Benefits of Baby Massage

Massage is becoming increasingly popular among parents who want a new way to bond with their babies. If you have been considering baby massage but are unsure about it, discovering the benefits of baby massage may make you more likely to want to try it.

Think about your baby’s life. While it seems simple to you, the reality is that baby’s world is full of stress. She has to learn when to sleep and when to stay awake. He has to convince his little neck to hold up his head. Babies learn everyday at a much faster rate than adults, and that means stress. The body’s natural reaction when stress occurs is to release a hormone called cortisol. Regular massage can reduce the base amount of cortisol in baby’s blood, so he will feel less stressed between massages.

On the other side of the stress factor are endorphins. These happy hormones make you feel great. The body releases endorphins during exercise, which is why exercise is great for depression. The body also releases endorphins when we relax, giving that warm and tingly feeling of calm during a massage. The high levels endorphins and low levels of cortisol that your baby will feel during a massage will contribute to overall feelings of well-being.

Regular baby massage also is a way to ease your baby’s tense muscles. When your little one is learning to work her muscles, they can become tense. The body also has a muscle contraction that corresponds to every emotion, so your precious little one’s body can become a tangle of stressed muscles that massage can help relieve.

While the emotional benefits of baby massage are intriguing, the physical benefits are even more interesting. Touch is a newborn’s most well-attuned sense, which is why it is vital to touch sick babies. Touching your baby actually increase the release of growth hormone, which can help your baby to grow quickly. Massage enhances this effect.

A baby massage also will assist the circulatory system. Babies have underdeveloped circulatory systems at birth. It takes a while for their bodies to get acclimated to life outside the womb, and during this transitional period, their peripheries do not get a full flow of blood. Massage strengthens the circulatory system, thus helping baby’s blood flow.

Baby massage is not just a trend among affluent parents. It is a very real and wonderful way to connect with a baby. Massage teaches a baby to trust Mom and Dad. If it can help baby’s emotional and physical well-being along the way, then it is even better.