To create all the conditions for the proper development of an infant, a pediatrician may advise a baby massage. This procedure has a positive effect on the he alth and well-being of the child. All organs and systems will develop correctly if the correct technique is mastered. There are several recommendations for massaging babies. This will be discussed further.
Need for a massage
Massage for babies at home is carried out from the 20th day after the birth of the baby. This procedure is necessary for a number of reasons. Scientists say that children who receive massage develop more actively. They are more sociable and open. Since at this age, vision and hearing are not yet sufficiently developed, through touch, the baby gets acquainted with the outside world.
Massage allows you to develop the right emotional state of the child. He feels the love of his parents, their protection. This allows him to adapt to the world around him. If parents give their child a massage, they may not be afraid of the occurrence of many ailments. This is a good prevention, which properly adjusts the work of all systems of the body of a newborn.
Massagepositively affects the digestion of the baby. It prevents the appearance of intestinal colic, constipation. Appetite thus improves. And this is one of the main factors for the proper development of the crumbs. Massage soothes, reduces excitability 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.
General massage for babies is very useful, it helps the baby to communicate with their parents, to get information about the situation around. If no one approaches the baby, does not touch him, he feels defenseless, lost. Parents should express their love and care to him in every possible way. 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 a pediatrician when certain problems, postpartum injuries appear. 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 do 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 performed at home.
Contraindications
It should be noted that there are a number of pathological diseases in which massage is not performed. It is necessarycheck with your pediatrician. They begin to massage babies from 1 month. It shouldn't be done before. The baby's muscles are still too tense. This is normal for babies.
You can not do massage if the crumbs are diagnosed with blood diseases, inflammatory diseases. At elevated body temperature, the procedure will also have to be postponed. Skin diseases and rashes are also a contraindication to massage. If hepatitis was 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 entrust this work to specialists. A contraindication is also a severe form of rickets, trauma to the limbs, skin, and bleeding.
If a heart defect is diagnosed, 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 on your own if bone tuberculosis has been diagnosed. 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 read the basic recommendations for this procedure from a pediatrician. It is impossible to choose a method on your own. This procedure is quite simple, but requires supervision by a pediatrician.
There are three types of massage. It can be medicinal. This procedure is carried out exclusively by a trained medical specialist. Massage can be preventive. That is what parents do on their own at home. There is also a mixed type of massage. It has both preventive and curative effects. He is also trusted exclusively by a professional.
Before the child is 20-25 days old, 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, the baby's neck is massaged. Then they gradually go down, making light strokes all over the child's body. Completes the procedure by massaging the feet. It is necessary to exclude pressing, patting movements. All manipulations should be gentle, light. Otherwise, the massage will be a stressful situation for the crumbs.
Please note that the baby will not be able to lie still during the procedure. It `s naturally. At first, the procedure will be unusual for the crumbs. The baby 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 dissatisfaction of the baby.
Massage should be complex. It consists of sequential actions. Only in this case the impact will be effective and positive.
Adjusting baby's age
When carrying out preventive massage for babies from 1 month after birth, you need to take into account the features of thisprocedures for each age category of infants. At the same time, the features of the physiology of the crumbs are taken into account. Before the baby is 3 months old, muscle hypertonicity will be present. This is a normal, natural phenomenon. During this period, the arms and legs of the child are in tension.
In the process of conducting a massage in the first months, you should try to relax this hypertonicity. The session is carried out no more than 5 minutes. Massage for babies from 3 months can be longer. The procedure lasts 10 minutes.
By 4 months, hypertonicity will disappear. This allows you to start different passive procedures. They are aimed at strengthening the muscles. It is important to pay enough attention to the massage of the fingers, palms of the crumbs. This stimulates fine motor skills, as well as speech development of the crumbs. 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 old, the baby will be able to roll over and sit. Therefore, the massage should be aimed at stimulating the development of the muscles of the back and the press. 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 boring to the crumbs. Therefore, it is supplemented with game elements. During the procedure, the child is told counting rhymes, rhymes. You also need to pay attention to the development of coordination.
Rules of procedure
Monthlythe child has a certain physiology that must be taken into account when conducting a massage session. There are a number of rules that parents should keep in mind during the procedure. If the child is not yet 3 months old, it is forbidden to massage the area of the elbows and under the knees, the fontanelle area, the inner thighs, knees and armpits.
Percussion, patting, pressing movements are not used. The room must be warm. The temperature should be in the range from 20 to 23 ºС. The session is not carried out immediately after feeding. You have 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. The hands of mom or dad should be warm. All decorations must be removed before this. It is also important to wash your hands thoroughly with unscented soap.
Restorative massage for babies is carried out on a hard surface. It should be smooth, but not cold. You need to cover the table with thick material. Mom's hands should be dry. Before the procedure, they can be sprinkled with talc. Oil for massage of babies is not used. It may cause irritation. This is also true when using a cream.
Basic moves
Massage for babies from 3 months or earlier requires the use of several standard techniques. Stroking needs to be done. This is a sliding movement of the palms over the skin of the baby. In this case, no effort can be made. The skin should not move into folds. This has a relaxing effect. This technique is the only one possible for children under 3 months old.
When the baby gets older, you can rub. This is also stroking, but with more effort. It is carried out in different directions, in a circular motion. You need to move from the periphery to the center. It reduces excitability, relaxes the muscles.
Kneading is used very rarely in the process of massaging babies. This technique involves grabbing the muscle and kneading it with your fingers. More often, kneading is used in therapeutic massage. This work should be entrusted to specialists.
Vibration allows you to transmit vibrational movements. This technique is carried out for children from 6 months and more. Lightly pat the baby's skin with your fingertips. Do not make strong movements. The baby may not like it. Only if the baby is not against such manipulations, small vibrations can be performed.
Introduction to technology
Relaxing baby massage should be done in a certain sequence. If the baby is already older than 3 months, you can first stroke, then knead. After that, stroking is performed again. Next, make small vibrations. The session ends with stroking. It is carried out 5 times, and the remaining movements 8-10 times.
You need to start the massage with the handles. They are slightly bent. If the child is 4 months old or older, rubbing the feet and hands can be done. For chest, back,tummy, legs, arms and buttocks, it is better to use stroking and light vibration techniques. Circular movements on the tummy are performed clockwise.
First, the baby needs to be laid on its back. Next, lightly stroke the handles. The movement starts from the fingers and palms, then goes to the wrist, rising up. Elbows and armpits do not touch. Next, massage the toes. After that they move up. The ankles and the area around the knees are also not touched. In the process of stroking, the baby's arms and legs remain bent.
After that, go 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 touched.
Next you need to stroke the chest. It is massaged from the middle to the sides, to the shoulders. Nipples should also not be touched.
Tummy massage
A month-old baby will only love a massage if the parents do it right. After completing the previous stage, the baby is turned over on the tummy. His neck is gently stroked. Movement 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 touched. On the ass, stroking is carried out from the outer edge of the thighs to the center.
Then the baby is gently 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. On the head you need to stroke in a circular motion. The fontanel at the same timedo not touch. You can also massage your ears lightly. After this, the baby is stroked all over the body. It is turned over again on its back and also lightly stroked all over the body.
A few recommendations
Massage for babies is carried out in the morning. You need to choose the right time between meals. At this time, the baby is less active. He responds more calmly to the procedure. The first massage can cause different emotions for both mother and baby. However, if all actions are performed correctly, the result will be tangible.
If the baby starts to cry, you need to turn it over, change the position. This calms him down. The new position also allows you to feel the change in your position, which children usually like. The baby gets used to the procedure for a couple of weeks. Then he will not be afraid of such actions of his parents.
Massage helps a lot 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 comfortable conditions. It is unacceptable that during the massage there is a draft in the room. The window is closed.
Before the procedure, you need to prepare your hands. Remove rings and jewelry. Long nails in this case will be banned. Before starting work, mom or dad should warm their palms. You can hold them under running warm water. Hands should be washed thoroughly with baby soap. Palms should be dry and clean. Only after that you can start massaging movements.
If parentsafraid to massage the child on their own, they can sign up for special courses or consult with 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 babies who were born at term, it is better to massage more calmly.
Therapeutic massage
If you need a therapeutic massage for a baby, you will need to contact a specialist. In this case, the technique that the master uses 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 baby massage vary. This is affected by the type of procedure. The cost also 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 massage is performed for babies, 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.
