Dental beauty and health 

What massage to do at 4 months. Correct massage for a child in the first three months of life

In the first year of life, preventive massage is essential for the proper development of the baby. Even a perfectly healthy child can start to lag behind peers, having lost daily water procedures, massage, gymnastics and affectionate communication.

Parents can independently engage with the baby, massage the baby at 4 months, perform exercises with him in the form of a game. To get started, consult your pediatrician and read the guidelines. Already in the first weeks of life, you can use some techniques. Massage begins to be applied more actively after 6 weeks of life.

Massage a child at 4 months should be done daily. It is important to know and follow a few simple rules. Physical exercises with the baby should be carried out only during his active wakefulness. After the last feeding, at least half an hour should pass. The duration of massage and gymnastics should not exceed 15 minutes. If you notice any signs of discomfort in the child, then the lesson should be postponed. Wash your hands with warm water and soap, remove rings and bracelets. Your nails should be trimmed neatly. During classes, sing songs to the baby, tell nursery rhymes, just talk affectionately. You can play soft music or a disc with recordings of sounds of nature.

Massage for a 4 month old child should be associated with play and pleasure. All exercises that your baby clearly does not like should be categorically excluded right away. Those techniques that will evoke positive emotions in the child, on the contrary, should be actively used in the following days. Do your favorite exercises first in the program to keep your child positive about exercise. If there is evidence, then doctors can prescribe a therapeutic massage for a child 3-4 months of age. Only professional masseurs can use this technique. This article discusses the healing massage technique for a 4 month old baby. The purpose of such procedures can be called the normalization of muscle tone, improvement of coordination of movements, support function, general development of the central nervous system.

Massage technique for infants 4 months of life

Massage of a child at 4 months includes the most gentle techniques: stroking, rubbing, vibration. Kneading and pinching on the muscles of the limbs are also performed. Be especially careful to knead the muscles - use only "felting" (between the palms) or longitudinal kneading of muscle groups.

First you need to put the child on his stomach and massage the legs and thighs. To do this, take the baby's right leg with your right hand, and with your left smoothly stroke first the back and then the lateral surface of the limb. Repeat 7 times. Then repeat the exercise for the left leg.

Now turn the baby over onto its back and massage the feet. With one hand, hold the baby's leg, with the other thumb movements, carefully draw the numbers seven and eight on the baby's foot. After that, you need to perform two massage techniques based on the reflexes of flexion and extension of the foot. First, use your thumb to lightly press down on the foot at the base of your toes. Make sure your baby reflexively flexes his fingers. Second, run your thumb from the little toe to the heel along the edge of the foot. Such movements cause extension and extension of the fingers.

Then we massage the handles. The starting position of the child is lying on his back, with his head away from you. Place your thumbs in your baby's palms. Babies try to make a fist, grasp your fingers tightly. After that, you need to carefully spread the child's hands to the sides and shake them slightly. Then leave your right thumb in the child's fist and gently stroke the child's forearm and shoulder towards the armpit with your left hand. Then do the exercise for the second handle. Then you can do gymnastics for fingers or play magpie-crow.

Massage a baby at 4 months also includes a back and abdominal massage. Place your baby on your stomach. The baby will raise its head on its own and will keep it in this position for a long time at this age. The handles should be under the chest. Stroke the back 5-10 times with the back of the hand in the direction from the buttocks to the neck, and with the palm of your hand from the neck to the buttocks.

The baby's belly is stroked while lying on the back. Gently slide your palm along the intestines, clockwise. Your movements should avoid the area of ​​the right hypochondrium and genitals. Perform such strokes 5-10 times.

Then vibrate the baby's chest. Place your palms on the rib area. Place your thumbs in the sternum area. With light vibrating movements of the hands, press on the chest from the sides. Next, stroke the baby's pectoral muscles with the pads of the thumbs: clockwise on the left, counterclockwise on the right. Further, the massage technique for a child at 4 months old involves the performance of a number of gymnastic exercises from a special complex.

Exercises for the baby

Massage for a child 3-4 months of age necessarily includes exercises for training muscles and tendons, as well as coordination of movements. Include the following 5 exercises in your daily exercise routine.

Exercise "stand". Take the baby's armpits. On firm support, lower the baby's feet until they touch firmly. The child must unbend his legs on his own and rest his whole foot on the surface. The weight of the body should be entirely on your hands and not on your baby's feet. Perform no more than 30 seconds.

Exercise for the abdominal muscles. Your arms support the baby's back and head. His legs rest against your belly. Now raise the child's head and torso to an upright position, gently lower it. Perform up to 10 times.

Exercise "coup". Some children can already roll over on their own. But most will need your help. Place the baby on a flat surface on your back. Attracting his attention with a bright toy, encourage him to lie on his side. Gently help the child to make the flip.

Exercise "sitting down". Place your thumbs in the baby's palms. Hold your baby by the wrists, spread your arms out to the sides, and help the baby move into a sitting position. Next, bring the handles together and slide your index finger along the spine. The child will reflexively straighten his back. Then help the baby to lie down, holding his head. Runs 1 or 2 times.

Exercise "bike". Alternately bend the legs of the child lying on their back at the knees. Do it for 1 minute.

Massage for a 4 month old baby is a useful necessity. By completing the proposed exercises and techniques with your baby, you will achieve a stronger bond with a small family member, help him grow up healthy, strong and happy. Remember that affectionate communication while massaging a baby at 4 months is sometimes even more important than adhering to the correct technique. Give your child a good mood, and he will surely reciprocate you.

This means that his body needs new, much more intense stimulating effects. Therefore, the massage complex, designed for a three-month-old child, includes techniques that are not used in younger children - rubbing, kneading, patting. The general tasks of the new complex are the same - help in normalizing muscle tone, mastering motor skills and training analyzers of the baby's nervous system. The following recommendations for massage for children 4 - 6 months are addressed to parents of healthy babies - children who are observed by a pediatrician or neuropathologist for any problems may need a special corrective massage. The latter is usually performed by a qualified professional, while a normal, physiological massagechildren 4 - 6 months may well be performed by moms and dads themselves. You can do massage for a baby at 4 - 6 months without the use of any cosmetics, or you can use small amounts of baby mineral oil - and then, as many parents say, the massage will become even more pleasant for the baby.

Facial massage

The technique of performing facial massage in children of 4-6 months of age has only one difference from that of younger children - the intensity of the mechanical effect on the skin and facial muscles of the grown-up and matured child slightly increases. To the previously used techniques, a light vibrating kneading in the area of ​​the baby's cheeks is added - because it is the cheek muscles (in Latin, funny called masseters and bucinators :) that experience the greatest load compared to other muscles at this time.

Kneading is performed with circular movements of the pads of the index and middle fingers of the masseur's hands, with light pressure. The frequency of this massage technique is 4-5 times a day.

Hand massage

The initial position of the child is on the back. The masseur is positioned on the side of the baby's legs. For a more comfortable hold of the child's massaged handle, you can first let him grab the massage therapist's thumb, then gently grab the baby's wrist with his ring finger and little finger. With the other hand, the masseur, varying the pressure, strokes first the inner, then the outer surface of the child's handle. The direction of stroking is from the hand to the shoulder. Reception is performed 3-4 times on each hand of the child. After the completion of stroking, without changing the starting position, they begin to rub the handle - the latter is performed in the same direction (from the hand to the shoulder), with spiral movements of the massage therapist's fingertips, with light pressure. The technique is repeated 4-5 times on each handle.

Foot massage

The starting position of the child and the position of the masseur are the same. The baby's foot is gently fixed on the massage therapist's palm. The leg is in a bent position. With his free hand, the masseur strokes the plantar part of the child's foot in the direction from the toes to the heel. This method of foot massage for a child at 4-6 months performed 6-8 times on each foot. After that, you can vigorously rub the soles of the baby using the circular motions of the pads of the fingers.

Then the back and outer surfaces of the baby's legs are stroked, while the knee joints are smoothly "streamlined". The inner thighs and the front of the shins are not stroked. Reception is performed 3-4 times on each leg of the child, after which they proceed to rubbing and kneading the back and outer lateral surfaces of the legs, as well as the back and front surfaces of the baby's thighs. Rubbing is performed in circular translational movements of the masseur's fingers in the direction from the feet to the child's hip joints. Kneading is carried out in almost the same way, but when it is performed, the fingers of an adult gently grab the muscles being massaged and, with light pressure (as if "squeezing" the muscles), spiral along them. Reception is performed 4-6 times on each leg of the child.

Belly massage

The starting position of the child and the position of the masseur are the same. You can start with a light, clockwise, circular abdominal stroke. The latter is performed with the terminal phalanges of the masseur's fingers. An alternative to circular stroking is the so-called "triangle". The technique is performed as follows: first, the back surface of the fingers of the right hand of the masseur is stroking the right half of the abdomen - from the bottom up, from the pubis to the right costal arch. Having reached the costal arch, the masseur's hand moves horizontally - to the left costal arch. Here the masseur's brush turns with its palmar surface towards the baby's stomach and strokes the left half of the abdominal wall in the opposite direction: from top to bottom, from the ribs to the pubis, thus closing the "triangle". Reception is performed 4-5 times.

You can also perform the so-called "counter" stroking of the abdomen. In this case, the palmar surface of the masseur's right hand strokes the left half of the baby's abdomen from bottom to top. At the same time, the right half of the child's abdomen is stroked with the back of the left hand - in the opposite direction. Reception is also performed 4-5 times.

After the completion of stroking, they proceed to rubbing the abdomen - with spiral movements of the fingertips, first describing diverging circles in the direction from the navel to the periphery of the anterior abdominal wall, then with both hands in a straight line, in the direction from the pubis to the costal arches of the baby. The criterion for the effectiveness of the admission is a slight reddening of the child's skin.

Back massage

The initial position of the child is on his stomach, with his feet towards the masseur. With the back of the fingers of both hands, the masseur strokes the back of the baby in the direction from the buttocks to the neck, where the hands of the massage therapist unfold with the palmar surface to the skin of the child and, stroking, move in the opposite direction. If the child is unstable in this position, then stroking is performed with one hand; with the other hand, the masseur gently holds the baby by the legs. Reception is repeated 3-4 times. After the completion of stroking, they proceed to rubbing and kneading the muscles of the back - with circular translational movements of the fingertips, with moderate pressure, in the direction from the sacrum to the child's neck. Receptions are performed 4-5 times.

Buttocks massage

The starting position of the child and the position of the masseur are the same. First, a circular rubbing of the baby's buttocks is performed with the pads of slightly bent fingers of an adult's hands - in the direction from the center to the periphery. Reception is repeated 4-5 times. Then the back of the masseur's fingers is gently patted on the baby's buttocks - alternately changing hands. The technique is repeated 8-10 times, while you can playfully and affectionately talk with the baby - and on this playful note, the massage complex can be completed.

Of course, the above are only the basic techniques massage for children at 4 - 6 months. Massage must be supplemented with exercises of reflex and ordinary restorative gymnastics - either alternating or combining. The total duration of the massage, together with gymnastics, should be about 8-10 minutes - otherwise the baby may simply get bored of all this, and the emotional effect of the healing procedures will be irretrievably lost. So practice the order and technique of performing massage techniques and physical exercises in advance, dear moms and dads :)

Over the age of 6 months, the routine use of massage in a healthy and well-developing child is usually not recommended - regular exercise is considered quite sufficient. However, if the baby really likes massage, you can continue it - the physiological complex with the soft technique of performing techniques has not hurt anyone yet. A ten-day course of general massage, repeated once every 3-4 months, is fully justified both in the second and third years of life.

Already quite mobile, he is awake up to 4-5 hours a day. The kid already holds his head well, lying on his stomach, rests on the outstretched arms. Some babies already know how to roll over on their tummy or sideways.

By the age of 4 months, many of the reflexes have already weakened or completely disappear in the child, the baby begins to move consciously. He turns his head in the direction he is interested in, reaches for toys, he already has his favorite rattles. This can be used when doing gymnastic exercises with your child.

It is already necessary to acquire - a large ball, on it you can swing the baby on the back, on the tummy, this will develop his coordination of movements, strengthen the muscles. In an upright position with the support of the armpit, the baby rests well with his straightened legs on a hard surface of the table or floor. The baby is already trying to sit down, but for now he cannot sit, as this can adversely affect the baby's posture, the spine is still fragile and too mobile to maintain an upright position. But you can purchase a special chair in which the baby will be in a reclining position.

In massage, in addition to stroking, rubbing, kneading and shaking, you can use such techniques as forceps kneading, pinching, felting, tapping. All movements must be performed carefully and so that the baby is pleased, if he is capricious, stop the procedure and just play with him. You cannot massage a sleepy, hungry child, there will be no benefit from such activities.

Massage for a 4-month-old baby - a set of exercises

  1. Foot massage... To massage, as for a child of 3 months, we add techniques: felting and pinching. To do this, we cover the baby's leg so that one palm lies on the outside, and the other on the inside of the thigh, now move the muscles in a clockwise direction, do it carefully, but vigorously. This massage is called felting. After that, perform the forceps kneading of the legs. Do this carefully with the thumb and forefinger of your right hand, while holding the baby's leg with your left hand in the area of ​​the lower leg. Finish the foot massage with stroking.
  2. Flexion and extension of the legs... Perform flexion and extension of the legs alternately, you can do the bicycle exercise when the legs alternately bend at the knees and press against the tummy. Bend the legs together as well. By the age of 4 months, the tone of the flexor muscles of the legs has already passed in children, and this exercise should not cause discomfort in the baby.
  3. Foot massage, rub and knead the baby's pads. You can also do 5 flexion and extension of the foot in the joints. After stroking, you can tap the stacks with your index finger.
  4. Hand massage, after stroking and ring rubbing, shake hands. We finish the exercise again by stroking from the wrist to the shoulder.
  5. Breast massage... Stroke from the center of the chest to the armpits in the direction of the ribs. Then do vibration exercises.
  6. Hand raises... First, massage your palms, you can show the baby the game "Magpie-crow", "Ladushki". Then place your index fingers in the baby's palms so that he grabs them. Now cross your arms over your chest, then raise and lower your arms up and to the sides. Perform the exercise energetically and rhythmically, you can sing a funny song or tell a nursery rhyme to the baby in parallel, or turn on a disc with funny melodies.
  7. Back and buttocks massage... Start with stroking, then knead the buttocks, now you can do the forceps-like kneading of the longitudinal muscles of the back along the spine from the buttocks to the neck and back. After that, perform a few more strokes and start tapping, finishing the procedure with stroking again.
  8. Flips from back to stomach... Help the baby to turn on its own on the side and roll over, in order to interest the baby, use his favorite toy.
  9. Exercise "Flight"... Place the baby in the palm of your hand with its stomach down, so that the baby rests its legs on your chest. The baby should hold the head well and bend the back. This exercise strengthens your back and abdominal muscles.
  10. Tummy massage... In addition to the usual stroking of the rectus and oblique abdominal muscles, circular motions, cut the rectus muscles, and then pinch around the umbilical ring. These exercises will work as prevention of an umbilical hernia.
  11. Sitting down... Place your fingers in the baby's fists, holding him by the wrists, spread the arms to the sides and help the baby to rise to a sitting position. Now bring the baby's arms together and slide your index finger along the spine along the baby's back, he will reflexively straighten his back, now, holding the head of the crumbs, lower him onto his back. This exercise strengthens and develops the abdominal muscles, neck and back.
  12. Ball swing... Perform first swinging on the tummy, and then on the back. Ball exercises develop the baby's vestibular apparatus. During classes, hold the baby by the back or tummy, and also fix the legs with the other hand.

Massage with elements of gymnastics for a child of 4 months - video:

Newborns develop very quickly, so from the first months it is necessary to add new elements to gymnastics and massage. By the age of 3-4 months, children are already interested in a lot, they want to communicate, therefore massage and gymnastics are an important moment not only for physical development, but also for mental development. At about 3 months of age, children have a decrease in muscle tone in the legs and arms, so the movements become a little more conscious and accurate - this means that passive exercises can be added to gymnastics. The kid will not be able to do them himself yet, but with the help of adults he will cope. In addition, the sessions can be longer, gradually become more difficult, the massage becomes more intense.

After the third month of life, the baby's body becomes more pliable for physical exertion, so new interesting elements of greater complexity can be introduced into gymnastics and massage

Why deal with a baby?

  • normalization of muscle tone;
  • development of the skill of the pens;
  • development of skills in changing body position.

To achieve results, you need to communicate with the baby, talk to him, put a suitable toy in his handle, do various massage and gymnastic movements according to age. Reflex-based movements, passive exercises, and also accompanied by light shaking are required.

When and where is it better to study?

Timing should be right to get the most out of your exercise. It is convenient to conduct sessions between feedings, closer to the next one. According to the recommendations of Dr. Komarovsky, the ideal time is the evening before taking a bath. The kid will not be burdened with food, he will still be quite vigorous. It is not worth doing just before bedtime, as this has an exciting effect on the body - it will be more difficult for it to fall asleep.

Charging and general massage sessions with babies at 3 months are carried out in a regular room. It should be ventilated in advance, the most suitable temperature is 20-22 C. The baby is placed on a comfortable table with a diaper or towel. The kid can be completely undressed or dressed in a very light undershirt.

Classes in 3-4 months

A general strengthening massage for a child at 3 months is easy to do, you need to follow simple rules and perform all movements smoothly and calmly. There should be no sudden movements, you should not pull the child by the arms and legs. If he is not in the mood, then you need to either postpone the lesson for a while, or distract him with an affectionate conversation, a bright toy. Most often, children respond with pleasure to massage and gymnastics, which are done by their mother or someone close to them. At this age, it is necessary to add new movements to everyday activities.

Approximate lesson plan

  • hand massage;
  • Boxing;
  • foot massage;
  • overstepping;
  • flexion-extension of the legs;
  • "coachman";
  • tummy massage;
  • corner;
  • tummy coup;
  • "swimming";
  • back and buttock massage;
  • crawling simulation;
  • swinging on the ball.

Massage of arms, legs, trunk, buttocks is performed in the same way as at an earlier age. The tummy is massaged clockwise. It remains relevant to swing on the ball on the tummy and on the back. Now we will tell you about new exercises and movements that will be useful for your child.

New exercises

  • "Boxing" is performed with the child lying on the back. An adult puts his thumbs in his palms and holds his hands. The adult bends and unbends the arms, as if imitating the movements of the boxer. The movements should be smooth, but intense so that the baby turns from side to side. Do 5-6 repetitions with each hand - this exercise strengthens the muscles of the arms and shoulder.
  • Stepping is performed when the baby is lying on the back. First, an adult takes the child by the ankles and, bending his legs at the knees, presses the feet to the table. After that, the baby's legs need to be bent and unbent in such a way as to imitate steps on the table. You need to do 4-5 repetitions.
  • Exercise of flexion-extension of the legs performed together and alternately in the supine position. The adult takes the baby by the knees so that the thumbs are on top. Calmly bend both legs at the same time, spreading the knees and lightly pressing on the tummy. After that, we unbend the legs. If the child does not want to unbend the legs, you can shake them slightly to relax the muscles. Next, we do the same, only alternately with each leg.
  • When performing "coachman movements" the thumbs of an adult are embedded in the palms of the child, the hands are slightly adhered. We spread the arms to the sides, then we bring them together, crossing them on the chest. The left and right hands are alternately on top. It is repeated 5-6 times at a slow pace.
  • Exercise "corner" strengthens the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall. It is necessary to raise the legs of the child lying on the back to an upright position. Legs should be straightened, but if the muscle tone is still high and the legs are straightening with difficulty, shake them a little. After lifting, the legs slowly lower to a horizontal position.

Body exercises

  • Turns from the back to the tummy while performed with the help of an adult. In this case, not only the strengthening of some muscle groups occurs, but also the training of the baby to turn over. You need to repeat it 2-3 times. The index finger of the adult's left hand is inserted into the palm of the child, the hand is adhered to. We bend the child's leg with our right hand and turn the pelvis to the right. He will reflexively turn his head and upper body to the right. Holding the hand, we slightly help the baby to turn, but hold him a little on the side to train the muscles. A flip on the tummy through the other side is also performed.
  • "Swimming" is performed while lying on the tummy. Raise the baby's legs slightly with the left hand, and put the right one under the tummy. We slightly raise the child above the table and hold it for several seconds. This exercise is useful for strengthening your back muscles.

Classes at 4-5 months

Approximate lesson plan

  • hand massage;
  • "coachman";
  • foot massage;
  • "boxing";
  • breeding and flattening of the legs;
  • abdominal massage (more in the article:);
  • sitting on the handles;
  • tummy coup;
  • back and buttock massage;
  • "swimming";
  • crawling on the tummy;
  • circles with hands;
  • flexion and extension of the legs.

Classes help children develop and grow healthy. Adults at this time communicate with them, teach them various movements.

New movements

  • Breeding and converging legs the baby is made in a supine position. The child's legs are bent at the knees and hips. An adult holds them by the shins. The legs are spread apart and then brought together. It is performed 4-6 times.
  • Sitting on the handles good for the muscles of the neck and abs. It must be done carefully so that the baby does not hit the back of the head when lowering. It is not worth planting a child at this age yet, so just lift him by the handles and gently lower him back onto the table. Lowering, we put it not on the back, but on the barrel, alternately on the left and right.
  • To encourage the baby to crawl... An adult grabs the baby's feet, bends and unbends his legs, imitating the movements of the frog's legs. After you have done a few reps, you need to keep your legs bent and let the baby push off on his own. To make it more interesting for him, put a bright toy not far in front. When he manages to push off, he will move forward a little, then bend the legs again and give the opportunity to push off himself.
  • Another new hand circles movement... The child lies on his back, holding the handles on the thumbs of an adult. An adult performs circular movements with the child's arms: first to the sides, then to the head, and then forward and downward. Movements are performed smoothly, calmly. Make two circles in one direction, then two circles in the other direction. The exercise is suitable only for those kids who have already mastered "boxing" and "coachman".

Remember that children are constantly growing and developing - this means that they need to regularly increase the load. If it is obvious that the baby is not yet capable of some exercises, you should not force events. Most likely, after a while the baby will master all the movements.

The child needs to have regular massage from birth, but the capacity of clinics is not enough for all babies to receive this procedure.

Now pediatricians prescribe directions for massage only for medicinal purposes, and they advise mothers to carry out general strengthening on their own.

Why is it important to massage your baby regularly

At the age of 4 months, many of the reflexes that distinguish newborns practically disappear in the baby. But skills appear, such as:

  • lifting the upper body with outstretched arms;
  • interest in toys;
  • turning the head towards the sound;
  • confident head retention.

Such opportunities appear in the child due to the development of muscles. With regular gymnastics and massage sessions, their strengthening occurs much faster, and the baby develops better.

At 4 months, massage is no less important than in the first days of life, since during this period there is preparation for sitting down the child. Also, literally in a month, the child will begin the first training sessions before crawling. From a prone position, he will learn not only to raise the upper body, but also be able to kneel.

How to massage a child yourself

Any mother seeks to deal with her baby in order to facilitate his adaptation in this world. The physical contact that occurs during massage is also important for a child's development. In order for the session to be pleasant for both mother and baby, several rules must be observed:

  • indoors - at least 24 degrees Celsius;
  • the child must be asleep;
  • choose the period between feedings;
  • when discontent appears on the part of the baby, you must immediately stop manipulating and replace gymnastics with a regular game or swinging on the ball, which are allowed from this age.

Prepare a comfortable place for manipulation - a changing table is best. Cover it with a soft diaper and free from all unnecessary things. Keep a few of your favorite rattles next to the table to distract attention if your child gets in a bad mood.

The following basic exercises can be used to massage a 4 month old baby:

  • shaking;
  • kneading;
  • stroking;
  • rubbing;
  • forceps kneading;
  • wallow;
  • tapping;
  • tingling.

At the same time, keep in mind that you cannot make excessive efforts, strongly press and stretch the child's skin. All movements should be smooth and as soft as possible. Before starting the massage, study the related videos.

Home massage technique

By 4 months of age, the child should have muscle hypertonicity, but in some cases this does not happen. In this case, home massage will only act as an auxiliary procedure. Be sure to get a referral for general medical treatment from a pediatric neurologist or pediatrician. At home, you will not be able to work your muscles as deeply as you need to for this problem. It is better not to try to carry out sessions of therapeutic manipulations on your own, as this can lead to injury. When massage at home, it is necessary to avoid the area of ​​the mammary glands and the spine of the baby.

A massage that any mother can give will make the child calmer, and the developmental exercises included in it will have a general strengthening effect on the body.

Manipulations must be carried out according to the following algorithm:

  1. Place the baby on the back and wet your hands with special baby oil (you can use regular petroleum jelly). Start with stroking movements, moving from the chest to the legs. Help the child turn on his tummy and make the same movements from the back to the legs. Then return the baby to its original position on the back.
  2. After you have prepared the baby for further manipulations, massage the legs. Start with stroking as well, and then move on to new techniques. Gently, but vigorously, in a clockwise motion, perform a felting of the muscles (one hand should be on the inside of the child's thigh, and the other on the outside). After that, you can move on to pinching movements. With your left hand, hold the legs alternately in weight, and gently knead the muscles with pinching movements with your right thumb and forefinger. Finishing work with the legs is again stroking.
  3. The exercise "Bicycle" is well suited for a child aged 4 months, which should be performed after working with the legs. It should be done only if the baby does not have increased muscle tone. To do this, alternately bend each leg (holding the lower leg), and pull your knees to your stomach.
  4. Gently rub and knead your child's feet. Do 5 flexions and extensions of the foot in the joint, then complete the manipulations with stroking movements with your index finger along the outer and inner edges of the foot.
  5. Move on to working with pens. At the age of 4 months, you can do not only stroking and ring rubbing, with which it is worth starting manipulations. Shaking the hands can be effective to help the muscles prepare for crawling.
  6. To complete the work with arms and hands, it is worth resorting to the well-known exercises "Magpie-crow" and "Ladushki". The following technique will help to strengthen the muscles of the back and arms: put your index fingers in the baby's palms, let him grasp them well, and help the child to stand up. Do not do a full squat, but let your upper body be raised about 45 degrees. Immediately lower the baby and, from a prone position, cross your arms several times in front of the chest and dilute them to the sides. Raise your arms several times and finish the massage with stroking.
  7. Stroke the baby's chest from the ribs to the armpits. You can do a few light tapping movements with your fingertips.
  8. Dr. Komarovsky recommends that you do not bypass the abdominal area without fail. In addition to traditional strokes, clockwise around the navel, at 4 months of age, you can add light pinching in the same direction and sawing movements with your fingers across the rectus muscles.
  9. Before proceeding to the back massage, do a few turns with the child through the left and right sides onto the tummy. For the baby to do it on his own, you can interest him with a bright toy or a rattle.
  10. Pat your back and place your palms under the belly of the baby, let him rest his legs on your chest and lift it over the changing table. This exercise is called Flying. After that, stroke your back and make a few gentle pinching movements from the buttocks to the neck, beat the back area with your fingertips and complete the stroking manipulations.

It is best to massage a child at the age of 4 months with light music.

At the end of the session, swing the baby on the fitball, first on the tummy, and then on the back.

In total, the manipulations will take you about half an hour.