When can I massage a newborn? Proper massage for a child in the first three months of life

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

As part of the massage process, you can gently manipulate your child's ankles, wrists, and fingers in a passive joint exercise. During the massage, talk softly, coo or sing to your baby. This will make your manipulation 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.

Benefits of massage for babies

There are many benefits of baby massage that can have a positive impact not only on a newborn baby, but also on his 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 could help them 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. Massage activates a key nerve called the vagus nerve that connects the brain to major parts of the body, including the stomach. Activating this nerve improves digestion and bowel movements, 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 a child's heart rate steady.
More calm behavior during stress and pain.
More stable brain activity. Premature babies who receive massage tend to have normally developing brain activity. In premature babies who have not been massaged, there is a decrease in brain activity.

Massage for a baby from 0 to 3 months is, first of all, to train the child's body for various movements, reduce the hypertonicity of the muscles of the legs and arms, and also actively develop the neck muscles, strengthening the upper pectoral, dorsal muscles and shoulder girdle.

Massage for a child at 1 month is also carried out in order to contribute to the normal functioning of internal organs, muscle relaxation and improvement of metabolism.

Sharp and hard pressure is not allowed when a month-old baby is massaged. This is especially important when massaging the face and head of the baby. After all, the bones of the baby are still being formed, and they are very sensitive and fragile.

massage for babies from 1 month includes soft strokes, slowly turning into light pressure;
massage for a 2 month old baby contains soft 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 and arms, which are still in good shape. Also, massage should help to 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 a rash on the baby's skin;
regular massage for a child at 3 months old 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, and therefore on the speech and cognitive skills of the child in the future. General massage for a three-month-old baby includes soft strokes, rubbing and gymnastic exercises.

How to do a massage for newborns at home?

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

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

As soon as the child can roll over, it is better 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 will be slippery.

The middle of the bed or even the floor is fine. Just put a clean towel or sheet under the baby. And never leave a baby unattended.

Make sure the room is at a comfortable temperature and there are no direct air currents or drafts. If the weather is hot, do not massage your baby directly under a fan or under direct blow from an air conditioner. The baby will not like the 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 cell phone on silent. You may even want to turn on relaxing music at a low volume so that your child can hear how they are being spoken to.

Have everything you need for a massage at hand.

It is necessary to prepare:

massage oil;
towels to wipe off excess oil or cream;
clothes for changing clothes for a child;
regular diaper changing kit;
a bath for bathing a baby and a towel if you bathe a baby after a massage.

How to massage a newborn? Basic massage techniques

Babies love set routines and repetition.

So if you massage your baby the same way every time, he knows what to expect and enjoys the experience.

Start massaging the baby from the feet, gradually moving to the body, ending with the head. Feet are a great place to start a massage because babies are used to having their feet touched when changing a diaper.
Pour a few drops of cream or oil on your hands. Heat the oil or cream by rubbing it between your palms.
Very gently rub it into the skin of the baby, starting with the legs.
Move along your legs. Then you can gently stroke from the hips to the toes.
Follow the same sequence on the hands. Massage them from shoulders to toes. Massage is useful to combine with light exercises.
Finger exercise. Gently pinch 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 of the tummy, done with gentle pressure, help food move through the digestive tract.
Hold the child's legs below the knee and, while lifting the legs up, gently press the knees on the stomach. This will help to release excess gases.
Finish massaging the front of the child's body with extensive strokes from the chest to the hips.
Turn the baby on his stomach to massage his back. Use large, counter-clockwise circles as you work your way up your back from its base to your shoulders.
Do not press on the area of the spinal column. This may harm your child.
Finish the back massage with large 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 to have their head touched more than any other part of their body.

If your child is one of those who does not like being touched on the head, do not insist on such a massage. Wait for the baby to grow a little and then try again. As the child becomes more familiar with massage, he may come to love head massage as well.

How should you massage your baby's head?

It is necessary to be very gentle with the head of a newborn, as the bones of the skull have not yet fused.

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

In the first six weeks, do not make pressure movements while massaging the head. Just gently stroke all parts of the head using oil, let it soak in on its own.

Once the baby's head is stiff, you can gently apply pressure with your fingers in small circles as you work your way around the baby's head.

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

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

Until the child can hold his head on his own, apply oil on the head when the baby is lying on his back. So any oil that drips won't fall on his face. When the child holds his head by himself, you can apply the oil while he is lying on his stomach. This will make the exercise position even more comfortable.

If your baby has seborrheic dermatitis, do not comb out the scab while applying the oil. You will find that if the oil is left on the baby's head overnight, it will help to soften the scab, which can then fall off by itself when bathing or while washing or combing the baby's hair.

Even if this is not the case, seborrheic dermatitis does not interfere with the baby and is very common among children. It often goes away on its own as the baby grows.

Combing the crust, you risk damaging the scalp and causing infection.

How often should you massage?

Traditionally, the child is massaged 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 time available 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 your baby every day.

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

The duration of the massage session

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

If your baby doesn't like the massage at first, keep the sessions short. When your baby starts crawling or walking, you may notice that he doesn't want to lie down for that long. Then you need to do a massage for 5 - 10 minutes.

Just "read" the signs your child is making. They will let you know if he likes the massage or not.

Massage your baby 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 things at the same time and in the same sequence, they feel safe and happy. For example, if you start with massage, then bathing, feeding, and finally sleep, the child will learn to recognize this order of actions and will look forward to it.

This can be difficult to do with a newborn when frequent feedings are needed and the baby sleeps most of the time. When he grows up and has more time to be awake, you can take your time.

Because massage relaxes your baby, you can even make it part of your bedtime ritual. Massage before going to bed will help the baby relax after an active day and calm down, be ready for rest.

If your baby cries a lot at night, an evening massage can help reduce the chance of crying. Over time, you will get to know your child better and be able to find the right time for massages and baths. Let the 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 the cream or oil that was used to massage the baby, stop using it, consult a doctor to find out which oils or creams are best for your baby.

Some experts say it's best not to massage when your child has a fever or is sick. Others claim that gentle massage during a viral illness can help relieve body aches.

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

Always accept and explain to yourself the signals from the child. When sick, he may become fussy and refuse massage. On the other hand, if your touch eases 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 rises, 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 their clothes.

Follow the child. Always try to understand what makes him feel most comfortable.

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

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 moment of the massage. Your child will show when it should end, what strokes the baby likes and what not.

Hi guys! With you Lena Zhabinskaya! Newborn massage is becoming more and more popular. 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 so unambiguously good in this matter, or are there situations when there is more harm than good? Or such manipulations are contraindicated in principle? Let's find out today!

The fashion for massage has gone since the mothers, who actively practiced it, began to claim that it made their babies more calm and sociable. They started doing 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 strokes allow 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 good example of this is the gastrointestinal tract. How many mothers have experienced constipation in newborns? But it was a properly performed massage that helped many to solve this problem.

Moreover, gentle massage movements:

relieve tension and muscle hypertonicity;
eliminate increased excitability;
improve sleep;
contribute to the development of motor activity and affect posture, physical form.

In general, massage is incredibly useful for a newborn. The only time it can harm is the neglect of contraindications to it, as well as inviting an outsider to perform it. Then the baby is afraid, naughty,. But we will talk about this a little later.

Kinds

There are three types of massage by appointment. It happens:

medical;
treatment-and-prophylactic;
preventive.

Each of them has its own advantages and performance features. 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:

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

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

Therapeutic and prophylactic

This type of massage involves kneading the entire body, with special attention paid to 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 working with him, it is noted:

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

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

Prophylactic

The purpose of this massage is:

improvement of blood circulation and respiration;
improved 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 the 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 carried out at home by the parents themselves. Moreover, it is very important for the baby to establish close physical contact with them, which will make it possible to achieve future stability of the nervous system. In other words, a baby who regularly feels gentle gentle touches will be more calm, balanced and self-confident. At the same time, parents can do not only massage the whole body, but also its individual parts - the tummy, legs, arms.

Are there any contraindications

Doctors note that any of these types of massages can be performed by a specialist only if there are no contraindications. What is it about:

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

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 sputum.

Tearfulness, capriciousness and the negative mood 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 improved it, proceed to implementation.

When Massage Is Necessary

In order not to blindly follow the fashion, it is necessary to understand the norm and the deviation from it. The latter are the main factors for the pediatrician and neurologist that testify in favor of the appointment of a massage. It is recommended if:

at the age of 1.5 - 2 months, the child does not or holds, but very poorly in the position on the tummy;
at 4 - 5 months, he does not try to roll over on his back or on his tummy;
at 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 does not want to get up on his own, holding on to a support;
can't even walk by the hand for a year.

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

When asked at what age to start doing it, all experts confidently call 4 to 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 massaging their babies at 3 months old. When contact with him has already been established, and he himself is cheerful and calm.

Rules

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

The temperature of the room in the room should be 21 - 22 degrees, and the room itself should be well ventilated.
When exactly can you start? All manipulations should be carried out no later than one hour before meals and no earlier than 1 hour after.
The masseur's hands should be warm. All jewelry must be removed.
It is necessary to lay the baby only on a hard, warm surface.
For massaging healthy babies, additional moisturizers are not needed.
The optimal duration of sessions is 5-10 minutes with a slight gradual increase in time.

Who should do

It is quite possible for the parents themselves to perform therapeutic and prophylactic and prophylactic massages directly after a detailed study of the special literature and consultation of 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 massage at any time and place convenient for you;
you control the strength and intensity of the manipulations and can interrupt them at any time;
it's absolutely free.

If you prefer to invite a specialist, carefully monitor the reaction of the crumbs to a stranger. If the little one is frightened, screams and cries, such a massage will do more harm than good.

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

For a visiting specialist, in most cases, your child is just a job to be done quickly 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 adversely affect the formation of a healthy psyche of a newborn. After all, as you know, all problems come from childhood.

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

Techniques and tricks

For newborns aged 1-3 months, force movements are not used. Only light strokes and kneading are allowed.

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

It is important to know: in children aged 1 - 3 months, do not massage the area of the elbow, armpit, inner thigh, under the knee, as well as the fontanel.

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

If you wish, you should try the ball. The baby is laid on its surface and shaken, holding.

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Many parents ask themselves the question “why do babies need massage?”. It is necessary for all babies, and even healthy ones. Massage for newborns is divided into: therapeutic and strengthening.

Firming - mom can do at home. It consists in stroking, patting, and is also complemented by gymnastics.

Therapeutic - is prescribed by a doctor for certain indications, and is performed only by a specialist.

Therapeutic massage can be prescribed for children who have the following diseases:

flat feet
hip dysplasia
Clubfoot
Diseases of the central nervous system
Scoliosis
congenital dislocation
Rickets
Tremor

In any case, you should not neglect the massage. It is especially useful for babies, it will help relieve tension in the legs and arms, the so-called physiological hypertonicity.

Benefits for baby massage

Immunity improves.
The work of the digestive system improves, eliminating and.
Improves blood circulation, metabolism.
The sense organs are improved.
Sleep is normalized.
Improves coordination. The child starts faster, and then get up on his feet.

At what age should you start massaging your baby?

The recommended age to start massage is 2-3 weeks from birth. By this time, the umbilical wound is usually completely healed. From the very first day, when a mother strokes her baby, he already receives a massage session, while the level of stress hormone decreases and appetite improves. Within the children's clinic, massage is prescribed from the second month of life.

How to massage a newborn

Basic Rules:

Before doing a massage at home, consult with your pediatrician, and also take a few therapy lessons from a specialist;
Do not massage if the child is upset, in a bad mood, or crying;
The course should last 20 days with a rest break of 2 weeks;
Ventilate the room before the massage. The temperature in the room should be comfortable so that the baby does not freeze. The optimum temperature is considered to be 20-25 degrees;
Pay special attention to the feet and palms, with the help of touch, the baby learns to explore the world;
The surface for massage should be flat, and not very soft. You can use a changing table or board;
Perform all movements gently;
Avoid using talc and baby powder;
Wash your hands thoroughly. Remove rings and bracelets and warm up your hands to keep them warm. Long nails are also undesirable, you can accidentally scratch the child;
Massage is best done 2 hours after feeding. Do it regularly at the same time;
During the massage, tell your baby a story or sing a song. The main thing is to smile and not be silent;
If your baby began to cry, immediately stop the session and find out the cause of discontent, calm the child;
Never leave a child alone. Put your mobile phone and everything you need nearby;
The duration of the session should not exceed 20 minutes.

You can massage at home using the following methods:

kneading- This is the process of circular massaging the muscles with your fingers. This type is usually performed only by doctors.
Stroking- Light and gentle sliding movements, allowing the baby to relax. Any type of massage begins with stroking. At the same time, blood circulation is normalized, the muscles relax.
Trituration- this is already an energetic stroking with a little effort.
Pat- various non-intensive oscillatory movements.

Typically, these techniques are carried out in the following sequence:

Stroking –> rubbing –> stroking –> kneading –> stroking patting –> stroking.

General massage for children begins with the legs. First, it massages the fingers, smoothly moving to the entire foot, and then rising up, bypassing the area under the knees. Bring and spread your legs in different directions. Massage is done in the direction of blood flow, from the periphery to the center.

After the handles, you can move on to the tummy. It is necessary to stroke the tummy clockwise around the navel. With the help of such strokes, the mother can help the baby cope with colic and normalize bowel function. Bending the knees to the tummy will help with. Massage of the upper part of the body is carried out by lightly stroking from the shoulders to the center of the chest -.

Last but not least, a massage of the back and buttocks is carried out. The back massage is done with the help of the palms, without effort, since the baby's spine is still weak and fragile. Turn the baby over on the tummy, bend the handles at the elbows and stroke the back along the spine, patting the buttocks ( do not slap the baby in the kidney area).

Small gymnastic exercises can be added to the general massage. Spread the handles in different directions and bring them together on the chest. Repeat the exercises 5 times, then you can return to the massage again. Gently stroke your baby's face with your fingertips. For a general massage for a child in the first weeks of life, they increasingly began to use a fitball (gymnastic ball). Already from the first days of the baby's stay at home, you can carefully lay it out with your tummy on the fitball, provided that it has healed.

Fitball helps muscles relax, improves the child's vestibular apparatus. The duration of classes on the fitball is 10 minutes, then increase the time of classes. – .

What parts of the body should not be massaged

During massage, it is not recommended for newborn babies to massage the axillary, knee and elbow folds, the fontanel area, the mammary glands and the inner thighs. Also, you can not put pressure on the heart, chest, liver, kidneys and spine.

Contraindications

Like any medical manipulation, massage has contraindications:

If the baby has an umbilical hernia, it is not recommended to massage yourself at home. In this case, a therapeutic massage can be prescribed, which is done only by a specialist.
At the peak of an acute illness, massage is not worth it.
A premature baby needs specialized massage.
It is also risky to massage children with heart disease on their own, this process should be under the control of a cardiologist.
Do not carry out manipulations with bloating, elevated body temperature and SARS.

Contraindications to massage at home are the following diseases:

Hepatitis;
skin diseases;
blood diseases;
Injuries;
bleeding;
Tuberculosis;
Hemophilia;
Hypotrophy;
Rickets.

The bad mood of the baby, his nervousness and crying is also a contraindication for massage.

For a newborn, mother's touch is very important, through stroking a special connection between mother and child is established. Do not be lazy to stroke your child regularly, the baby will definitely like it. The procedure does not require a lot of time and effort, but the child will grow up healthy and happy.

The first days after the birth of a child are the most exciting and touching for parents. This is the acquaintance of the baby with the outside world. It is important at this time not to miss the moments of caring for him, which in the future may affect the formation of the body and health. Of course, mostly parents meet with a newborn already prepared: they attend special courses, read books, communicate with doctors.

One of the important moments immediately after the birth of a child is a massage for a newborn.

It is believed that children who undergo this procedure develop better. It is good if the session is also accompanied by a conversation - this contributes to a faster development of speech.

When newborns begin to massage themselves

Pediatricians and psychologists came to the conclusion that the mother can start doing the most elementary massage to the child on her own from the first days of life. The fact is that tactile touches with mom are very important for the baby. But remember that under the age of 1 month, its duration should not exceed 10 minutes. After that, the rate increases to 15-20 minutes. First, lubricate the body with a special cream, then warm up the desired area with light strokes. Always start from the heels, gradually rising to the head. Just do not do this procedure immediately after eating. The movements are gentle shifting of the muscles.

When newborns begin to massage: contraindications

As mentioned above, the session should be no earlier than 30 minutes after feeding, or before it. This procedure is prohibited within 72 hours after vaccination, if the umbilical cord is not completely overgrown, as well as when taking medication or some kind of disease. It is better to choose a time when you and your child are in a good mood, because massage is also an exchange of energies, let them be only positive.

Newborn: at what age to massage

First of all, ask your pediatrician the question: when should a newborn be massaged? He must ensure that there are no contraindications.

When asked at what age it is possible to massage a baby, there is no unequivocal opinion: some recommend starting almost from the first days, others believe that it should not be done before two weeks of age. In any case, if you decide to carry out the procedure, then in the first days it should be light strokes.

How to massage newborns

If everything is more or less clear with the question of when newborns begin to receive massage, then the technique itself remains a mystery to us. We propose to understand.

Gently knead your toes, starting with the foot, gradually moving to the groin. After that, we knead the handles, starting from the brush, moving to the chest. Next, we move on to the belly. If done carefully, this will avoid colic. The last stage is the back, and then the head. Don't forget to pay attention to the ears.

How to do a neck massage

It is necessary to carry out soft strokes, starting from the ears in the direction of the shoulders. Further from the shoulders, move to the fingers.

When can you roll your newborn onto your tummy?

This is another point, in addition to the question of when to give massages to newborns, that excites young mothers.

You can start after the umbilical cord heals. Try putting it on your stomach first. The first times should not exceed 5 minutes, over time, you can increase the intervals. Just don't do it right after a meal.

So, now you know when to give the first massage to a newborn, and figured out a little about his technique.

It has not been long since you first saw your child after it was born. His main activity now is food and sleep, only a short period of time the baby is awake. The child still does not know how to control his body, all movements are chaotic and random, the newborn also does not have the skill to keep his head upright. The arms and legs are tightly pressed to the body, while they are bent at the joints, and the palms are in the closed position (clenched into a fist). This position is the result of muscle hypertonicity, characteristic of all newborn babies.

How soon will the baby learn to control his movements? It will depend on him and on you. E. Komarovsky claims that daily massage for newborns will help relieve hypertonicity, and elementary gymnastic exercises will strengthen muscles and joints.

In a newborn baby, the muscles are tense, he cannot completely relax. Massage relieves hypertonicity and stimulates the development of motor skills

When can massage be started?

Parents often ask pediatricians a question - at what age can you start massaging a newborn? Professional massage in the clinic is carried out no earlier than 2-3 months, of course, in the absence of contraindications (we recommend reading:). You can massage a newborn yourself at home from the age of 3 weeks or when the navel heals.

The main task of the massage is to relax the clamped hands and feet. You can straighten the clamped palms and feet with the help of innate reflexes. Try to run your hand along the spine, and you will see how the baby arches. Raising the crumbs and giving the opportunity to touch the legs of the support, you will see - the child will begin to take “steps”. Putting the baby on his stomach and giving support to the legs, you will notice how he pushes off and makes attempts to crawl. Such innate reflexes last only up to 3-4 months and can be used as exercises for massaging a newborn.

It is difficult to say unequivocally when it is better to massage a newborn baby. Any physical activity, including massage, is recommended to be carried out in the morning. The stress of exercise often makes children want to sleep, but there are those who become active.

The outcome of exercise is difficult to predict, so it is not recommended to do it right before bedtime, especially if you notice that the baby does not sleep well at night. Komarovsky advises to postpone massage for newborns for a while before evening bathing.

Preparing for a massage

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While the baby is from 0 to 3 months old, the following areas should be excluded from the massage for the newborn: under the knees, in the elbow bend, fontanel, inner thighs and armpits. A relaxing massage for a baby should be done with smooth movements and it is strictly contraindicated to press hard or hit the body of a one-month-old baby - such sudden movements can cause excessive irritation of the receptors and increase the child's nervous excitement.

Basic Rules

The baby does not need to be smeared with cream or oil during the massage, but if the skin of the mother’s hands is dry, it makes sense to moisten it a little with baby oil

Adhere to the following rules when organizing a massage:

Komarovsky recommends maintaining a temperature regime in the room equal to 18-22 degrees.
For the ongoing massage procedure, you will need a changing table or any other flat, hard surface. Place a thick diaper, a thin blanket and oilcloth on top. When choosing a surface, consider its width - it should be convenient for you to turn the baby over.
Take care of the place for the exercises in advance. Everything that can be useful during a massage should be nearby so that you do not leave your baby. Put your mobile phone next to you too. Use a disposable diaper to protect the table from involuntary urination.
Prepare yourself: wash and dry your hands, remove all jewelry, cut your nails short. Use baby oil if your hands are too dry, or talc if your hands are too wet.
Exercise for an infant should be half an hour to an hour before meals or 45 minutes after it.
Accompany the massage with songs, rhymes or nursery rhymes. Such voicing will create a positive atmosphere and help develop hearing and future speech.
Complicate the exercises and increase the duration of classes should be gradually.
You need to perform all movements from the edges and move towards the center.
Perform movements carefully so as not to cause harm and discomfort to the child.
Charging time is about 15 minutes. If the child is tired or expresses dissatisfaction, an incomplete set of exercises should be carried out, but only part of it (1 or 2 exercises). At the same time, consider the sequence of classes suggested below.

Do not forget!

When doing gymnastics with a newborn baby up to 3 months old, try to communicate more with him and evoke a positive response (we recommend reading:). During classes, lay the baby on the tummy more often. Combine physical exercise with regular water treatments, swimming, and don't forget to lightly stroke your baby's entire body. Pay special attention to innate reflexes and how they stimulate movement and extensor muscle function.

Contraindications

Massage is contraindicated:

When the temperature rises, you can not do any type of massage. It is also forbidden for diseases of the skin (especially with purulent forms), fragile bones, diseases of the circulatory system and SARS.
The disease in the acute stage also implies the rejection of massage procedures.
If an umbilical hernia is detected in the crumbs, then the massage should be carried out only by a doctor or under his strict supervision due to the danger of pinching the hernia (we recommend reading:).
The situation is similar with children with heart disease. Massage in this case is strictly under the supervision of a cardiologist.
The increased nervousness of the baby does not allow massage procedures, as muscle tone can be increased.

Coordinate massage actions with your doctor. Do not self-medicate. Physical activity must be justified and timely, otherwise it can lead to negative and serious consequences.

A set of exercises

The complex of exercises includes smooth stroking movements, which are aimed at reducing muscle hypertonicity, and exercises based on innate reflexes. It is not necessary to complete the whole complex. It is possible to break it into pieces and spend it during the child's waking hours. Basic tricks:

stroking - a light or slightly pressing movement on the skin of a child, without forming skin folds;
rubbing - stretching and shifting of the baby's skin;
kneading - the action is performed in three stages: fixation, squeezing (compression) and rolling (this technique is not recommended in home massage);
vibration - oscillatory movements transmitted to the child by a massage therapist (at the very initial stage (at 1 month) - these are light pats).

Stroking is not only very pleasant for the baby, but also useful for its development - it gently increases blood circulation and stimulates the muscles

Part of the complex on the back

Hand massage. Starting position (IP) - on the back. Lock the baby's left hand by inserting the thumb of the right hand into it. Stroke your hand from bottom to top from all sides. Exercise to do 10 times. Change hands and repeat.
Foot massage (we recommend reading:). IP - on the back. Fix the right leg of the child in your right hand, while the other hand strokes the leg from the bottom up. Do the exercise first on the back of the thigh and lower leg, and then on the front. Do 10 times. Change legs and arms, massage the left leg.
Foot massage. IP - on the back. With your right hand, take the baby's legs in the shin area. Make rubbing movements with the back of your left hand on the foot of the crumbs from the fingers to the heel and in the opposite direction. Do 10 times.
Reflex exercise for the feet. IP - on the back. With the pad of your index finger, press on the area of the foot under the fingers. Pressing will cause compression of the foot. Spend similar pressure on the entire area of the outer side of the foot, moving from the toes to the heel. Pressing in this area, on the contrary, will cause a reflex "opening" of the foot. Do 5 times.
Body exercise. IP - on the back. Lift the child with both hands, being careful not to squeeze the ribs, and gently rock from side to side. Do 8 times.
Abdominal massage (we recommend reading:). IP - on the back. Make synchronous movements with the right and left hand, stroking the tummy from top to bottom. Do 8 times.
Breast massage. IP - on the back. Grasp the child by the chest with your palms and fingers. With smooth movements, move from the center to the edges along the intercostal spaces, making a slight pressure with your thumbs. Do 8 times.
Reflex exercise for the spine. IP - on the side. Swipe with light pressure with two fingers along the spine, moving from bottom to top. This action will help to bend the spine. Do 2-4 times on each side.

There are a huge number of acupuncture points on the feet, the impact on which has a beneficial effect on the functioning of internal organs.

Part of the complex on the abdomen

Back massage. IP - on the stomach. Simultaneous stroking movements from top to bottom with the palms, and from bottom to top with the back. Do 8 times.
Foot massage. IP - on the stomach. Take the child's left leg in your right hand, and with your free hand knead the back and sides of the thigh and lower leg. Do 6 times. Change leg, repeat.
Buttocks massage. IP - on the stomach. Lightly pat your baby's buttocks with the back of your fingers. Do 12 times.
Reflex crawl. IP - on the stomach. Bend the baby's legs at the knees and place your palm under the feet. Give your feet a little push so your child can push off and try to move forward. Do 4 times.

You can see how to do massage movements correctly with the help of video tutorials. Experienced doctors will show the correct execution of each exercise.