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Pros of Infant Massage

Infant massage has been common practice in Eastern culture for thousands of years, and is currently gaining attention in Western cultures for the benefits it provides for both infants and parents, according to Massage Today. These include both emotional and physical benefits, from enhanced parent-child bonding and reduced stress to relief of common physical discomforts, such as congestion and gas. Infant massage is easy to learn on your own or through a class, is simple to perform and requires only some oil and a warm, quiet place to connect with your baby.

  1. Relief from Digestive Discomforts

    • Infants often suffer from the discomforts of gas because of air swallowed when crying or eating too quickly, which may be difficult for them to release. Massaging an infant in a heart-shaped motion from chest to stomach may help her work out gas. Placing the infant along your arm and rubbing her back while burping her may also help to relieve gas, according to WebMD. Massage may also help relieve other digestive discomforts, such as constipation.

    Improved Parent-Child Bonding

    • The pleasurable touch of massage releases the so-called "feel-good" hormone oxytocin for both you and the infant, according to Bliss.org. This release of oxytocin may help to strengthen the parent-child bond. During massage, your child is also using his senses to identify and connect with you, including your smell and the sound of your voice.

    Relaxation and Sleep

    • Massage helps both infants and parents relieve stress, helping them to relax and focus on one another or their surroundings. Many infants find massage to be soothing and fall asleep shortly afterward. If this is the case with your infant, Parenthood.com advises performing massage before naptime or bedtime.

    Help for Preemies

    • Massage may be helpful for medically stable premature infants in several ways. It can help relieve the infant's stress and reduce pain, which preserves more energy for growth and healing, according to Bliss.org. Massage can also help to establish or strengthen the parent-child bond that may have been affected by the necessary separation.

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