One of the best ways to make a new baby feel welcome in the world is a gentle massage. It’s great to comfort baby before bed, before, during or after a bath or anytime you both are feeling relaxed and ready for some quiet time. It’s probably not going to be as effective if baby is hungry or not feeling the best as baby may not be able to enjoy it as much. If you’re looking for a great way to relax baby, spend some time together and give mum a rest, massage is perfect. While you massage baby and get him relaxed, mum can put her feet up for a moment, and you all get to relax.
You can massage baby with or without clothes. If massaging over clothes keep your movement gentle with either small, circular movements or long, stroking movements, even a combination of both. The only movements to avoid are jerky movements. You have to remember how tiny the baby is and don’t use very much pressure. The object of massaging is to relax baby.
When massaging baby without clothes, first warm a small amount of oil or lotion in your hand. Once again, the idea is to soothe and relax baby, so we don’t want jerky or sudden movements. We also don’t want cold oil or lotion to give him a nasty shock. The oil or lotion is so our hands slide smoothly over baby’s delicate skin. Please remember to remove all rings or anything that could catch or scratch baby’s skin.
If baby doesn’t enjoy baths and gets a little upset, sometimes a nice massage after the bath will calm baby down. Many babies like a massage before sleep. If you are babysitting, a nice massage helps to calm and relax baby so he falls asleep easily.
If baby is colicky, it can help to put him over your shoulder and rub his back. Sometimes laying him on his back and very gently massaging his tummy can soothe him to sleep, for a while.
If baby is teething, a cold moist facecloth gently rubbed onto his gums can be soothing. Teething gel can’t be applied constantly and the cool cloth can help in between gel doses.
Whether you’re lucky enough to spend lots of time with your new grandchild or whether you just get to visit now and then, being able to relax baby and enjoy the closeness, massage is a great way to get to know the little one. It’s a perfect way to start a strong bond between the two of you.
