What is Infant Massage?

By Connie Chan, Founder of Luvubaby & Certified Infant Massage Instructor, IAIM

The most frequent questions which parents, especially new parents, may ask are “How can my baby sleep through the night?” and “What should I do if my baby has colic?” Infant massage can be one of the solutions to solve these problems. What is Infant Massage? That’s the nurturing touch, a simple but yet powerful tool to connect parents and babies, emotionally and physically.

It is important for parents and caregivers to learn this tool, as massage can enhance the growth and development of the baby in different areas, which can be grouped under four categories:

Interaction

  • Promotion of bonding and secure attachment
  • Development of trust and confidence

Stimulation

  • Stimulate our body systems like circulatory, digestive, hormonal and immune, coordination and balance

Relief

  • Soothe growing pains
  • Eliminate constipation

Relaxation

  • Improve sleep patterns
  • Increase flexibility and muscle tone

Massaging your baby can reduce the secretion of stress hormones such as cortisol and norepinephrine, and at the same time, release a greater amount of relaxing hormones such as oxytocin and serotonin. We also recommend setting a massage-based bedtime routine - bathing your baby, massaging them, and then putting them to bed – this will soothe and calm them so they will rest soundly throughout the night. Following this bedtime routine helps to set a good sleeping habit for your baby.

Babies, at a young age, may experience colic which causes them discomfort. Although the exact cause of colic is unknown, one of the common beliefs is that it happens to babies who cry a lot. When babies cry, they inhale a lot of air. It is not easy for the baby to release the air, which will settle in their digestive system and eventually cause colic. Through our experience, we have prepared specially designed massage strokes that can help to release the baby’s pain. If the parents apply these strokes on their babies on a daily basis, it may help to reduce the chances of the baby from experiencing colic.

The above mentioned are just a few benefits of Infant Massage. Not only do babies benefit from Infant Massage, parents, families and even the society can also enjoy the benefits from this wonderful tool.


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About The Author

Connie received her comprehensive training from International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM), which is the largest and most experienced infant massage organization in the world with a presence in more than 70 countries. As IAIM certified instructors, we are not just teaching massage strokes. The course includes honoring connections between human beings from the very beginning of life and the unique communication a mother or father has with their baby.

She started her career in the early childhood education industry since 2012 and had an extensive working relationship with parents, caregivers, babies and toddlers. In 2019, Connie founded Luvubaby, a platform aiming to enhance the parent-baby bond, through strengthening family-centered values using Infant Massage.