The benefits of Baby Massage. Every baby likes it.

Having my second baby, I started to massage her often. After bath, and before going to sleep. I do seriously recommend all parents do that too. It sure soothes the baby and creates a better bond. Not forgetting being too sticky to me! Oops. That's a positivity, I consider. Massages helps her calm down and get rid of the colic in her. If you need help, you can approach the post-partum lady to teach you on simple baby massage after she massages you.

Here's an article I have written years back and I am putting it up here to share.

~Do you know that babies benefit in the same ways as adults from gentle relaxing massage. Not only will your baby feel more relaxed while receiving massage, but both Mum & Dad will feel rewarded as well.

Gentle touch can be started as early as day one of your baby's life and has shown to have the following benefits:

• Better sleep patterns for babies (and therefore for mum & dad too)
• Stronger immune systems
• Enhanced bonding between the baby and parents
• Enhanced infant learning
• Better weight gain and growth (especially for preterm infants)
• Dad's feel more confident as caregivers and nurturers


Infant massage is a type of complementary and alternative treatment that uses massage therapy for human infants. This therapy is practiced globally, and has been increasingly used in Western countries as a treatment for infants, and nowadays for Asian babies. Research in pre-term infants and low birth weight infants have shown some signs it might improve weight. Research into the effectiveness in other infants has found some tentative evidence from a small number of studies for some benefits such as sleeping and crying in infants, though the evidence is not strong enough to recommend universally.

1. Choose a moment in which you and your child are relaxed and calm. A half hour after the baby has eaten is recommended.

2. Be sure that the room temperature is warm. Undress the baby completely, if the weather is cold or humid, cover the areas of the baby's body that are not being massaged.

3. Put the baby on a soft surface so your baby will feel comfortable and secure. Keep some little pillows handy.

4. It is a good idea to put some cream on your hands and rub them together so they will be soft and warm.

5. Basically the massage flows from the head to the toes. With soft and gentle touches you will work on the head, face, shoulders, arms, chest, stomach and legs. While you massage your baby look tenderly at him or her. Doing this you stimulate all the senses of the baby and establish a more intense visual and tactile communication. Feel free to speak to your baby and do not inhibit yourself.

6. Remember that your touches should be tender do not make mechanic motions. Try to be flexible by not keeping a rigid routine. If the baby wants to change position let them do so. Do not force your baby to keep a position; you can go back to these areas later on.

7. In the small areas use your fingertips. In bigger areas use the palm of your hand. "Little strokes" mean to touch your baby's skin gently and "massage" is to softly move the muscles under the skin.