Baby Massage
Massage can be practiced from the first weeks after the birth of the baby. It promotes exchange and communication between you and your baby, stimulates the awakening of the senses through touch and smell and helps soothe and reassure baby. Ideal for preparing baby for sleep, the language of the skin has relaxing properties.
kind gestures
Here are some wraparound tips for your baby. Observing baby's reactions to your gestures makes sure that this moment of relaxation is well accepted and shared. Finally, it is essential to provide gentle and benevolent gestures during the massage.
Remember to remove your jewelry beforehand and wash your hands.
- Telling baby by explaining in a soft voice that you are about to massage him gently to allow him to relax and feel good creates good conditions for receiving the massage.
- Warm up your hands well, by rubbing them against each other, after placing a knob of Starry Oil or Tenderness Cream in the palm of your hand for a gentle approach. You can do it above the baby's head who, by seeing/feeling the hands moving, is preparing for the massage.
- Observe baby to check that he accepts the ritual, while gently placing your hands on the part of the body where you want to start.
Baby massage techniques
Where to start ?
There are no rules as to the ideal part of the body with which to start a baby massage, it all depends on your child. However, some advise to start with a neutral zone, it can be the limbs (legs then feet or hands then arms), others with the torso. Here again, it is your experience and your ability to observe and adapt that counts.
When you change zone, remember to tell baby by word of mouth.
Legs
Lay your baby on his back with his bent legs tucked close to his body.
Form a C with your hands around the baby's leg and go up from the bottom. It can be nice and fun for baby to turn both of your hands in opposite directions by rolling them around the limb, either flat-handed or in a C-shape.
The feet
You can press gently on the soles of your feet before massaging from the bottom up and rolling your toes around your hands.
The back
Lay your baby on his stomach, in a ball and if you can, his stomach against you (torso, knees). Place your two hands on the back in the direction of the width then perform very gentle reverse movements to massage his small back. Start at the top of the back to go down and finish with the buttocks then go up and repeat this movement.
You can then gently form small circles with your fingertips.
Arms
Place your baby on the back and in the same way as for the legs, from the hands in C from the bottom to the top. Complete the massage by optionally rolling your hands in the opposite direction.
Hands
In the same way as for the feet, small supports on the palms of the hands followed by massages from bottom to top inside and on the top of the hand are welcome. You can then roll your hands over baby's fingers.
The belly
Lay your baby on his back, in a ball, with his legs bent. Place one hand on his belly then use the flat of the palm of the hand to perform the movement of the watermill from the top to the bottom of the belly, alternating your two hands. You can also form a large circle by moving from left to right (for better digestion), alternating with your two hands there too.
Want to know more ? Listen to episode 1 of our podcast dedicated to baby's awakening: BABY AND MASSAGE: WELL-BEING AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
