Benefits of Baby Massage that Parents Must Know

Photo Credit: Flickr.com/Martina Aguirre

Massage stimulation is also called "baby massage," "baby massage," "touch stimulation," and so on. Babies can be stimulated with massage, according to the Coordination Work Unit (UKK) Growth and Development—Social Pediatrics of the Indonesian Pediatric Association (IDAI). What are the benefits of baby massage?

Benefits of Baby Massage

Remember that baby massage is a combination of multimodal stimulation—tactile and kinesthetic—performed by parents or health professionals.

Auditory stimulation (hearing, by getting the baby to talk during a massage), visual stimulation (by making eye contact during massage), and other stimulation can be given during massage.

Basically, baby massage aims to encourage the growth and development of the baby by stimulating palpation, movement, and various other types of stimulation.

Baby massage is carried out in a convenient place. The footing is done for about fifteen minutes and is best done regularly. There is no limit to the number of times you can massage each day.

Baby massage can have the following benefits:

1. Make the baby more relaxed

Baby massage has the potential to improve a baby's central nervous system. In this case, the brain will produce more serotonin, which makes it feel good, while reducing cortisol, which is a stress hormone. This condition also slows down the baby's breathing and heart rate, making him more relaxed.

2. Not easily fussy

Massaging your baby can also help your baby sleep better and prevent fussing or excessive crying. It is even said that baby massage can help with constipation or stomach pain.

3. Strengthen bonds with parents

Baby massage not only helps babies physically but also improves their emotional connection with their parents. Babies enjoy "communication," which pleases parents through their touch and movement while being massaged.

4. Make the baby sleep more soundly

Because baby massage can make him more relaxed, as mentioned earlier. Babies will fall asleep more easily at night because of the follow-up effects. Your baby will sleep peacefully through the night without waking up too early or crying.

You can also try massaging your baby in the afternoon if he wakes up a lot and cries in the middle of the night.

5. Reduce the risk of colic and bloating

Because of their rudimentary digestive systems, newborns often experience bloating and colic. Baby massage can help smooth bowel movements and digestion, lowering the risk of both disorders.

6. Supports brain growth

Many people don't realize that baby massage helps babies' brain development. When your baby experiences a new experience, such as a massage, new brain cells grow.

A wide variety of sensations, the smell of massage oil, and interactions with it are stimulations that produce myelin, a substance in the brain that regulates nerve impulses associated with sensation and motor skills.

7. Helps overcome postpartum depression

Massaging the baby can help women who are depressed after giving birth. The baby will automatically become more relaxed after a massage.

In addition to babies experiencing increased production of the hormone oxytocin, this condition can also occur in women who have just given birth, which makes them feel more positive. You can improve your mood by interacting with your baby in a fun way.

8. Train sensitivity and senses

Babies benefit from stimulation of their nerves and sense of touch through gentle, rhythmic touch. Your baby will learn to distinguish between proper and oversized touches by using massage. Baby massage can improve muscle strength and flexibility.

9. Increase weight

Baby massage can have an impact on a baby's physical health in addition to his mental health. Babies who have been massaged weigh more than babies who have never been massaged, according to one study.

A foothold with massage oil (natural or artificial) will give the best results. Massage oil, with its warm effect, can help babies digest breast milk better.

10. Increase bone density

Massaging babies born prematurely also helps increase bone density, which means the baby's heart rate and brain become more stable.

11. Optimize the servicing process

Baby oil massage is considered beneficial if your baby is born prematurely because it can help with nerve stimuli to connect the brain and stomach, which helps your baby's digestive process go better.

The Difference Between Baby Massage and Traditional Massage

Massage and massage therapy both perform manual manipulation of soft tissues by holding, moving, or applying pressure to the body to provide a positive effect.

Nonetheless, there is something else that is fundamentally different. The term "sort" is often associated with paraji massage or massage shamans who perform massage to cure diseases. Therefore, the purpose of the massage is to cure the disease. For this reason, babies are often massaged even when they cry, possibly due to illness.

Baby massage, on the other hand, is a form of stimulation that should be carried out in a pleasant atmosphere and can be done in conjunction with other stimulations (music, sounds, visual stimulation, and others). Parents or health professionals can do this and rely heavily on the baby's response.

You should stop massaging your baby if he is uncomfortable or crying. You have to determine the reason the baby is crying, whether it's because of pooping, tubs, too hard massage, or the baby is uncomfortable with a certain massage.

At what age is baby massage okay?

For full-term babies, this can actually happen as soon as the baby stabilizes. Instead, health care professionals should check babies less than six months old to make sure baby massage is safe to give.

When is the best time to massage the baby? Do not massage the baby when he is hungry, drinks milk, or shows signs of reluctance to get a massage.

Don't also wake the baby just for a massage. Sick babies should be taken to a health professional first to determine if they need special care.

Is it safe to do baby massage?

There are no reports showing the dangers of baby massage as stimulation for infants or children. Baby massage is safe for parents to do by following directions, such as seeing the baby's reaction, and in a comfortable place.

Requirements for baby massage include:

1. Concentrate on each baby's response.

2. If the baby cries, do not force him to massage; it's best to find out what makes her cry.

3. Additional stimulation can be given during massage, such as listening to songs or inviting children to talk.

4. Massage baby's skin with lotion, coconut oil, or baby oil.

5. Make sure that the room temperature is not cold.