Massages
are a wonderful, intimate way for you to connect with your baby. You
can use your touch during the massage to communicate with your baby,
learn how to read her cues and body language, and deepen your bond.
Research has shown that massaging infants helps to release growth
hormones, assist the circulatory system, improve sleeping patterns --
and can even help to calm colicky babies.
Massage also is an opportunity to communicate with your baby. Talk
softly to your infant during a massage and engage her visually with eye
contact. Babies love to gaze at their mom’s face, and the close contact
of a massage gives your baby that chance. What better way to show her
how much you love her!
In Ayurvedic tradition, it is believed that adding a daily massage
to your routine from the very start of your baby’s life can help make
your child strong and happy. Ayurvedic massage uses the powerful sense
of touch to restore the body's balance of the three doshas.
India, in particular, has a long cultural history of using Ayurvedic
massage techniques on newborns and young babies. Daily massage, in
fact, is an integral part of a mother’s daily routine with her baby –
to reduce baby’s stress, relax their developing muscles, develop their
sensory and neurological systems, and set a long-lasting routine of
relaxation prior to sleep.
| The Three Doshas |
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The
three doshas identified in Ayurveda describe physical characteristics
as well as one’s strengths, weaknesses, and imbalances. The include vata, pitta, and kapha.
Vata is
the energy of movement. It is connected to air and space so vata
personalities are believed to be like the wind, capable of fast and
unpredictable movement. When vata is out of balance, you might
experience stomach pain and gas.
Pitta is
the energy of digestion and is aligned with fire. Pittas can be intense
and determined but also tend toward inertia and can be slow to get
moving. An imbalanced pitta might spawn anger and irritability.
Kapha is
the energy of structure and is a combination of earth and water. Kapha
people are graceful, stable, and loyal. If your kapha is off balance,
you might become inert, lethargic, and unmotivated.
You can determine which dosha dominates your personality by taking a simple quiz from Yoga Journal, at www.yogajournal.com/health/498.
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Moms living an organic lifestyle might consider using a natural, or
organic, massage oil, like almond oil, when giving their babies a
massage. Almond oil is a gentle moisturizer that is easily absorbed by
the skin. In Indian tradition, a baby’s very first massage is a
cleansing one done shortly after the baby’s birth. In South Asia, a
very soft wheat-dough ball seasoned with almond oil and a dash of
tumeric is used instead of the hands because it is believed to be
gentler on the baby’s new, sensitive skin.
To try this massage, dip the dough ball in the almond oil before
gently rubbing it, using extremely light pressure, all over your baby’s
body. Refresh the oil as needed to keep the dough ball coated. This
gentle, cleansing daily rub should continue for the first six days
after birth, before your baby’s first bath.
Starting on the seventh day after birth, use the dough ball for a
full baby massage, with a little more pressure than you used for the
first six days. Do this massage daily until your baby is one month old.
The massage should focus in particular on your baby’s spine, back,
neck, waist, hands, and feet – the muscles and joints that need to
quickly gain strength to support your baby’s rapidly growing body.
Once your baby is a month old and has grown stronger, you can do the
massage by hand instead of using the dough ball – his skin is no longer
too sensitive for this pressure. Continue daily massage for another
three months, or until your baby is strong enough to lift her own head
and support her body weight on her arms. At that point, a more general,
daily full-body massage (including arms, legs, and head with continued
focus on the spine) should continue until your baby is at least 18
months old. Beyond that, Indian tradition recommends continuing the
routine of massage to help children reach their own inner peace,
health, and happiness by helping them keep their own doshas in balance.
One of the hardest things as a new mom is watching your baby suffer
with colic or painful gas. There are actually specific massage
techniques that can help your baby get rid of the gas and feel better.
- "I Love You" – With your right hand,
draw an "I" on to the left of your baby’s bellybutton. Then make a
sideways "L" by drawing a long line across his belly above his
bellybutton, and the short bottom line down the right side of his
belly. Last, make an upside down "U" around his bellybutton. The idea
is to mimic the direction of the large intestine and colon to help him
move the gas through his belly.
- "Circles" –
Draw slow, gentle circles around her bellybutton moving clockwise.
Again, the idea is to go in the same direction as the large intestine
and colon.
- "Go Biking" – Lay your baby
on his back on a soft surface or on your lap. Gently grasp your baby’s
feet and guide his feet and legs in circles as if he were pedaling a
bicycle. Every few cycles, gently push his knees up to his chest and
hold them for a few seconds.
