Never wake a sleeping baby for a massage, even if you've scheduled a specific time. Instead, massage your baby when they're active, alert, and receptive. This is also an ideal time to introduce them to their body parts, as they're more open to learning and exploration.

Ideal Massage Conditions:

- Comfortable Room Temperature: Avoid extreme temperatures; maintain a normal, cozy environment.

- Baby's State: Massage when your baby is calm, cheerful, and engaged.

How long should each massage session last for an infant? And until what age should/can we massage our little one

There is no hard and fast rule regarding time duration when it comes to baby massages. You can massage the baby as long as they feel comfortable and are responding well to your touch and strokes with their coos and gurgles. Massages can be sometimes as short as 10 minutes and that’s completely fine.

Massage is a relaxing experience and a bonding activity with you and your baby that can go on for as many years that you and your child would like. There is no ideal age to stop it. Your strokes, techniques and baby’s massaging needs may differ with age. Don’t we all still love a good head champi from our moms? Or a light foot massage by our dads?

While massaging baby should be use tight hands or do it gently? Also, any specific massage type for making neck and shoulder muscle strong for balancing?

Massages should be gentle and not a painful experience for the baby. We all are made to believe that massages are done for babies to increase their bone strength, muscle strength and lot more. But the only logic behind infant massages is to bond better with babies, improve the overall blood circulation and also relaxing their tense muscles which again has a lot of benefits in reducing in colic etc.

So please do not press hands, legs as they will be just uncomfortable.

Give them lots of tummy time, will really help with hand and neck strengthening.

Do massages help with developmental milestones or motor skills?

The gentle stimulation from massage promotes healthy growth and helps babies build body awareness. Touch stimulates the nervous system, supporting brain-body connections, balance, and reflex integration. And massaging different body parts helps babies understand their body boundaries and develop proprioception (awareness of their body in space).

Massaging your babies consistently especially by parents can gently guide babies toward meeting milestones, while also deepening your parent-baby bond.

Some people say we should not give tummy time as baby will learn to balance there neck on its own as tummy time will give stress to their neck and shoulders. is Is tummy time necessary?

Tummy time can beneficial in many ways. It strengthens muscles needed for head control, rolling, sitting, and crawling. Strengthens the chest, arms, and core muscles, which are crucial for future motor skills.

1. Strengthen neck muscles: Essential for head control and future motor skills.

2. Develop chest, arm, and core strength: Crucial for rolling, sitting, and crawling.

3. Reduce gassiness: Tummy time can help alleviate discomfort and promote burping.

Getting Started:

1. Begin early: Start tummy time from day one, beginning with short sessions (1-2 minutes) several times a day.

2. Gradually increase duration: As your baby grows and becomes more comfortable.

3. Supervise closely: Ensure your baby's nose is clear and they're facing sideways.

Why Join Momly Infant Massage Program?

1. Hands-on Experience: Learn from an expert and gain confidence in massaging your baby.

2. Expert-Backed Resources: Access practical guides and daily practices to master various techniques and strokes.

3. Science-Based Guidelines: Follow authentic, research-driven advice for safe and effective infant massage.

By joining infant massage program, you will get practical tips from expert and gain the skills to nurturing a loving massage environment for your growing baby.