How to massage babies correctly. General and professional massage for newborns

01.08.2019

Massage for children is a gentle, measured stroking of the child's body with their own hands. You can use oil or baby cream so that your hands can glide smoothly over the skin of the crumbs.

As part of the massage process, you can gently manipulate your child's ankles, wrists, and fingers for passive joint exercises. During the massage, speak softly, walk, or sing to your little one. This will make your manipulations even more soothing for the baby.

Soothing hand strokes activate the production of the hormone of happiness, oxytocin, in all participants in the massage session.

The positive properties of massage for infants

There are many benefits of baby massage that can have a positive impact not only on a newborn baby, but also on their parents.

Massage will help your child:

develop physically, cognitively, socially;
stay relaxed and not upset;
cry and fuss less;
sleep better.

One study found that massaging a newborn can help him recover from jaundice faster.

Massage sessions are especially beneficial for premature babies, as a result of which there will be several improvements:

Faster weight gain, especially when using oils. The massage activates a key nerve called the vagus nerve, which connects the brain to major parts of the body, including the stomach. Activating this nerve improves digestion and bowel movement, helping your baby gain weight.
Stable heart rate. Massage improves the functioning of the nervous system, which regulates the functioning of our organs. Thus, massage can help keep your baby's heart rate constant.
Calmer behavior under stress and pain.
More stable brain activity. Premature babies receiving massage tend to have normal brain activity. Premature babies who have not received massage experience a decrease in brain activity.

Massage for a baby from 0 to 3 months consists, first of all, in training the child's body for various movements, reducing hypertonicity of the muscles of the legs and arms, and also actively developing the cervical muscles, strengthening the upper pectoral, back muscles and shoulder girdle.

Massage for a 1-month-old baby is also carried out in order to promote the normal functioning of internal organs, relax muscles and improve metabolism.

Sharp and hard pressure is unacceptable when a month-old baby is being massaged. This is especially important when massaging the baby's face and head. After all, the baby's bones are still being formed, and they are very sensitive and fragile.

massage for babies from 1 month old includes soft stroking, slowly turning into light pressure;
massage for a 2-month-old baby contains gentle strokes and may also include rubbing, kneading and vibration. Massage for a 2-month-old baby is designed to relieve colic, relax the muscles of the legs, arms that are still in good shape. Also, massage should help calm the nervous system. Rubbing should be done carefully, because the skin of children is still very delicate and thin. You should refrain from rubbing if you notice rashes on the baby's skin;
regular massage for a 3-month-old baby helps prevent umbilical hernia, constipation and colic, has a beneficial effect on the state of the nervous system, strengthens muscles and joints, and improves blood circulation. Massaging the palms and hands has a positive effect on the development of fine motor skills, therefore, on the speech and cognitive skills of the child in the future. A general massage for a 3 month old baby includes gentle stroking, rubbing and gymnastic exercises.

How to do massage for newborns at home?

Before deciding how to massage your newborn, choose a location that is safe to massage your baby. It should be comfortable for you, so that it is convenient to massage the child, and for the baby himself.

Until your baby is able to roll over or move a lot, you just need to make sure that he is lying on a stable surface.

Once the child is able to roll over, it is best to choose a surface from which he cannot fall. Babies can roll over in no time, especially if the baby is covered in oil and is slippery.

The middle of the bed or even the floor will do just fine. Just place a clean towel or sheet under your baby. And never leave your baby unattended.

Make sure the room is at a comfortable temperature with no direct air currents or drafts. If the weather is hot, do not massage your child directly under a ventilator or air conditioner. A baby will not like a massage if he feels cold.

Since this is a special moment for you and your child, make sure there are no distractions in the room. If you have a pet, move it to another room and put your mobile phone on silent. You may even want to play relaxing music at a low volume so your child can hear how they are being interacted with.

Have everything you need for massage close at hand.

You need to prepare:

massage oil;
towels to wipe off excess oil or cream;
clothes for changing a child;
usual set for changing diapers;
a baby bath and a towel if you bathe your baby after a massage.

How to massage a newborn? Basic massage techniques

Babies love routine and repetition.

Therefore, if you massage your child in the same way every time, he knows what to expect and enjoys the procedure.

Start massaging the baby from the feet, gradually moving to the body, ending with the head. Feet is a great place to start a massage because babies are used to being touched when changing diapers.
Pour a few drops of cream or oil on your hands. Heat the oil or cream by rubbing it between your palms.
Rub it very gently into your baby's skin, starting at the feet.
Move your legs. You can then stroke gently from thighs to toes.
Follow the same order for your arms. Massage them from shoulders to toes. It is useful to combine massage with light exercise.
Exercise for the fingers. Gently squeeze a finger between your thumb and forefinger and slowly bend and straighten it. Repeat with each finger. It is useful to accompany such exercises with nursery rhymes.
Exercises for the chest and tummy include circular strokes in a clockwise direction. Circular strokes on the tummy, done with gentle pressure, help the food move through the digestive tract.
Keep your child's legs below the knee and, lifting your legs up, gently press your knees on your stomach. This will help the excess gases escape.
Finish the massage on the front of the baby's body with extensive strokes from the chest to the thighs.
Roll your baby over onto his stomach to massage his back. Use large counterclockwise circular motions, working your way up your back from base to shoulders.
Do not apply pressure to the spinal column. This could harm your child.
Finish the back massage with a wide range of strokes from the shoulders to the hips, as you did on the front of the body.

Baby head massage

In India, no baby massage is done without a head massage.

Some children love it more when they touch their head than any other part of the body.

If your child is one of those who dislike touching the head, do not insist on this massage. Wait for the baby to grow up a bit and then try again. As the child becomes more familiar with massage, he may love the head massage too.

How should you massage your child's head?

It is necessary to be very gentle with the head of the newborn, since the bones of the skull have not yet grown together.

On examination, you can see soft spots that sometimes pulsate. They are called fontanelles. There are two fontanelles, one located on the crown (fontanelle), the other on the back of the head (small fontanelle) of the child. The posterior fontanelle closes when your baby is about 6 weeks old, but the fontanelle at the top of the head closes by 18 months.

For the first six weeks, do not pressurize your scalp. Just pat gently all parts of the scalp using the oil, let it absorb on its own.

Once the baby’s head is numb, you can press gently with your fingers in small circular motions, moving around the baby’s head.

But never apply pressure to the top of the baby's head where the larger fontanelle is still soft.

The fontanelles close and harden on their own, as the bones of the child's head grow and grow together.

Until your child is able to hold their head on their own, apply the oil to the head while the toddler is lying on his back. So any oil that drips will not fall on his face. When the child is holding his head on his own, you can apply the oil while he is lying on his stomach. This will make the exercise position even more comfortable.

If your toddler has seborrheic dermatitis, do not comb out the crust while applying the oil. You will find that leaving the oil on your child's scalp overnight will help soften the crust, which can then fall off on its own when bathing, or when washing or brushing your child's hair.

Even if this is not the case, seborrheic dermatitis does not bother the baby and is quite common among children. It often goes away on its own when the baby grows up.

By combing out the crust, you risk damaging your scalp and causing an infection.

How often should you massage?

Traditionally, the child is given a massage every day before or after bathing. Some parents massage twice a day for the first three months. But there is no ideal number of massage sessions.

How often you do this depends on the amount of time you have and how the child feels during the massage. If you are a working mom, then most likely, it will be difficult for your baby to massage every day.

Even if the child receives massage only from time to time, all the benefits of massage will take effect.

Duration of massage session

The duration of the massage varies with the age of the child. Some babies love it from birth, and then a full body massage can take up to 30 minutes.

If your little one doesn't like the massage at first, keep the sessions short. When your child starts to crawl or walk, you may notice that he will not want to lie down for so long. Then you need to do a massage for 5 to 10 minutes.

Just “read” the signs your child gives. They will tell you if he likes the massage or not.

Massage your child when he is not hungry or tired. So he will like the massage more. This can happen at any time of the day.

Babies love predictability, so if you do something at the same time and in the same sequence, they feel safe and happy. For example, if you start with a massage, followed by bathing, feeding and finally sleeping, the child will learn to recognize this order of actions and will wait for it.

This can be difficult to do with a newborn when frequent feeding is necessary and the infant is sleeping most of the time. As he grows up and has more time to be awake, you can take your time.

Since massage is relaxing for your baby, you can even make it part of your bedtime routine. A massage before bedtime will help your baby relax after an active day and calm down, be ready for rest.

If your baby cries frequently at night, an evening massage can help reduce the chances of crying. Over time, you will get to know your child better and will be able to find the right time for massage and bathing. Let your baby be your guide.

When is massage contraindicated?

If your child has a rash, do not apply cream or oil to the skin without first consulting a doctor.

If it becomes clear that the rash is caused by a cream or oil that was used to massage your baby, stop using it, see your doctor to find out which oils or creams are best for your baby.

Some experts believe it is best not to massage when the child has a fever or is sick. Others argue that gentle massage during a viral illness can help soothe body aches and pains.

If your child has a fever, consult a doctor before giving a massage.

Always accept and explain to yourself the signals from the child. When sick, he may become fussy and refuse to massage. On the other hand, if your touch relieves the pain in the body, the baby will be able to calm down, fall asleep faster with your gentle strokes.

If the child's fever increases, he may feel cold. So you can just iron and rub it over your clothes without undressing. However, if the fever subsides, the baby may feel hot and may prefer to take off his clothes.

Watch your child. Always try to figure out what makes him most comfortable.

In winter, massage is also necessary. But the baby will like it only if he does not feel the cold. Therefore, make sure the room is warm enough before undressing your child.

How to massage a baby is largely determined by the child himself. The ability to read the signals of his behavior is the most important of the moments of massage. Your child will show himself when he should end, which strokes the baby likes and which does not.

Hi guys! Lena Zhabinskaya with you! Now it is becoming more and more popular massage for a newborn. In search of a good specialist who will conduct it, people turn to polyclinics, early development centers, private offices, finally. They believe that such manipulations with their baby will help him grow up faster.

But is everything unambiguously good in this matter, or are there situations when there is more harm than good? Or are such manipulations contraindicated in principle? Find out today!

The fashion for massage has gone since then, when mothers who actively practiced it began to claim that it made their babies more calm and sociable. They began to do it almost from 0 months, arguing that it was during this period that the crumbs still have poorly developed auditory and visual receptors, as a result of which he perceives the world around him only through touch.

Regular gentle stroking allows him to really develop a stable emotional state - he is less capricious and crying. Massage is also an excellent prevention of many childhood diseases that can occur as a result of inconsistency in the work of internal organs and systems.

A striking example of this is the gastrointestinal tract. How many mothers have newborn constipation? But it was the correctly performed massage that helped many to solve this problem.

Moreover, gentle massage movements:

relieve tension and muscle hypertonicity;
eliminate increased excitability;
improve sleep;
promote the development of physical activity and affect posture, physical fitness.

All in all, massage is incredibly beneficial for a newborn. The only time when he can harm is neglect of contraindications to him, as well as the invitation of an outsider to carry it out. Then the baby is afraid, capricious,. But we'll talk about this a little later.

Views

There are three types of massage for the purpose. It happens:

medicinal;
therapeutic and prophylactic;
preventive.

Each of them has its own advantages and performance characteristics. But first things first.

Massotherapy

It is easy to guess that it should be carried out exclusively by a specialist, and this is not surprising, because it helps to get rid of many ailments, namely:

hypotension, hypertonicity;
dysplasia of the hip joints;
torticollis;
asymmetry of muscle tone of the body and limbs;
congenital dislocation;
congenital and acquired clubfoot;
umbilical hernia;
deformities of the legs;
flat-valgus foot;
diseases of the central nervous system.

Treatment for all these diseases with massage is carried out using different techniques. All of them are owned by a specialist who can help the baby. Positive results from his sessions are observed within a few days.

Treatment-and-prophylactic

This type of massage involves kneading the entire body, with particular attention to the problem areas. What could it be? Most often, the tummy and respiratory organs. Therapeutic and prophylactic massage can be recommended for colic and disorders of the digestive system, diseases of the genitourinary system, bronchitis.

Due to the fact that it has its own subtleties and secrets, only a specialist can do such a massage. After several sessions of work with him, it is noted:

normalization of blood circulation;
improving the work of the cardiovascular system;
elimination of defects in the muscular and skeletal systems.

The newborn, thanks to therapeutic and prophylactic massage, learns to quickly roll over on his stomach, crawl, sit down, stand on his legs, walk.

Prophylactic

The purpose of this massage is:

improved blood circulation and respiration;
improving metabolism and appetite;
normalization of sleep and behavior, which is especially important for excitable children.

Doctors also say that this type of massage helps to increase the child's immunity and protect him from many diseases in the future. And these are not empty words, but the results of their research. In one of them, scientists took the urine of newborns after a massage. The result showed a reduced amount of cortisol, or stress hormone, in her. But it is he who destroys the cells that are responsible for strong immunity, and involuntarily inhibits the development of the brain.

Another advantage of preventive massage is that it can be done at home by the parents themselves. Moreover, it is very important for the baby to establish close physical contact with them, which will allow the stability of the nervous system to be achieved in the future. In other words, a baby who regularly feels gentle, affectionate touches will be calmer, more balanced and self-confident. At the same time, parents can do not only massage of the whole body, but also of its individual parts - tummy, legs, arms.

Are there any contraindications

Doctors note that any of these types of massage can be performed by a specialist only in the absence of contraindications. What is it about:

about high temperature (37.5 and above);
blood diseases;
tuberculosis of bones and joints;
severe rickets;
hepatitis;
limb injuries, open wounds and burns;
diseases of the genitourinary system in acute form (pyelonephritis, cystitis);
skin ailments;
about the age of 1 month and earlier - at this time, massage can only do harm;
heart defects (however, there are possible exceptions, which are determined only by the doctor);
bleeding;
extensive inguinal or umbilical hernias;
hernias, prone to infringement;
recently postponed vaccination and forthcoming.

Do not massage for colds, flu, SARS. The only exception to this rule is percussion massage, the purpose of which is to facilitate the discharge of phlegm.

Tearfulness, moodiness and negative attitude of the crumbs in general are also serious contraindications to massage. If it is inevitable, it is necessary to find out the reason for the child's bad mood, and then, having created a favorable background and improving it, proceed to the implementation.

When massage is needed

In order not to blindly follow fashion, you need to understand the norm and deviation from it. The latter are the main factors for the pediatrician and neurologist, which testify in favor of the appointment of massage. It will be recommended if:

at the age of 1.5 - 2 months, the child does not or holds, but very badly in the position on the tummy;
at 4 - 5 months he does not try to roll over on his back or tummy;
in six months he does not try to sit down;
at 7 - 7.5 months, he still sits uncertainly, every now and then, falling to one side, arching his back in an arc;
at 8 - 9 months he cannot crawl and is not going to;
at 9 months he does not want to get up on his own, holding on to the support;
in a year does not know how to walk even by the handle.

All this indicates the presence of problems with muscle tone, which prevents him from comprehending something new and catching up in the development of his peers. Ideally, only a doctor after examination can tell exactly which massage will help a particular child.

When asked at what age to start doing it, all experts confidently call 4 - 5 weeks. It is believed that at this time it is delayed, and the child finally adapts to the environment.

Meanwhile, most young parents tend to start massage their babies at 3 months. When contact with him has already been established, and he himself is cheerful and calm.

rules

How to massage a newborn correctly? It turns out that you need to start with preparation.

The room temperature in the room should be 21 - 22 degrees, and it itself should be well ventilated.
When exactly can you start? All manipulations should be carried out no later than an hour before meals and no earlier than 1 hour after.
The masseur's hands should be warm. All jewelry should be removed.
You need to lay the baby only on a hard, warm surface.
No additional moisturizers are needed to massage healthy babies.
The optimal duration of sessions is 5 - 10 minutes with a slight gradual increase in time.

Who should do

Parents themselves can perform therapeutic and prophylactic and preventive massages directly after a detailed study of special literature and consultation with a specialist. This option has a number of undoubted advantages:

the child is not afraid and enjoys contact with his beloved mom and dad;
you perform a massage at any time convenient for you and in a convenient place;
you control the strength and intensity of the manipulations and can interrupt them at any time;
it's completely free.

If you prefer to invite a specialist, watch carefully for the reaction of the crumbs to the stranger. If the little one gets scared, screams and cries, this massage will do more harm than good.

The child's psyche is arranged in such a way that he acutely feels his mother and is extremely rarely ready to go into close contact with strangers.

For the invited specialist, in most cases, your child is just work that needs to be done as soon as possible in order to rush to the next little client, and there is no extra time to establish contact and calm down.

The stress received by a baby during a painful massage performed by someone else's aunt can negatively affect the formation of a healthy psyche of a newborn. After all, as you know, all problems are from childhood.

Therefore, if you have such a desire, do not be lazy, learn simple techniques and massage your child yourself.

Techniques and techniques

Power movements are not used for newborn babies aged 1 to 3 months. Only light stroking and kneading are allowed.

After that, the baby can be stroked all over the body.

It is important to know: in children aged 1 to 3 months, do not massage the elbows, armpits, inner thighs, under the knee, as well as the fontanel.

After the doctor's permission, you can massage the hip joint. It consists in preliminary stroking of this zone, as well as performing the exercise "Toad", when the legs are spread apart.

Try the ball if you wish. The crumb is laid on its surface and shaken, holding it.

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Massage is a complex manual effect on the skin and musculoskeletal system - bones, joints and muscles. Any type of massage improves blood circulation and nutrition of the skin, as well as organs and tissues, and stimulates metabolism. Through massage procedures, you can also influence the neuropsychic development of the baby, since during the session a huge number of nerve impulses are sent to the nervous system, which contributes to its optimal development. The beneficial effect of massage on the body of the crumbs is manifested by an improvement in appetite, normalization of the gastrointestinal tract. Depending on the massage technique, it can be used to normalize muscle tone, correct osteoarticular deformities or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

When do you need a massage for babies?

Children's massage is of two types - health and healing.

Wellness is carried out with the aim of maintaining health, its tasks are the same as in gymnastics and physical education lessons for older children.

Therapeutic massage is prescribed to eliminate existing defects.

Distinguish between general therapeutic massage (during the procedure, the entire body is affected) and local (the effect is made on a specific area).

As a powerful remedy, massage for babies is prescribed under the following conditions:

Perinatal pathology of the nervous system (dysfunction and maturation of the nervous system as a result of birth trauma, severe pregnancy or the postpartum period, and other reasons). A frequent manifestation of this disease is a violation of muscle tone, delayed motor development.
Delayed motor development.
Hypotrophy (underweight).
Plane-valgus placement of the feet.
Curvature of the legs - valgus (X-shaped) or varus (O-shaped) deformity of the legs.
Dysplasia of the hip joints, congenital dislocation of the hip are conditions associated with underdevelopment of the hip joints.
Congenital muscle torticollis.
Congenital clubfoot.
Rickets is a disease in which there is a violation of calcium and phosphorus metabolism, vitamin D deficiency. Lack of treatment leads to impaired bone formation and delayed motor development.

Let us note once again that all healthy children, without exception, do not need to do therapeutic massage. Despite all its advantages, it is an additional stressful non-physiological effect. If the baby is healthy, there is no need to speed up his psychomotor development, increase the blood supply to organs and tissues, or affect normal muscle tone.

In order for the child to grow and develop normally, it is enough to carry out a wellness massage daily, appropriate for the age, the mother can do this herself. Wellness massage, in contrast to therapeutic, is of a general nature, that is, it has a uniform effect on the entire body, during this procedure physiological movements for a given age are performed.

When is it forbidden to massage a baby?

Like drugs, baby massage has a fairly wide list of contraindications. Therefore, only a doctor should prescribe a massage to a baby, even with a preventive purpose.

Baby massage is not performed for the following diseases:

All conditions accompanied by a rise in temperature (colds, purulent-inflammatory diseases). The massage will further increase the temperature.
Any diseases in the acute stage, including allergic ones. Massage is a stressful effect that is undesirable in case of exacerbation of any disease.
Severe diseases of the liver and kidneys, accompanied by a dysfunction of these organs (for example, inflammation of the kidneys - nephritis, inflammation of the liver - hepatitis). With these diseases, the most gentle regimen is prescribed, therefore, massage courses are not carried out.
Severe congenital heart defects with insufficient blood supply, which is manifested by shortness of breath, edema, cough. Massage procedures are an additional burden on the heart, therefore, massage in a child with a severe heart defect can cause a significant deterioration in the condition.
Large hernias, when internal organs (umbilical, inguinal, etc.) fall out into the hernial protrusion with the risk of infringement. Massage can provoke an infringement of the hernia, which will cause severe pain and require immediate surgery.
Rickets during the height of the disease. At this stage of the disease, children are especially restless and excitable, massage as an additional stressful effect is undesirable, since a gentle regimen is recommended.
Severe malnutrition (severe weight deficiency). The massage is not performed due to the weak development of muscles, subcutaneous fat and, as a rule, the severe general condition of the child.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system, manifested by increased fragility of bones. Massage in this case can provoke bone fractures.

Features of massage for babies

When performing a massage for very young children, it is important to observe the following principles:

There is only one massage during the day.
The younger the crumb, the more gentle massage modes are applied.
The genitals, the front surface of the lower leg (due to the special thinness of the skin in this area and the proximity of the bone), the liver area (right hypochondrium) are not massaged, due to the risk of injury, the pushing effects on the knee joints are limited, while patting the back, the kidney area is not involved (small of the back).
Infants should be massaged at a comfortable temperature (22-24 ° C) in a well-ventilated area on a hard, warm and level surface.
The kid should be in a good mood. It should be borne in mind that the child may react to the first procedures with negative emotions. His cry is the most important signal to stop the massage. In this case, you need to stop, wait for the baby's even mood and continue the procedure in a more gentle mode, gradually increasing the amount of necessary manipulations.
Do not massage immediately after or before eating or sleeping. The interval between the massage and the time you sleep or eat should be at least 30-40 minutes.
The hands of the person performing the massage should be warm and clean, and the nails should be trimmed short.
The duration of massage courses can be different and is, as a rule, from 10 to 15 procedures per course, from 1 to 3 courses can be prescribed with a 2-3-week break between them.
It is undesirable to interrupt the started massage course without certain contraindications. It should be understood that one should not expect an instant effect from the first procedures; it is possible to evaluate the positive effect of the massage in its entirety only after the full course has been carried out.

Who should you entrust a baby's massage to?

If the pediatrician has prescribed a massage course for the baby, but the mother does not want to visit the clinic every day and prefers a private massage therapist, she should carefully consider the choice of a specialist. This should be a medical professional, specially trained in the field of baby massage, with work experience.

Mom's massage

For children under 1 year old, there are 5 health-improving children's massage complexes. Mom can learn to make them herself. This massage is recommended for all healthy children in the absence of the aforementioned contraindications. Usually, these complexes are taught to mother by a nurse in a healthy child's office in a polyclinic by prior agreement with a pediatrician.

Parents can find these five standard sets in any child massage or child care manual. They correspond to the age of the baby: the first is for children 1-3 months, the second is for 3-4 months, the third is for 4-6 months, the fourth is for 6-9 months, the fifth is for 9-12 months. The first is the most gentle; gradually, as the baby develops, the range of motion increases. For example, lifting the torso from a prone position is performed only in the fourth complex, when the baby begins to sit down, the inclusion of such a movement in the first complex would be non-physiological. Thus, the complexes are fully adapted and coordinated with the development of the baby.

A specialist doctor or the masseur himself, if necessary, can teach the mother certain elements of specialized massage. For example, with dysplasia of the hip joints (underdevelopment of the hip joints, manifested by difficulty in abducting the hips in the supine position), some specialized massage exercises for the mother simply need to be mastered, since this set of exercises for the correct formation of the hip joint must be repeated with each swaddling of the baby.

Every mommy should know when and how to massage a newborn to help the baby develop.

In the life of any baby, the first year is the most responsible, because during this period he has to learn a lot: first to crawl, then to sit, and some manage to take the first steps. Therefore, from the very birth, you should strengthen the muscles of the child, preparing him for such "feats". Massage for newborns at home helps this especially.

If you know how to properly massage a newborn, then with its help you can even relieve pain from his tummy and thereby calm him down.

When to start massage for a newborn?

Many young mothers are worried about the question at what age they give a massage to a newborn? In the absence of contraindications, the massage carried out in the children's clinic is not performed earlier than after two to three months from the birth of the baby. At home, massage for a newborn can be started from three weeks of age, after the umbilical wound has healed.

It is known when it is best to start massage for a newborn - when he is awake and in a good mood. If, by the beginning of the session, the child continues to be capricious, then it is better to postpone the massage to a more appropriate moment. It is advisable to adhere to a certain schedule - both the mother will be more comfortable and the baby will be more familiar.

Usually physical exercise, including massage, is done in the morning or afternoon. After class, some children are active, but most fall asleep quickly. Due to the unpredictable response to massage, massage should not be performed before bedtime, especially if your child does not sleep well at night.

As for when to start a massage for a newborn, it should be borne in mind that it should not be started before feeding, and also not earlier than an hour after it, since a well-fed child will not be able to relax, and a hungry one will protest, demanding food.

Basic massage techniques for newborns

Even without knowing how to massage a newborn, mothers should not be afraid of this, because they do not need medical education, massage babies should be done gently and with love. For this, a young mother should master only a few basic techniques used during the procedure.

Before the session, it is better to lightly grease your hands with baby massage oil so that smooth movements are obtained.

Stroking... For infants, this is the main method of relaxing massage and is the first option from which massage can be given to a newborn. At the same time, the mother's hand should gently slide along the chest, tummy, back and limbs of the baby, without collecting the skin in folds. Even though the intensity of the effect during stroking is minimal, the healing effect is achieved anyway: blood circulation is activated, which better supplies the internal organs and tissues, the nervous system calms down and muscles relax. Typically, a massage session begins with stroking, preceding other manipulations.
Trituration... Here the impact is more intense and profound. Rubbing relaxes the muscles, and the nervous system becomes less excitable. A similar home massage is done to the baby with the whole palm or only with the fingertips towards the center from the periphery in a clockwise direction (for example, from the hand to the shoulder). In this case, the hands should not slide on the skin, but move it, and the movements here are more energetic than when stroking. This technique can affect the deeper layers of the skin.

Kneading... This is an even more intense technique, therefore, its therapeutic effect will be stronger. With three fingers, you need to simultaneously make circular and translational movements, kneading the muscles of the child. Movements should be energetic, but gentle and soft at the same time. To stretch the baby's buttocks and neck, pinch movements are performed: the skin is displaced, being held by the thumb, index and middle fingers of the hand. Felting the baby's legs is done with both hands: one palm is located on the front side of the lower leg, and the other on the back, they simultaneously move the skin from the foot to the thigh in a clockwise direction.
Shaking... This massage for newborns is for their breasts. On the lower part of the chest, you need to lay your palms, as if covering it. Then the thumbs are connected and light rhythmic indentations are carried out. This technique is also used for massage and gymnastics for the arms and legs of babies.
Pat... Mom does this technique with one or two hands, moving along or across the body, as well as in a zigzag or spiral pattern. Since the backs of slightly spread fingers act on the skin, the procedure for the baby will be painless.

Video of performing massage for a newborn baby

If you look at the video on how to massage a newborn, then pay attention to what he does with a pleasant smile and gentle words. According to child psychologists, in this way you can perfectly stimulate the development of speech and communication in general.

Features of massage for newborns of different ages

It is important not only to know massage techniques, but also what massages are done to newborns at different ages. This information is especially important for mothers who decide not to go to the clinic, but to massage the child on their own.

Massage for a newborn at 1 month... For this age, stroking is mainly applicable. By doing it correctly, you can speed up the circulation of interstitial fluid and lymph. The procedure begins with a massage of the feet and hands. Then the child turns over on his tummy, and his back is gently stroked from bottom to top with the back of the hand, and in the opposite direction - with his palm. Next, you need to move on to massage the abdomen of the crumbs, for which she again turns over on her back. With your right hand, you need to stroke the tummy in a clockwise circular motion. Such massage of a newborn baby at 1 month facilitates the evacuation of gases, and then the baby has a stomach ache, which is a common problem in children of this age.
Massage for a newborn at 2 months... Soon the child will learn to hold the head, so it is especially important to massage his cervical vertebrae. During this period, stroking remains the main method of massage, but it is gradually complemented by rubbing. Since this technique is carried out in different directions, then with it there is a tighter and more uniform contact with the baby's skin. Rubbing improves blood circulation in the superficial veins. Also during this period, rubbing of the limbs in circular movements in the direction from the periphery to the armpits and inguinal cavities is used. The session begins with stroking and then proceeds to rubbing, and ends with stroking again.
Massage for newborns at 3 months... It is useful for babies of this age to combine massage with the simplest gymnastic exercises. First, the child's limbs need to be warmed up by stroking. After the handle, the baby needs to be crossed on the chest and parted to the sides 5-8 times. Then they again go to massage - now the tummy is stroked clockwise, rubbed, and then the lateral muscles are stroked. This is followed by exercises for the legs. They are first together, and then alternately bend and unbend 4 times. Then the baby turns over on his stomach and first strokes the back, and then the neck.

Massage at 4 months... He basically repeats the same procedures, but with each week the share of passive movements should decrease, and the number of active techniques, on the contrary, should increase. Exercises for the legs and trunk should be alternated with the above massage techniques.

During the session, the presence of bright beautiful toys is desirable, which the baby must learn to grab with both hands and feet.

Massage at 5 months... It is best done during the second wakefulness. Massage and exercise techniques should still be alternated, and fingertip tapping should be added to rubbing and stroking. Gymnastics continues, but it is complemented by the sitting down of the baby lying on the back with support for the handles set aside, as well as crawling on all fours, elbows and knees.
Massage at 6 months... For half-year-old babies, the proportion of massage gradually decreases, and its place is taken by physical exercises, which become more diverse: flexion and extension of the arms appear in a sitting position, the body rises from a supine position, the baby crawls on his knees to the toy with arms straightened at the elbows. The load increases, and the training time lengthens.

Each new exercise is mastered gradually (2-3 weeks), and only then it is repeated more than two times. It is better to save the most difficult exercises in the middle of classes, and they should begin and end with massage and simple exercises.

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All newborn babies come into this world with bent arms and legs and tightly clenched fists. The movements of the infant's limbs are irregular. This phenomenon is completely normal and is called "physiological tone". The task of parents is to eliminate this tone and help their baby to comprehend the science of conscious movements. Massage will help you with this.

Massage types

Depending on the goal pursued, massage is divided into the following types:

medical;
prophylactic;
therapeutic and prophylactic.

Massage therapy should be performed by a specialist. It can be prescribed for the following diseases identified in the baby:

hypertonicity or hypotension;
dysplasia of the hip joint;
congenital joint dislocation;
acquired or congenital clubfoot;
umbilical hernia;
diseases of the central nervous system;
flat feet;
deformity of the legs (X- or O-shaped).

For each disease, its own special massage techniques are used, which, as a rule, differ from each other.

Preventive massage recommended for all newborns if there are no contraindications. Sessions of such a massage can improve blood circulation and appetite, normalize metabolism, and normalize breathing. In children with increased excitability, behavior is stabilized and sleep is normalized. It turns out that massage can reduce the content of the hormone cortisol in the body. Cortisol is a stress hormone, when its content is high, the body's immune defenses are destroyed. Consequently, under the influence of massage, the child's immunity also improves.

Since preventive massage is carried out in most cases by the parents themselves, its sessions are an additional way of contact between the baby and mom or dad. Undoubtedly, this will improve the psychological state of the baby.

Therapeutic and prophylactic massage , as well as therapeutic, is prescribed by a doctor and is carried out by specialists. It involves massaging the entire body with special attention to problem areas. This type of massage is able to normalize blood circulation, improve the work of the cardiovascular system, correct the defective state of bones and muscles, and eliminate intestinal colic. It is also recommended for diseases of the respiratory, genitourinary and digestive systems. Therapeutic and prophylactic massage has a beneficial effect on the baby's motor abilities. The child will quickly learn to roll over, sit down and crawl.

Benefits / pros of massage

There are many receptors on our skin that, when irritated, send signals to the brain. This is how the work and development of the entire human nervous system is stimulated, and massage here occupies a leading position. After all, it is during a massage session that most of the nerve receptors are irritated.

When massaging the body, blood circulation improves, and this has a positive effect on the state of any internal organ. That is why preventive massage sessions are recommended for all babies in their first year of life.

For babies, massage replaces gymnastics. In addition, hearing and visual abilities are not yet sufficiently developed in newborns, the whole world is felt through touch. Therefore, it is massage that develops the emotional state of the baby and the ability to perceive the world around.

Pediatricians consider massage to be a reliable tool for the prevention of various diseases, since the well-coordinated work of all organs depends on it.

We have already mentioned the beneficial effect of massage procedures on the immune system of the newborn. So, as a result of this influence, the child will less often "catch" various infections and colds.

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Massage sessions are good for the digestive system, relieving intestinal colic and constipation in children. They also have a beneficial effect on the musculoskeletal system, helping to form the correct posture and, if necessary, restore physical shape.

When do you need a massage

Massage for newborns is usually prescribed for the following diseases:

hypotrophy;
hallux valgus and flat valgus deformity of the feet;
tremors of various parts of the body;
lesions of the central nervous system;
umbilical hernia;
dysplasia of the hip joints;
clubfoot, flat feet, deformity of the legs;
scoliosis;
deformation of the chest.

The course of massage can also be prescribed as part of the therapy of bronchial asthma, pneumonia, fractures of the extremities, etc. It is also indicated with increased tone of the extremities and constipation.

However, if the baby did not have any special indications for massage, they can and should be practiced on their own at home. Naturally, observing the necessary conditions, and, after consulting a pediatrician.

Contraindications

Any type of massage will not be of any benefit if your baby has a high body temperature. It is contraindicated for various injuries or diseases of the skin (especially of a pustular nature), increased fragility of bones, diseases of the circulatory system, ARVI.
It is advisable to give up massage procedures in the midst of the acute stage of any disease.
In the presence of an umbilical hernia, massage should be carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor, since in this case it is necessary to exclude the possibility of pinching the hernia.
In children with a heart defect, massage sessions should be monitored by a pediatric cardiologist.
It is not recommended to massage and with increased nervousness of the baby, since this condition causes increased muscle tone.

In any case, the massage course should be prescribed by a doctor, "amateur performance" is unacceptable.

Fundamental rules

You can start doing massage no earlier than the baby "knocks" 20 days old. Children under the age of 3 months should not massage the fontanel area and under the knees, elbow bend, armpits, inner thighs. Pressing and shock movements, patting are also contraindicated, so you will only cause excessive irritation of the receptors and increased nervous excitability of the baby.

The temperature in the room should be between 18 and 23 degrees. The most important thing is the temperature regime in the room. Do not forget that the baby will be completely undressed for a while and may freeze. There is no need to reassure yourself that the body heats up during the massage. This axiom applies to an adult. For crumbs, massaging movements are more stroking than power ones, and therefore the warming effect is practically zero. The onset of hiccups and the temperature of the baby's nose can tell you that the baby is cold. We read articles about, and it is useful to read the article on the hardening procedure, namely.
For the massage, you should prepare a changing table or any flat surface. Cover with a thin blanket, oilcloth or diaper. The surface should be wide enough so that you can roll your baby over without hindrance.
It is advisable to equip the place for the massage in advance with everything you need. Consider what may come in handy and ensure that these tools are within easy reach. You should not be distracted and leave the crumb, even put your mobile phone next to it. It is also advisable to spread an absorbent reusable diaper, because the baby still cannot control the urination process.
Particular attention should be paid to your hands as well. Long nails are undesirable not only for massage, they are superfluous and. The beauty of the hands and good manicure are possible with short nails, so cut them off while the baby is at a tender age. It is also recommended that you remove all jewelry from your hands. You absolutely do not need an extra possibility of injury.
Know how to choose the right time for the procedure. After all, you can roughly calculate when the child asks for food and sleep. Massage is best done one and a half to two hours after feeding. Even with a little discomfort on the part of the baby, the process will not give positive results.
During the massage, do not be silent, talk to your child. Any children's songs and nursery rhymes will be useful. Such simultaneous activities not only tune the baby to a positive, but also develop his listening and speaking abilities.
Gradual complication of exercises and an increase in the time of massage procedures.
Direction of massage movements: strictly from bottom to top, from the periphery to the center.
Movements should be careful and not cause discomfort to the baby.
The duration of one session is 15-20 minutes.

Step by step technique

Let us remind you right away that there should be no power movements when performing a massage for a newborn. Only light stroking movements.

We always start with the little handles. We massage each finger separately, unclench our fists and pay attention to our palms. We smoothly move on to massage the wrist and gradually rise higher. Do not touch the armpits.
Smoothly moving on to the legs. First, we massage the foot, not forgetting to pay attention to each toe. Next, we perform light massaging movements in the direction from the foot to the groin. Be careful with the knees, there should be no effect on the joints. We don't touch the area under the knees at all.

Important! During the massage procedure, the arms and legs of the newborn should be in a bent state!

Gradually move on to the tummy and stroke it clockwise from the navel. Next, we close our hands on the midline of the tummy and begin to make sliding movements: one hand moves up and the other down. At the same time, we try to avoid exposure to the genitals.
We begin to massage the baby's chest in the direction from the sternum to the shoulders, then from the sternum to the sides. Avoid the breasts.
Turn the baby over on its stomach and gently massage the neck. In those moments when the baby is trying to raise or turn his head, it is recommended to stop all movements.
Next, we begin to massage the back. There are two directions of movement - from the waist to the shoulders, then from the spine to the sides. The spine itself is not massaged. Stroke the ass in the direction from the lateral surface of the thighs to the coccyx area.
We spread the crumb on the left side and carefully run our hand along the paravertebral lines in the direction from the sacrum to the head. In this case, the child should slightly bend forward. We do no more than three movements and repeat the same in the position on the right side.
We put the child in its original position and massage the head, avoiding the fontanel area (probably not worth explaining why). Don't forget about the ears. We also devote a little time and affection to them.

We finish the massage with stroking movements all over the body.

Massage for babies from 1 to 3 months in pictures

Mastering all these "wisdom" is not as difficult as it seems at first. We hope that with our help you will become a professional massage therapist for your baby.

Exercises for a month-old baby are selected taking into account his general condition, as well as individual characteristics.

The main massage techniques according to V.I. Vasichkin

Stroking- manipulation, in which the masseur, without moving the skin into folds, slides over the child's skin with varying degrees of pressure;
Trituration- a technique in which the masseur's hand makes a shift, stretching of the underlying tissues;
Kneading- a technique in which the massaging hand performs three stages: fixation, squeezing or squeezing, rolling. This technique is rarely used in baby massage, preferably by a specialist.
Vibration- manipulation, in which the massage therapist transfers various vibrational movements to the child. At the age of one month, this is usually a pat.

Complex

With our fingers, stroke the face of the crumbs from the middle of the forehead to the temples, and then to the cheeks. If, after the whole process, the baby lies relaxed and calm, then turn him over on his tummy and stroke the back with long movements, smoothly, from head to feet. If you notice that the baby is fidgeting, he does not like something and does not relax, do not continue to massage, it is better to stop. Perhaps the baby is worried about something.

Massage for a child in the first month is a necessary means of regulating the work of the flexor and extensor muscles, the activity of the nervous system and the general harmonious development of a newborn baby.

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