A Comprehensive Step by Step Guide
by Galit Hughes
About the Author
Galit graduated as an acupuncturist and massage therapist from the International College of Oriental Medicine in 1994. It was whilst at college that she met her husband Rob. They now have three children who have all benefited from regular massage since birth.
Galit had previously studied
dance and yoga in Israel. Further studies in England have enabled her to bring together her clinical and mothering
experience in the form of a series of workshops designed to teach parents how and when to massage their babies and children. She has guided many parents in both England and Israel.
Galit currently shares her time between her acupuncture practice, teaching massage at the International College of Oriental Medicine, running baby massage workshops and being with the family.
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Baby Massage at amazon
Baby Massage for a Good Beginning in Life
The article is edited from the book: Baby Massage, A Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide by Galit Hughes
For the whole family, massage is a gentle and effective way of treating both physical and mental problems. Tension, restlessness, and irritability are one of the main causes of disease, hence
the importance of the calming effect of massage in the maintenance of health. The advantage of massage is that it is enjoyable and healing, while at the same time it fulfils one of the most fundamental human needs; namely touch.
Caring human touch revitalises self-confidence and restores calmness: it both relaxes and heals. Each one of us, at any age, can benefit greatly from it. Massage given by a family member (parents to children, children to parents, a couple to each other) is a source of companionship, love, warmth and intimacy; it also has a strong positive influence on family relations.
The physical touch of massage encourages good blood circulation, relaxes muscles and nerves, improves the functioning of the lymphatic system (the immune system), and has a relaxing effect on the mind. Massage both invigorates and improves the functioning of all the body's systems. By encouraging relaxation, our internal organs function better and as a consequence our health is also improved. Massage helps us to experience the truth of the phrase "a healthy mind in a healthy body".
Fathers and Massage
In the early months after the baby's birth, many fathers feel distanced and disconnected from the experience of caring for their child. Most of the day the baby sleeps, and the main activity while awake, namely breast-feeding, is carried out by the mother. Massaging the baby is a pleasant way for the father to get to know his baby and to feel that he, too, is involved in caring for him. During the massage, an intimate and special bond is created between father and baby, similar in quality to that created between mother and baby during breast-feeding.
Abdominal Massage for Colic Pain & Wind
Many parents to newborn babies soon discover the full meaning of sleepless nights due to their baby having colic or wind. Massage will not only relieve the baby's colic pain, but will also allow you some quiet, relaxed time together. When a baby is ill or in pain, the parents are put under a lot of stress. The ensuring long, sleepless nights add greatly to both the baby's and the parents' irritability, making the situation all the worse. It is important to try and relax and make up for lost sleep during the day while your baby is asleep.
Whilst breast-feeding, certain habits and foods can adversely affect the baby’s health. For instance, stomach aches and wind problems are more common in babies whose mothers smoke, drink caffeine or consume too many dairy products. Eating legumes (pulses), cauliflower, cabbage and spicy foods can also contribute to your baby's colic problems. Try to watch the effects of the foods you are eating on your baby. Every baby is sensitive to different foods and only you can detect what it is in your diet that is upsetting him/her.
Massage the abdomen as shown in the pictures for few minutes a day. It can take a week before there will be a significant change or until the problem is truly under control. You can also use the strokes on the abdomen through clothing whenever you feel your baby experience discomfort. For abdominal massage to be relaxing and truly beneficial for the digestive system it is important to massage especially slowly and at a constant pace. As you continue, gradually increase pressure on the abdomen. Always massage the abdomen in a clockwise direction. This is the direction of the intestinal flow.
With one or both hand make clockwise circles around the navel. Make continuous & increase the pressure on the abdomen.
In order to help a baby release wind, bring his/her knees to the chest holding them together, and press down the tummy. The wind will be released and the baby will feel immediate relief!
Being able to help your baby and reduce his suffering gives you a sense of security, and adds a great deal to the well being of the baby.
Our Family Experience
Human touch is a necessity for babies, children, adults and the elderly. It is relaxing, reassuring, it gives a sense of security, warmth and self-esteem. It is the physical expression of love!
I have no doubt that all couples have their own ideas. What is good for one family might not suit another. That is when parents need to follow their own instincts in order to find the best approach for their family. It is not necessary to follow what the so-called ‘experts’ say unless it makes complete sense to you.
Regarding massage; as the children become older I have found that it has opened a door to a wider communication, not only between the children and me but also between the children themselves. Now when we give a massage it is a “family event” as the three of them lay on the bed next to each other enjoying the tingling sensation of the oil and hands on their bodies. Often one of them will help me to massage the others and sometimes I even get a little rub!
They have learned to ask for a massage whenever they have a stomach-ache or if they feel unwell, and I often use it when they have a cold or cough; when they are constipated or just feeling tired and upset.
The extent to which massage has become part of my family’s life has gone beyond my expectations and imagination from the time when I first started massaging my elder son to relieve his colic pain and to relax him and myself. I hope to see the children using massage throughout their lives including on their own children and for the readers to re-discover the art of massaging in their own families.
