Baby massage is a technique carried out in cultures all over the world, but one that over the past few decades has been very much lost in the UK. Recently, however, Britain has seen a resurgence of baby massage and parents are being encouraged more than ever to carry out this loving procedure so that all parties reap the many benefits involved.

Baby massage is very different to any adult massage that you may have experienced. It comprises of gentle touches and strokes against the surface of the skin, without pressing down or squeezing the muscles at all. Because a baby's skin is very sensitive and delicate their nerves are nearer the surface and can sense touch even when it's very, very gentle.

There is not one main reason why parents carry out baby massages. Perhaps for many, their reason is to combat colic by helping wind move through the baby's digestive system naturally. For others it's simply a chance to bond and spend happy time together. What some parents don't know is that by not massaging their baby they're missing out on potentially helping their baby in a number of ways. For instance, baby massage has been clinically proven to stimulate the release of growth hormone, and a lack of human touch after birth is strongly linked with a failure to thrive. This gentle touch also stimulates circulation and therefore boosts the immune system to cope with all the colds a tony baby's body has thrown at it. Lastly and somewhat incredibly, baby massage has been shown to promote the growth of myelin; a substance which forms a protective sheath around brain neurons. As a result electrical impulses are fired through these neurons faster, making a baby's reactions faster and making them quite literally more intelligent. For these reasons baby massage is highly recommended for parents of premature babies to help their lungs develop quickly (providing the parents thoroughly sterilize their hands) and for parents of babies with mental retardation.

Because baby massage is recommended for just after a bath, at least 30 minutes after feeding and when the baby is calm it can become a very special moment to be shared between parent and baby. Studies have shown that women suffering from post natal depression have had eased symptoms from giving baby massage and that in all cases both parties tend to sleep better after a relaxing post-bath massage. Many parents who work outside of the home, a large majority men, take the opportunity in the evening to give their baby a massage to strengthen their bond and build trust with them. Also, there's no denying that giving a baby massage allows parents to get to know their child's body and every day, have the opportunity to check that everything is okay and growing well.

If you were unaware of the many benefits that baby massage has for both parent and child then try looking further into the case studies or even attending baby massage sessions. These can often be found wherever your nearest ante natal classes are, or perhaps a fellow new parent can teach you how.

Stan Tian

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