Continuede from previous page.
(3) Massage her when she’s in the mood. Sometimes babies don’t feel like being massaged, and it’s important to stop if she’s exhibiting signs of distress. If she stiffens and cries, let it go for now and try massaging her another time, when she's in the mood to be touched.
If she seems as though she's in pain when you massage her, make sure your technique is gentle enough. If your technique doesn't seem to be the problem, you might want to take her in to see the pediatrician to see why she seems to feel pain during massage.
If she's enjoying the massage, she'll seem relaxed and receptive to your touch.
(4) Work up to a half-hour massage. Start by massaging for just five minutes. This will give your baby time to get used to the feeling of being massaged, and decide that she likes it. Go a little longer each time until you work up to half an hour or so. This is the optimal amount of time per day to spend massaging your baby.
Massage benefits are myriad. Massage helps to stimulate your baby's growth, give her immune system a boost, and help her digestive system stay healthy. It also reduces stress and aids in emotional development.
As well, massaging your baby helps the two of you bond. It's a great way for fathers to bond with their babies.
Part 3 of 3: Focusing on Certain Body Parts
(1) Massage her legs and feet. Encircle the baby's thigh with your thumb and forefinger. Gently stroke her leg from her thighs down to her feet, then rub her feet with your thumbs. Curl and uncurl her toes. Repeat with the other leg, then gently bend and unbend the knees at the same time.
You can start with any part of the baby's body. Many like to start with the legs and feet in order to help the baby transition from play time to calm time more easily. The baby may kick and squirm, having fun as you massage her legs and feet.
Remember to be very gentle; don't pull on her legs or exert too much pressure as you bend her knees. If she straightens her legs in protest, don't force her to bend them.
(2) Massage her chest and tummy. This part of the massage has the most profound calming effect. Start by massaging her chest from the center outward, away from the heart, smoothing your hand over her skin as though you were smoothing open the pages of a book. Then, massage her tummy in a clockwise rubbing motion. This mimics the path of digestion. Keep doing this part of the massage until your baby seems calm.
Remember that if you're massaging as part of playtime, you can make your baby feel stimulated by massaging your baby's chest toward the heart, rather than away from it.
Be careful not to tickle your baby's belly as you massage it.
(3) Massage her head and face. Use your fingers to make circles on her head. Gently “walk” your fingers across her forehead and cheeks, and draw a smile on her lips. Steer clear of her eyes and nose, since massaging her too close to these areas might make her uncomfortable.
(4) Massage her back. Gently turn your baby over so she's lying on her stomach. Massage her back by smoothing your hands from the center of her back outward. Don't grip her shoulders and knead as you would an adult's; instead, use circular motions to rub her shoulders and lower back.
Tips:
Remember to speak softly to your baby throughout the massage. Let the baby know what you are doing, or just talk about your day.
Very small babies prefer to be cradled during massage. These infants may prefer to lay in the crook of your knees or on your feet as you sit in a position with your legs pulled towards your stomach. You can sit cross-legged or make a diamond with your legs.
Keep a diaper close by in case the baby urinates.
Focus on using firm, gentle strokes. The massage strokes should not be too light as they can tickle your baby, and hard strokes can hurt or be uncomfortable.
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