Affectionate and gentle touches of your beloved mother - what can be better for the baby? In addition to the immense pleasure that it delivers, massage will help children grow strong and healthy. It is proved that the massage of the baby stimulates its development, significantly strengthens the muscles and bones of the skeleton. Kids become more hardy, get sick less often, begin to creep and walk faster, grow more active and gain weight. In addition, they sleep better, they become much calmer. The first months of his life the kid communicates in the language of the body, that is, he mainly knows the world in a tactile and kinesthetic way. Therefore, the best opportunity to please your crumb and show your maternal love is to massage him.
Although during the massage there is an active effect on the surface tissues, nevertheless, it affects the internal organs, heals them.
Studies have shown that during the sessions in the body, blood flow, lymphatic movement, and metabolism normalizes. Thanks to massage, the baby's skin is cleared more quickly from the dying epidermis, it breathes better. Also, massaging movements harmonize the digestion of the baby and help to cope with flatulence and constipation, which often affects babies.
It is known that touch plays an important role in the process of forming a connection between parents and the baby. Do krosha massage can any relative and loving person. A study was conducted: a 15-minute prophylactic massage was given to the dads. Those dads who massaged their baby only a quarter of an hour a day showed great care and love in dealing with the child. Massage for grandchildren is also useful for grandparents. Emotional contact with the baby has a positive effect on their own health.
Massage stimulates the tides of milk from the mother, contributing to the normalization of lactation. The baby is gaining weight better, his immunity rises. So, preventive massage is shown absolutely to all children. And do not have to wait 4-5 months to start it. Now, no one from the experts has no doubt that you can start regular sessions almost from birth.
Right attitude
Many mothers like to start the morning with a massage. But there are children who feel better and more cheerful towards evening. They have a good massage session after an evening bath: then the baby will easily relax and tune in to sleep.
In any case, it is noted that if the crumb suffers colic, it is advisable to massage it in the afternoon or in the early evening, as the massage helps prevent intestinal cramps, which most often begin during these hours. The massage technique before going to sleep does not differ from the usual preventive massage technique. Experienced instructors include quiet soft music during classes. They also talk with the child before the session and in its course about how the baby will be good from the massage.
Soon the crumb begins to perceive their words as an installation, followed by pleasant tactile sensations, and adjusts to massage positively. Children begin to recognize even the very word: "massage." If the baby is still tense, then start with the relaxing movements, try to look into his eyes, smile, take him by the feet and gently move it with his legs as if riding a bicycle, say: Now I'll stroke you, and you'll relax, my good! " Do this several times, and over time, your actions will be for the baby the key to the beginning of a pleasant game. For a child to love massage, do it daily, gradually increasing the duration and intensity of procedures.
Throughout the time, the crumb should be naked. Do not worry if the handles and legs become a little cool. Soon your baby's body adapts to regular air baths. Easy preventive massage based on stroking and gentle touch to the small calf of warm mother's hands, will improve the crumbs mood, calm it, help to relax and fall asleep.
Step by step
Up to 1.5 months, you only need to lightly stroke the hands, chest, tummy, back of the child for 15 minutes. And from 1.5 to 4 months of stroking, you should alternate with reflex gymnastics, which helps to form children's motor skills. Such exercises are carried out until the moment when the baby retains reflexes: crawling, grasping, extensor and others.
Reflex crawling
Put the baby on his tummy, put your palm to the heels of the child, he will push away from your hands and slightly creep. Exercise trains back muscles and strengthens the spine.
Grasping reflex
Push down on the palm of the crumbs, and it will clasp your fingers so that you easily lift it up.
Talent Reflex
Pass along the children's spine with your fingers from the bottom up, when the crumb lies on its side, and you will see how it bends the leg and rises slightly. This reflex also prepares the muscles for crawling and trains the spine.
Search reflex
Stroke the child's cheek, and he immediately turns in the direction with which he was stroked. Such a simple exercise will help the child learn to turn over quickly from the tummy to the back and back.
Note!
The flexor and extensor muscles of the hands and feet must be massaged in different ways. When massaging the flexors, muscle tone should decrease, so they need to be ironed slowly and superficially. When massaging the extensors, the tone should increase - so massage them vigorously and deeply.
On the arm flexors are located on the inner surface. On the leg - on the back. Extensors, respectively - vice versa. The child's organism reacts differently to massage. For example, with rubbing movements, his muscles relax, and with pinching and patting come to tone. If your baby's muscle tone is very high, then stroking movements should be used until normalization. The remaining children, starting from the age of 4 months, to the strokes and reflex exercises are added active gymnastics: crawling, getting up, sitting, turning from back to tummy, from side to side, stepping from foot to leg, exercise "bicycle", swinging hands.
Let's start, perhaps!
All pediatricians recommend starting a mother's massage from birth, and going to a professional one, starting from 3-4 months, when the child will end the period of early adaptation. We will give examples of some exercises that moms themselves can do on a daily basis. More professional massage, for example, for children with increased muscle tone should still be entrusted to a specialist. And you can alternate: your mother does an easy daily massage, and a specialist 2 times a week - a professional, as prescribed by a doctor. To begin preventive massage is best from the head. It is recommended to perform all exercises 4-5 times. At your fingertips there should be a removable diaper in case of a possible incident. It is not necessary to perform the entire complex every day. After all, massage should be fun for the kid and you.
If you are not in a mood, or if you understand that you are a bit cranky, then skip some exercises and do the ones that you both like. For example, massage his belly or back only. But the next day it is worth to again do the whole complex, because only by consistency can you achieve a successful result.