Why Massage Your Infant?

As a parent, loving relative, or caregiver of an infant, you want to see your child flourish. Touch is as important as food for healthy mental and physical development - a fact supported by both ancient tradition and contemporary research. Massage is attentive, pleasurable touch that can promote your baby's well being while increasing your ability to respond to his or her needs.

Research Results

The positive effects of infant massage have been researched. Among the results of the major studies are:

• Children and infants who were massaged showed improved sleeping patterns, diminished anxious behaviour and significantly reduced stress indicators such as heart rate and stress hormone levels.
  
• Premature babies, who were regularly massaged gained weight faster, performed better on developmental tasks, acquired mental and motor skills earlier, and were more relaxed than non-massaged babies.

Early touch also benefited the developing nervous systems of these infants.

Nurturing Your Older Child

It's never too late to make massage a part of your child's life. Massage can calm children during emotional upsets and relieve the discomforts of illness. It can also help ease the pain of tension headaches and muscle aches or cramps.

Children diagnosed with attention deficit disorder or hyperactivity that receive massage often concentrate better, cry less, and sleep better.

Over time, receiving massage can help a child create a more positive body image and enhance emotional security. It can help teach them the importance of self-nurturing and preventive health care at an early age.

Parent to Parent

When you ask parents why they massage their infants, here's what they talk about:

Sleep: Babies who are massaged sleep better, and are calmer and more alert when awake.

Physical Comfort: Massage stimulates digestion and elimination. It can also reduce the discomfort of teething and colds, and help calm fussy babies.

Relaxation: Both normal discomforts and your baby's need to constantly respond to new experiences can lead to muscle tension and unease.

Massage can help your baby let go of tension and relax.