When and how to massage the newborn

The birth of a baby is a great joy and an even greater responsibility. Now parents are obliged with all attention and care to approach the development of a newborn, resorting to various methods of stimulating health. One of the well-proven options - foot massage newborn, as well as rubbing the back, tummy, head, hands and legs of the child. It is important not just to perform such procedures, but to do them correctly, following the methodology. When you can do massage for newborns - another important question, to which we will answer below.

How many months can I massage a baby?

There are a lot of opinions on this score, but most experts still agree that the best option is to start - 2 months after birth. This does not mean that you have to sit idly by this time. Light massing, rather - stroking hands, feet, head and ear lobes will gradually adapt the baby's body and prevent stress in the future, when performing more serious procedures.

How to properly massage a newborn: preparation

Before proceeding with systematic procedures, you need to prepare in advance. To do this, you will need:

1. A couple of towels. Make sure that the fabric is soft and does not irritate the baby's skin;
2. Vegetable massage oil. Well suited almond or grape seed. This is one of the important components, thanks to it your hands will easily slide on the delicate skin of the child, without causing discomfort. Before buying any type of oil, make sure that there is no allergic reaction;
3. Start the course of massage only if you are in a good mood. Children, especially babies, very strongly feel the mood of their parents;
4. The ideal time for a massage is half an hour after breastfeeding. If you start earlier, you can provoke vomiting;
5. Remove all ornaments from your hands: watches, rings. It is advisable to shear nails. All this can inadvertently cause a trauma to the child;
6. If the baby responds normally to classical quiet music - use this. In addition, always communicate with the child during such sessions.

Step-by-step instruction on how to do a head, foot and tummy massage to a newborn

After choosing the right oil, towels and time, it's time to get acquainted with the most important question, how to do a massage to a baby.

Consider a complex version of the procedure, which includes a foot massage for the newborn, legs, hands, hands, back and head.

Step-by-step massage instructions for a newborn:

1. To start is taken from the position for the child "on the back", so that you have visual contact and could read the reaction. Put the oil on your hands and with gentle movements begin to massage alternately the legs, performing movements from the hips to the tips of the toes;
2. Massage your feet, gently intercepting them with your fingers and performing circular movements, as if stretching the joint;
3. Heels and feet are generally kneaded with the thumbs of their hands, trailing them up and down in the foot, stimulating the nerve endings;
4. After the massage of the feet, proceed to palms, massaging them with your fingertips. Massage each finger of the baby one by one;
5. Fingers or palms of two hands (place it at an angle, forming an angle of 45 degrees), pass the baby on the chest. In the same way, stroke the sides and go to the tummy, making circular motions clockwise;
6. Very gently massage your head in the neck and forehead with your fingers;
7. Finally, the most important and final point is the spin. Turn the baby to the abdomen and stroke with your fingers along the spine, and also from both sides of the vertebra to the side of the ribs;
8. As a completion, tap the child lightly on the back of the shoulder and shoulder blades. You do not need to do this in the area of ​​vital organs - kidney and liver

The first massage is not necessary to make complex, for starters it will be enough to break it into separate elements (only hands, only the back, etc.), until the baby gets used to it.