“I want to make sure I’m doing it right”….”I’m afraid I might hurt my baby”…. “what if I do something wrong?”….”what if I press too hard?”
You look at that new and (seemingly) delicate being in front of you and desire nothing but to treat her with the utmost tender loving care you didn’t even know you were capable of! What if you were equipped with the information and tools you needed to tune in with your baby and decide if massage is right at any given time? What if you were so aware of your baby’s needs and desires that you could always respond appropriately? You can! Here’s some information to help you get started.
Massage can certainly enhance your child’s well being, contribute to overall health and relieve many of your baby’s discomforts. However, it is not a form of medical care. Simple as that. If you ever have a gut feeling that something is wrong with your baby or if you know that they are ill, seek medical attention. If your child has a medical condition, check with your healthcare provider before beginning a massage routine. There are a few guidelines to follow when it comes to knowing when massage is not appropriate at any given time.
Do not massage your baby if she has a fever, diarrhea, skin rash or lesions or if she has had an immunization within the last 48-72 hours. A fever will increase your baby’s heart rate, and massage can affect heart rate too, so wait until the fever goes away completely. Massaging the tummy will move stool out, so if your baby has diarrhea, her loose stools will likely increase with massage. Any skin rash that is inflammatory could be exacerbated with massage and an open sore would be prone to infection if massaged. The vaccine your baby receives is meant to be absorbed by the body at a certain rate, and since massage stimulates your baby’s lymphatic system and circulation, the vaccine could be absorbed faster with massage and there is an increased possibility of an unwanted reaction.
Wait until these symptoms have subsided before resuming your massage routine. Remember that you can always use nurturing, loving touch to soothe your baby and communicate love! Place your still hands gently on your baby and look into his eyes. Touch alone and skin to skin contact, communicated in a loving manner, is often enough to calm a distressed baby!
By far, the best way to know if massage is right is to pay close attention to your baby’s body language and cues. Your baby will tell you if she is uncomfortable, is not in the mood, doesn’t like a particular stroke, if you are pressing too lightly or too firmly. Your baby may not be able to talk, but she sure can communicate! Trust your baby and yourself.
