Many mothers are confident that the baby is completely helpless, but in fact, he slowly seizes his body along with the maturation of his nervous system. And to realize the natural capabilities of the baby, you should do a lot of massage, exercise, and do not deprive the child of the opportunity to move as much as possible.
Recommendations how to properly massage an infant.
A baby is given a massage in a month and a half , if the baby's body is already adapted to the environment and there are no contraindications.
On the child's body massage has a very beneficial effect . Thanks to it, the pores expand, the circulation of blood and lymph is accelerated, the work of sweat and sebaceous glands improves, so that the metabolism and nutrition of the skin is better. Massage beneficially affects the joints, helping to maintain the elasticity and mobility of ligaments, as well as strengthening the muscles, increasing their tone and elasticity.
Just like gymnastics, the baby should be massaged every day at a certain time , recommended thirty-forty minutes after feeding or twenty minutes before eating, but the baby must wake up and be calm.
The child in the nude is put on the table, which should be covered with oilcloth, diaper or a bikini blanket. Mother's hands must be dry and clean. For massage it is not recommended to use Vaseline or talc, as they can clog the pores of the skin of the baby. The skin, vessels, muscles, bones and ligaments of the baby are very tender and fragile, so massage should be done slowly and gently with gentle movements.
For infants from one to three months, only a relaxing massage is performed, since at this age the tonus of the muscles of the legs and hands is elevated. Relaxing muscles is facilitated by massage stroking movements. Such types of massage, as rubbing, light effleurage and kneading, contribute to strengthening hypertonia, so it is often contraindicated to children.
Do not do such simple mechanical movements as the reduction and dilution of handles. Most exercises should be aimed at the activation of congenital reflexes (foot, plantar, spinal).
A complex of exercises and massage for babies one and a half to three months.
Massage hands: put the baby on his back, legs to himself. Stroking movements massage the child's hands on the inside of the shoulder and forearm from the hand to the shoulder (5-6 times).
Massage of the legs: with one hand gently hold the foot of the baby, the second we perform stroking the legs on the outer and back sides of the shin and thigh, from the foot to the groin. The inner surface of the thigh should not be massaged! (5-6 times).
Massage of the abdomen: with the palms or one palm, circular stroking of the abdomen is performed clockwise. The liver area should be avoided. (7-8 times).
Extension of the spine (dorsal reflex): put the baby on the barrel. From the buttocks to the shoulders we hold two fingers on both sides of the spine. Then we shift the baby to another barrel and do the same again. At the kid the back is unbent. This exercise strengthens the back muscles.
Extension of legs and spine (reflex position): put the child on his tummy. Then pick it up from under the elongated legs and chest, lifting it over the table. The child reflexively unbends the back, lifting his head. This exercise strengthens the muscles of the spine, occiput and back.
Extension of legs and spine: we put the child on the back. Slightly lifting the baby's foot, with his thumb, stroke her backside from the fingers to the ankle joint, and around him (5-6 times); palms of both hands gently rub your toes on the legs (5-6 times).
Extension and flexion of the toes (plantar reflex): by clasping the arm just above the ankle joint, slightly raise the baby's leg. With your index finger, lightly press on the sole from the base of the fingers (the child's fingers are flexed reflexively); on the outer edge of the foot to the heel we carry a finger (the child's fingers reflexively unbend) (3-4 times). This exercise strengthens the muscles of the foot.
Foot reflex: we support the child under the armpits, putting his face on his desk. When the dense surface touches the baby's legs, they straighten in the hip and knee joints (4-5 times). This exercise strengthens the muscles of the legs and the emphasis.
Do the massage for a child within five to six minutes.