I am so excited to have a guest blog post today from Meredith Piscitelli, CEIM – Certified Educator of Infant Massage, at www.perfectbabymassage.com in Boston! See below for the major ways that baby massage can be very beneficial for both mom and baby!
1. Stimulating
- Stimulates all the systems of the body to develop efficiently & properly including the:
- Nervous system – myelination (speeds signals from body to all parts of the brain)
- Circulatory system – aids in reaching all parts of the body & speeds healing
- Respiratory System – develops lungs and regulates breathing
- Digestive system – decreases incidence of reflux by aiding development of the area of the brain that regulates the opening and closing of the esophageal sphincter at the top of the stomach
- Elimination System – regulates the efficiency of nutrients moving thru the tummy & bowels, assuring less gas and colic pain
- Immune System – body is able to fight off illnesses better
- Stimulates the release of oxytocin, known as the “cuddle” hormone (is released in both parents and child), prolactin (promoting milk production in the mother) and other endorphins (the “feel-good” hormones)
2. Relaxing
- Helps relieve tension built up from the stimulations in baby’s daily environment
- Helps babies handle sensory stimulation and respond in a relaxed manner
- Reduces muscle stiffness and normalizes muscle tone
- Helps babies sleep more easily and deeply
- Helps regulate sleep/wake cycle
3. Relief
- Touch, combined with vocalization (soft voice or singing) helps reduce pain levels up to 80%
- Helps tone the whole digestive tract, from the esophagus to the large bowel
- Helps alleviate gas and promotes elimination
- Releases hormones for food absorption
- Releases endorphins, natural pain killers, to ease emotional distress
4. Bonding & Attachment
- Enhances verbal & non-verbal communication through ALL the senses
- The loving touch of infant massage draws on all the elements included in the bonding and attachment process: eye-to-eye contact – skin-to-skin contact – body scent – voice recognition – teaches awareness of ‘proper’ touching – demonstrates responsiveness of parent to baby’s cues, which teaches baby to trust; releasing of “feel good” hormones in both parent and child
- Massage increases a parent’s confidence in their parenting-skills.
From Meredith:
“My joy is teaching and encouraging new parents to realize their full parenting-potential. The inclusion of learning to massage their baby is vital. It’s so easy to master and such a fun way to understand how to handle baby and learn to ‘read’ them.”
Please note: the proper way to learn infant massage is to have sessions with an instructor.
About Meredith-
Certification & Education
- Certified Educator of Infant Massage. Certification by IAIM & Infant Massage USA – 2011
- Infant/Adolescent/Adult CPR, Defibrillator & First Aid Certified, American Heart Association. Current.
- Infant/Toddler Specialist Certification – Agency – Boston’s Best Babysitter’s – Preferred Provider. Current.
- Registered Nurse – Brigham & Women’s Hospital
Meredith Piscitelli, CEIM – Certified Educator of Infant Massage
63 Atlantic Ave., Boston, MA 02110
617-733-1850
It is nice to know the benefits of infant massage.
great article, please keep it up