One of the questions I get asked most often as an educator of infant massage is “Why in the world would a baby need a massage?” I suppose most people think of babies as leading fairly cushy lives…they seem to get their needs met on a fairly regular basis (because if they don’t, we certainly hear about it!)…they seem to do very little but lay around all day and get fed.
In order to really understand how babies benefit from massage, all you really need to do is think about how us adults benefit from a relaxing and rejuvenating massage therapy session. Think about how you feel when you walk out of your massage therapist’s room…kinda like warm jello right? Well it only makes sense that babies benefit just as much from this sensation as we do. Not to mention all the other amazing health benefits that massage therapy provides.
Some of the main benefits of infant massage are:
- improved sleep (and isn’t that a GREAT one?)
- less crying
- aids in digestion
- longer states of quiet alertness (that’s when you get the coos and smiles)
- less tummy troubles and colic
- more emotional bonding with the parent who is performing the massage
- improved immune function
- stimulates production of oxytocin (the “calming hormone”)
- improved skin and muscle tone
So after reading the above list, who wouldn’t want their baby to benefit from a massage? And as if those weren’t good enough reasons, I’m going to let you in on a little secret…infant massage is also very beneficial to the parent giving the massage. Crazy but true!
The same “calming hormone” that your baby releases (oxytocin) will also be released by your body if you are the one performing the massage (in men too). It’s as simple as when we make others feel good, we feel good too! Interestingly, oxytocin is also known as “the mothering hormone” because it’s released in large quantities during childbirth and breastfeeding in order to ensure that the mother nurtures, bonds and connects with her baby.
Along with the connectedness with your baby, massage also helps parents to tune into their baby and understand and respond to their cues. Parents often report feeling more comfortable and confident in their ability to care for their baby after completing my Blissful Baby infant massage classes…which makes me very happy!
So as you can see, infant massage really is a win-win for both the baby and the parent. Pair infant massage with a relaxing bath (I highly recommend the womb-like Tummy Tub) and not only will your baby get to have “a spa-like experience”, but it’s very likely you’ll get to have more hours of sleep that night!
Leave a comment and tell me what you think of infant massage and please share this with your friends and family who are expecting or have a new baby–I promise they’ll thank you for it one day!
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
So wonderFULL, Nicole! I LOVE this post! I am surprised that parents even question why a baby would need massage. Perhaps its because our society as a whole have forgotten how important touch is. We don’t hug enough, or give each other enough massages! Its an incredibly bonding act for two people of any age! And… I do know from my experience with my three sons, that it did INDEED make them happier and more comfortable in their bodies. Just try it, and your baby will let you know in all the ways she can how much loves it! In fact… my sons are 20, 22 & 25… and we all exchange neck back and arm massages. Has saved me oodles of money!!
Sending this piece to all my young mother friends! xo
Honestly, I think the reason people don’t think of massage for babies is that we, as a society, don’t view babies as being their own little people–we almost see them as unfeeling for the first few months (hence why some don’t feel bad letting them cry-it-out for hours on end). Sometimes I have to remind parents to put themselves into their baby’s shoes and ask how they would want to be treated in a similar situation and usually a light bulb goes off and they say that they never thought of it like that. So why didn’t they? That’s the mystery to me about how we treat babies in our society–there is a certain lack of respect in certain ways which makes me sad because how we treat babies in infancy is what helps them to make connections and mold their feelings about the world around them (it’s either a safe, good place or a scary place where needs don’t get met).
And I totally hear ya about your kids–my three boys LOVE to be rubbed and have me scratch their backs
Wow, Nicole, never thought about it that way, but you are right. I have been trained in early early childhood stuff… from Glenn Doman’s work at the Institute for Human Potential, to Music classes In-Utero, and the psychology…. so for me, this very earliest time is one of the most profound impactful times of our lives!! IN the future, people like you, and early infant training and even education will be some of the highest paid most respected positions there are. And… really, its the parents that need the training. Which is why I am soooooooooo grateFULL for your work! Thank you for serving this cause! xoxox
Thank you for making such a clear list of benefits, both from a medical as well as a parent/child bonding point of view.
This is really a win-win from all angles and can save many parents sleepless nights
Yes, the improved sleep is a huge plus and I think more parents would invest the time into infant massage if they knew that
I know how I feel when I leave my massages–all I want to do is crawl into a warm bed and go to sleep lol.
Beautiful blog, thanks Nicole. I wish I had a baby to massage! But I remember doing this when my niece was a baby and how powerful it was. I also massage my dog, she loves it!
How lucky you niece was to have such a caring aunt Laura!
Nicole,
This is a great post. I can’t imagine why anyone would not know how beneficial massages can be for everyone. I love massages. I can imagine a baby would love one too. My dog loves them!
I agree Heather but for some reason we don’t always apply the same “rules” to babies as we do to ourselves as adults. We somehow think they have drastically different needs but they really don’t–sometimes their needs are more pronounced or more crucial but they still have the same basic needs for touch, caring and connection with those they love that we do.
Nicole, I love this post. I truly believe in infant massage. My daughter who is now 5 had a couple of classes when she was a baby. I think you are so right when you say it can be great for both parents and child. I find that it helps create a special bond. My little son gets a massage after each bath and he loves it.
Good for you for treating your babies to such a wonderful experience! Everyone benefits from caring touch from someone they love!
Excellent article, Nicole, well-written and informative. Thank you!
Great post Nicole. I’m an avid believer in massage & touch healing, and was ‘lucky’ to have been given massages from a very young age, through my adult life. Keep spreading the message. It’s healthy, and beneficial in every way.
Nicole, lovely post and great list of the benefits of infant massage! I don’t have any babies to massage but I massage my two canine children (my bichon frises) daily. I think physical touch is important to all living beings. Thanks for these insights.
I’m going to connect you with my friend Rachel who also does baby massage! I think it is so critical for us to teach our babies loving, healing touch at such a young age. It can greatly impact our future generations! So much love it gives me goosebumps. Thank you for this post.
That’d be great Tanya–I always love networking with like-minded women!
I got such a warm feeling when I read this article….what a fabulous gift massage is for everyone!! I love the information on the hormone (oxytocin) release too – totally awesome information! Thanks again for the wonderful, warming info!
xo,
Tina
I’m a big fan of massages. I don’t have a baby of my own so I have to borrow them from my sisters
My nephew is just one year yesterday, I’m wondering can I still do that to him?
Of course! Sometimes with older babies you have to make it more of a game or story time using the massage strokes (tapping is rain, raking is plowing the field etc…) because it’s hard for them to sit still for long at that age. If anything, young children probably benefit more from massage than we do since their little bodies are growing at such amazing rates and their muscles and tendons greatly benefit from the massage!
I think it is so important to have infant massage. The power of touch. Imagine if infants got massages and got it for the rest of their life. So many benefits. Our bodies would get care. I now my chiropractic friends talk about this all the time. Great post. Thanks for doing what you do.
xoxo
Alara
When my daughter was born, I bought the book, Loving Hands: The Traditional Art of Baby Massage by Frederick Leboyer.
Which is now a classic. I could just see how the baby responded to the mother’s loving and soothing touch in the book. And I saw the same response in my child. The baby massage times I spent with my daughter, were some of the most special moments I will always remember. She was a very calm baby, No colic, alert , aware and happy.