The Benefits of Baby Massage
There’s something pretty special about slowing down and spending a few quiet minutes simply connecting with your baby.
Baby massage doesn’t need to be complicated, and it certainly doesn’t need to be another thing you have to fit into your day. It can simply be a lovely way to spend time together while getting to know your baby and their cues.
Why massage your baby?
Touch is one of the earliest ways your baby experiences and connects with the world around them. Gentle, responsive massage can offer benefits for both baby and parent.
Connection and bonding
Massage gives you uninterrupted time to focus on your baby. Through touch, eye contact, talking and watching their responses, you begin to learn more about the little signals they use to communicate with you.
It can be particularly lovely for partners too, giving them another way to spend close, one-on-one time with baby.
Relaxation
The gentle, repetitive movements used during massage can be calming for babies. Some parents find massage becomes a nice part of their baby’s wind-down time, particularly when it is done in a warm, quiet environment.
Getting to know your baby's cues
One of the most valuable parts of baby massage is learning to watch and respond to your baby.
Are they relaxed and enjoying it? Are they turning away, becoming restless or telling you they’ve had enough?
Massage isn’t something we do to babies. It’s something we do with them, following their lead as we go.
Tummy comfort
Certain gentle massage movements are commonly used around the tummy and may help babies who are experiencing wind or general digestive discomfort.
Learning how and where to massage is important, particularly when working around your baby’s tummy.
Body awareness and development
Gentle touch and movement give babies lots of sensory information about their bodies. As you massage their legs, feet, arms, hands, tummy and back, they are experiencing different types of touch, pressure and movement.
A few tips before you start
Choose a time when your baby is awake, settled and not very hungry or immediately after a feed.
Make sure the room is comfortably warm and your hands are warm too. Start slowly and watch your baby's response rather than feeling you need to complete a whole massage.
You might begin with something as simple as gently massaging their feet or legs for a few minutes.
And remember, your baby gets a say.
If they become unsettled, turn away, stiffen, cry or simply seem to have had enough, stop and try again another time. Some days they may love a massage and other days they may not be interested at all.
That’s completely okay.
What about massage oil?
You don’t necessarily need to use oil, but it can help your hands glide comfortably over your baby’s skin.
If you choose to use one, keep it simple. Look for a plain, fragrance-free oil or baby massage product with a short ingredient list that is suitable for infant skin. Avoid strongly fragranced products and essential oils unless you have received appropriate professional advice about their use with babies.
Before using a new product for a full massage, try a small amount on a little area of your baby’s skin first and watch for any irritation or reaction.
Avoid using oils or massage products on broken, irritated or infected skin. If your baby has eczema, particularly sensitive skin or an existing skin condition, check with your baby's healthcare professional about what is suitable for their skin.
And remember that oil makes babies slippery! Keep your baby safely supported and avoid picking them up with oily hands.
Want to learn more?
There are specific massage strokes and techniques for different areas of your baby's body, including the legs and feet, tummy, chest, arms and hands, face and back.
Learning these with someone who can demonstrate the strokes gives you the chance to see how much pressure to use, where to place your hands, how to adapt massage for your individual baby and how to recognise when your baby is ready for more, or ready to stop.
Baby massage can be wonderfully simple once you know how to do it safely and confidently.
And sometimes, those few minutes of slowing down, putting everything else aside and simply being with your baby are just as valuable as the massage itself.