Parents can show their love to their baby by giving him infant massage. Parents and baby can all benefit, emotionally, psychologically and physically when massage becomes a regular part of the baby's life. Infant massage is comprised of about 80 percent communication and 20 percent massage technique and touch.
Relationship Foundation
Infant massage helps to establish the first early interactions between baby and parents as the parents use relaxing touch to nurture the baby. The baby learns that she is valued and loved as her parents massage her chest, legs, face and back. She hears her parents talking and cooing to her and begins to communicate back in her own nonverbal way, according to the Foundation for Healthy Family Living.
When parents and babies participate together in massage, all three find that their ability to communicate is enhanced. The parents give their baby the message that they love her and she responds to this message. The parents learn how to read her cues more easily.
Parent Infant Interaction
Establishing a strong, beneficial parent-child interaction is one of the most important developmental tasks for the family to achieve. When the baby experiences infant massage, he is developing relationships.
The baby receives early lessons through the massage in developing a healthy self-concept. He experiences an enhanced sense of self, acceptance and trust, according to the Foundation for Healthy Family Living.
Infant Relaxation
When infant massage is practiced correctly, the baby learns to relax and release her tensions. If the baby suffers from gastrointestinal problems such as colic or gas, the massage helps relieve these symptoms. Since massage helps to relax the baby, she begins to sleep for longer times. Her sleep is also deeper.
Bonding
As baby and parents participate in infant massage sessions, the baby learns he can trust his parents to be consistent in their love and treatment of him. This benefits all three because the baby knows that, no matter what he is telling them, his parents will understand his messages and they'll love and care for him.
Parents and babies who regularly participate in infant massage develop a stronger bond. Because the baby is social, he needs to learn from the interactions he has with other people in his life. When these interactions are positive, he is able to develop strong, healthy bonds with his family, according to Foundation for Healthy Family Living.
Development
The baby who receives infant massage responds with stronger development--she gains more weight, according to Childbirth.org. Infant massage helps to stimulate the baby's healthy circulation, strengthens the gastrointestinal/digestive and circulatory system in the baby and helps to improve her muscle tone, according to Foundation for Healthy Family Living.
