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Baby massage techniquesIf you are teaching classes on baby massage, you should first use a doll to demonstrate the massage and movement techniques. You should instruct the parent to lay the infant on either towels, mat, floor, bed, or on their lap. After the infant is undressed and is oiled it is nice to start with what is deemed as the “hello stroke”, which is preformed by maintaining eye contact while talking in a loving and gentle tone, and gently stroking the infant from head to toes. However if the baby’s body stiffens or cries, the massage may need to be ended for that session. Now that you have gotten your child’s attention in a loving manner, it is now time to move to the feet. It of course helps to start with your child’s feet, so that the infant can easily see what the parent is doing. Below I have listed some of the strokes that should be done on each foot, leg, as well as on the arms.
Foot, leg, and arm techniques:The Milking technique: IE: when a parent’s right hand holds the infant’s right foot. They will then grasp the right thigh with the left hand gently; squeezing the leg and stroking from thigh to ankle in a “milking” motion. Now they would reverse the motion going from ankle to thigh. This should only be done two to three times for the first few sessions of baby massage. Clay Worm technique: IE: Picturing the infant’s leg as a soft piece of clay, you will roll the leg from knee to ankle as if sculpting a clay worm. You should finish by GENTLY shaking the leg. Remember, all of these movements should be soft and gentle, do not over do. Foot Massage: While you hold the heel of your infant in one hand, use the other hand to gently flex the foot toward their shin. Then you will use your thumbs to gently press over the heel, and the sole of the foot. Then gently squeeze each little toe, and end by drawing circles around the ankle bones with your thumbs. This should be repeated one to two times while you are beginning baby massage. Now that the legs are done, you will now move on to the tummy and back of your child. You will preform the following strokes on the chest, abdomen, and repeat them on the back. While you are working on the back of your child avoid pressing directly on the spine, and avoid massaging your infant’s tummy until their umbilical cord has fallen off and has had the chance to completely heal. The Open book: You will place your hands flat on the middle of baby’s chest at the sternum gently. You will push out along baby’s rib cage to the shoulders, as if smoothing the pages of an open book or the wrinkles out of cloth. You will finish this stroke by bringing your hands down toward the belly button. Another way to picture this is by drawing a heart with the hands, by using the same landmarks on your child’s body IE: sternum, shoulders, and their belly button. Related information topics:Matching outfits for parents & babies |
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