To create all the conditions for the proper development of the baby, the pediatrician may advise a tiny massage. This procedure has a positive effect on the health and well-being of the child. All organs and systems will develop correctly if you master the correct technique. There are several recommendations for massage babies. This will be discussed later.
The need for massage
Massage to infants at home is carried out from the 20th day after the birth of the crumbs. This procedure is necessary for several reasons. Scientists say that children who are being massaged develop more actively. They are more sociable and open. Since at this age, vision and hearing are not sufficiently developed, through touch the baby gets acquainted with the outside world.
Massage allows you to develop the correct emotional mood of the child. He feels the love of his parents, their protection. This allows him to adapt to the world. If parents massage their child, they may not be afraid of many ailments. This is a good prevention, which correctly tunes the work of all systems of the body of a newborn.
Massage has a positive effect on the digestion of the baby. It prevents the appearance of intestinal colic, constipation. Appetite is improving. And this is one of the main factors in the proper development of crumbs. Massage soothes, reduces irritability and tension, which helps to improve the quality of sleep. The procedure has a beneficial effect on the development of the musculoskeletal system, physical fitness.
A general massage for babies is very useful, it helps the baby communicate with their parents and receive information about the situation around them. If no one approaches the baby, does not touch him, he feels defenseless, lost. Parents should in every possible way express their love and care to him. This will positively affect not only the physical, but also the emotional state of the crumbs in the future.
There are many varieties of massage. Some of them are performed exclusively by specialists in the hospital. Such a massage is prescribed by the pediatrician when certain problems appear, postpartum injuries. Therapeutic massage allows you to deal with problems such as cerebral palsy, muscle hypertonicity, diseases of the joints and spine, diseases of the central nervous system, as well as congenital dislocations.
Parents can conduct preventive massages on their own. Such procedures are recommended for all babies. However, before the massage, you need to consult a pediatrician. There are a number of contraindications in which this procedure is not carried out at home.
Contraindications
It should be noted that there are a number of pathological diseases in which massage is not performed. This should be checked with your pediatrician. They begin to massage babies from 1 month. This should not be done before. The baby’s muscles are still too tight. This is a normal condition for babies.
You can not do massage if the baby is diagnosed with blood diseases, inflammatory ailments. At elevated body temperature, the procedure will also have to be postponed. Skin diseases and rashes are also a contraindication to massage. If hepatitis has been detected, such procedures will also be banned.
If the baby has an umbilical hernia, which is prone to pinching, you also need to abandon self-massage. It is carried out only under the supervision of a doctor or is entrusted to specialists by this work. A contraindication is also a severe form of rickets, trauma to the limbs, skin, as well as bleeding.
With a diagnosed heart defect, massage is possible. However, it is carried out under the supervision of a cardiologist. With increased nervousness, increased muscle tone, the procedure is not carried out. Also, you can not massage the baby yourself if you have been diagnosed with bone tuberculosis. In other cases, this procedure is acceptable and even recommended by pediatricians around the world.
Features of the procedure
Parents can attend special massage courses for babies or get acquainted with the main recommendations about this procedure at the pediatrician. It is impossible to select a technique on your own. This procedure is quite simple, but requires control by a pediatrician.
There are three types of massage. It can be healing. This procedure is carried out exclusively by a trained medical specialist. Massage can be preventive. It is it that parents perform independently at home. There is also a mixed massage. It has both preventive and therapeutic effects. He is also trusted exclusively by a professional.
Before the child turns 20-25 days, such procedures are contraindicated. At this time, the nervous, cardiovascular systems are just beginning to develop. Massage during this period can harm the baby.
First, massage the neck of the baby. Then they gradually descend lower, making light strokes over the whole body of the child. Massaging the feet completes the procedure. It is necessary to exclude the pressing, patting movements. All manipulations should be gentle, easy. Otherwise, massage will be a stressful situation for the crumbs.
It must be borne in mind that the baby will not be able to lie still during the procedure. It `s naturally. First, the procedure will be unusual for the crumbs. The kid will fidget, move. Over time, he will get used to daily routines. Restriction of freedom will only lead to negative emotions, screams that will express the discontent of the baby.
Massage should be comprehensive. It consists of sequential actions. Only in this case the impact will be effective and positive.
Taking into account the age of the baby
Carrying out a preventive massage for infants from 1 month after birth, it is necessary to take into account the features of this procedure for each age category of infants. At the same time, the physiology of the crumbs is taken into account. Before the baby is 3 months old, muscle hypertonicity will be present. This is a normal, natural occurrence. During this period, the arms and legs of the child are in tension.
In the process of massage in the first months you need to try to relax this hypertonicity. The session is carried out no more than 5 minutes. Massage for babies from 3 months may be longer. The procedure lasts 10 minutes.
By 4 months, hypertonicity will disappear. This allows you to start various passive procedures. They are aimed at strengthening the muscles. It is important to pay sufficient attention to the massage of fingers, palms of the baby. This stimulates fine motor skills, as well as speech development of the baby. From this moment, you can start not only massage, but also gymnastics for kids. A massage session at this age lasts up to 20 minutes. However, the child should like the procedure. If he expresses his dissatisfaction, you need to change tactics, reduce the duration of the procedure.
From 6 months the baby will already be able to roll over and sit. Therefore, massage should be aimed at stimulating the development of back muscles and abs. At 8-9 months, the baby is already trying to walk. Exercise should strengthen his body and all muscles. At 11-12 months, a massage session may seem a little boring. Therefore, it is complemented by game elements. During the procedure, the child is told counters, rhymes. Attention should also be paid to the development of coordination.
Rules of Procedure
A monthly child has a certain physiology, which must be taken into account when conducting a massage session. There are a number of rules that parents should remember in the process. If the child is not yet 3 months old, it is forbidden to massage the area of the elbow bends and under the knees, the fontanel, the inside of the thighs, knees and armpits.
Shock, patting, pressing movements are not used. The room should be warm. The temperature should be in the range from 20 to 23 º. The session is not carried out immediately after feeding. You need to wait at least an hour. You also need to consider that after the massage, feeding is carried out no earlier than half an hour.
The first session should be short. Just 5 minutes is enough. Gradually, the duration of the sessions is increased to 20 minutes. Hands of mom or dad should be warm. You need to remove all the decorations before this. It is also important to wash your hands thoroughly with odorless soap.
A restorative massage for infants is carried out on a solid surface. It should be flat, but not cold. It is necessary to cover the table with thick material. Mom's hands should be dry. Before the procedure, they can be sprinkled with talcum powder. Oil for massage of babies is not used. It can cause irritation. This is also true when using the cream.
Basic tricks
Massage for babies from 3 months or at an earlier age requires the use of several standard techniques. It is necessary to perform stroking. This is a sliding motion with palms on the skin of the baby. At the same time, no effort should be made. The skin should not be wrinkled. It has a relaxing effect. This technique is the only possible for children under 3 months.
When the crumbs become older, you can perform grinding. It is also stroking, but with great effort. It is carried out in different directions, in circular motions. You need to move from the periphery to the center. It reduces excitability, relaxes muscles.
Kneading is used in the process of massaging babies very rarely. This technique involves capturing the muscle and kneading it with your fingers. More often, kneading is used for therapeutic massage. This work must be entrusted to specialists.
Vibration allows you to transmit vibrational motion. This technique is carried out for children from 6 months or more. The baby’s skin is lightly patted with their fingertips. You can not make strong movements. Little one may not like this. Only if the baby is not against such manipulations, you can perform small vibrations.
Acquaintance with the technique
A relaxing massage of the baby should be done in a certain sequence. If the baby is older than 3 months, you can first stroking, then kneading. After that, stroking is performed again. Then they make small vibrations. The session completes stroking. It is carried out 5 times, and the remaining movements 8-10 times.
You need to start the massage with pens. They are slightly bent. If the baby is 4 months or older, rubbing the feet and hands can be done. For the chest, back, tummy, legs, arms and buttocks, it is better to apply stroking and light vibration techniques. Circular movements along the tummy are performed clockwise.
First, the baby should be laid on his back. Next, gently stroke the handles. Movement starts from the fingers and palms, then move to the wrist, rising up. Elbow hollows and armpits do not touch. Then toes are massaged. After that they move up. The ankles and the area around the knees also do not touch. In the process of stroking the baby’s arms and legs remain bent.
After that, they move to the tummy. It is massaged clockwise. Then from the navel with one hand you need to stroke up, and with the other hand down. The genitals are not affected.
Next, you need to stroke the chest. She is massaged from the middle to the sides, to the shoulders. Nipples also can not touch.
Massage lying on the tummy
A month-old baby will love the massage procedure only if the parents perform all the actions correctly. After completing the previous stage, the baby is turned on his tummy. He gently stroked his neck. Movements should be directed from the bottom up.
Further movements lead from the lower back to the shoulders. Next, you need to stroke the back from the center to the sides. The spine is not affected. The ass stroking is carried out from the outer edge of the thighs to the center.
Then the baby is carefully turned over on one side. From the sacral region, you need to stroke the crumbs towards the head. The same procedure is repeated with the second side. The head needs to be stroked in a circular motion. The fontanel is not affected. You can also massage your ears lightly. After this, the baby is stroked throughout the body. He is turned back over and also gently stroked around the whole body.
Some recommendations
Massage the baby is carried out in the morning. You need to choose the right time between meals. At this time, the baby is less active. He reacts more calmly to the ongoing procedure. The first massage can cause different emotions in both the mother and the baby. However, with the correct implementation of all actions, the result will be tangible.
If the baby begins to cry, you need to turn it over, change the pose. It calms him. The new posture also allows you to feel the change in their position that children usually like. The kid gets used to the procedure for a couple of weeks. Then he will not be afraid of such actions by his parents.
Massage helps if the birth was early. Premature babies after such procedures develop quickly, gain strength, become more active. All infants, if there are no contraindications, respond well to such effects. It is important to create a comfortable environment. It is unacceptable that during the massage in the room there was a draft. The window is closed.
Before the procedure, you need to prepare your hands. Rings, jewelry take off. Long nails in this case will be prohibited. Before starting work, mom or dad should warm his hands. You can hold them under a stream of warm water. Hands should be washed thoroughly with baby soap. The palms should be dry and clean. Only then can we begin to perform massaging movements.
If parents are afraid to massage their child on their own, they can enroll in special courses or consult a pediatrician. This will help to master the technique of massage. For premature babies, you can make the procedure a little more dynamic. In this case, the effect will be noticeable in just 2 weeks. For children who were born on time, it is better to carry out a calmer massage.
Massotherapy
If you want to conduct a therapeutic massage of the baby, you will need to consult a specialist. In this case, the technique that the wizard applies during the session will be more complex. If necessary, you can call a specialist home. The cost in this case will be higher, but sometimes this is the only way to perform such a procedure.
Prices for children's massage are different. This is affected by the type of procedure. Also, the cost varies depending on the age of the child. The younger the baby, the cheaper the therapeutic massage will cost. The average cost of such a procedure in Moscow is 500-1600 rubles.
Having considered how a massage is given to infants, parents can carry out such procedures daily. This will positively affect the baby’s condition, allow him to develop faster, and also feel the love of his parents with the help of tactile sensations.