Stimulating the Sense of Touch- Activity 5

Baby Massage

The human touch is amazing. It is believed that human touch such as a hugs can lower levels of stress hormones.For your baby, a full body massage will help your baby give your baby a sense of security. It also helps your baby to relax and sleep better. In fact, when you are massaging your baby, you are stimulating your child's central nervous system. I enjoyed giving daily massages to my babies as I see it as bonding time.  

Let me share some simple steps to massage your baby. Usually, I massage my baby at night on my bed to help the baby sleep better and for longer hours. You can massage your baby with baby oil/ baby lotion or simply just with nothing. The length of the time of the massage is also up to you. 

Back

First, start with the back. Lie your baby on his/her tummy. Massage the back in a circular motion. It helps to relax the body and helps improve blood circulation as your baby lies on his/her back most of the time. 

Stroke the baby's back from side to side and then up and down. 

Gently rub down the spine in one motion. Repeat this several times. Next, follow the spine and press down gently in a tapping motion. 

Once the back is done, turn your baby to face you. 

Hands and fingers

Wrap your palm around your baby's wrist. Gently move your palm upwards. When doing this action, you are actually moving the blood towards the heart and this will make your child more energetic. Next, gently move your palm downwards towards the wrist, moving the blood away from the heart. This action will calm the child down.So if you massaging your baby to help with better sleep, remember to do the downwards motion more often. You can also stroke the arms up and down. 

To massage the fingers.

First, use three of your fingers to grab the end of a baby finger, grip the finger and then move towards the tip. Repeat this 3 times. Next, press along the fingers gently. Finally, shake the little finger. Repeat these steps with other fingers. 

Once you are done with one hand, move on to the next. 

Legs and feet 

Doing the legs and feet is like doing the hands and fingers. 

Hold your baby's heel and wrap one of your hand around it. Move your hand up and down, gently squeezing the leg as you move along. 

Next, hold on to your baby's feet. Use three of your fingers to grab the end of the baby toe, grip the toe and move towards the tip of the toe. Repeat this 3 times. Next, press along the toe gently. Finally, gently shake the toe.

Chest and tummy

Massage the chest in a circular motion. Then stroke the baby's chest from side to side and then up and down.

With your fingertips, massage the baby's tummy in a circular motion. Then move your fingertip to below your baby's belly button and massage in a circular motion. Move only in clockwise for this part of the body as it is the natural path of digestion. Sometimes, you may feel something solid and long, it could be your baby's motion.

Head and face
Use the sides of your index finger, place them at the tip of the baby's eyebrow and move your finger outward from the center. Assert a little pressure. Repeat this several times.

Repeat the motion below the eye. Feel for the edge of the eye socket.

Use your thumb to massage your baby's cheek, stroking outwards from the center.

Massage your baby and discover where your baby likes you to massage. Have fun.