Baby massage, aaaaawwwww (not)

Compliments of naturalparenting forum.

http://www.naturalfamilyonline.com/go/index.php/58/baby-massage-mar03/




"Baby massage has been practiced since ancient times. It can be as simple as a gentle rub with lotion after a bath or a more practiced infant massage. The benefits are many for both baby and parent......

It’s massage time!
You can massage your baby at any time and in any place. Most babies love to be touched — and most parents love to touch their babies — so anytime you feel like rubbing your baby, you should. In addition to casual touches, you can also plan for a more organized massage as well. A massage is a wonderful way to end a bathing session, begin or end the bedtime ritual or start the day.

Here are some guidelines to prepare for a peaceful baby massage:

• Choose a time when you won’t be interrupted or rushed.
• Make sure that your baby isn’t too hungry (or too full).
• If your baby is colicky, choose the time just before crying usually begins.
• Choose a warm room (at least 75ºF/ 23.9ºC) without any drafts. Depending on how warm the room is, you may want to keep your baby covered with a small blanket during the massage, leaving out the body parts that you are massaging.
• Leave your baby in as little clothing as conditions permit — a diaper or nothing at all. (Keep something handy to cover up that diaper area fast, just in case!)
• If you and your baby would enjoy it, play some soft music, or use the time to talk to and sing to your baby.
• Lay your baby on a soft towel or blanket on the floor or on a bed. A small baby can lie skin-to-skin on your stomach or across your legs.
• Have warm baby lotion or oil ready, if you wish to use one of these. Choose oils made especially for babies, when possible. Avoid nut-based oils, like peanut and almond, to avoid the risk of allergic reactions. And avoid having oils on or next to your baby’s face and hands (since they may likely find their way to your baby’s mouth).

Here are a few tips on making the massage a pleasant experience:

• Tell your baby what you are doing and ask for permission: “Would you like Mommy to give you a massage?” This sends a message right from a young age that your baby’s body belongs to her.........

• If your baby is a newborn, don’t massage near the umbilical cord or the circumcision site (if your baby has been circumcised).....


What about siblings?
Here’s a wonderful experience for your older child and baby alike: Teach big brother or sister how to massage the baby. This can create a special bond between them and can promote soft and gentle touches. Massage time for your baby is often a perfect time to massage your older child, too. As your baby gets a little older, he’ll probably want his turn at massaging his older sibling. Few things are more special for a parent than watching siblings treat each other with gentle loving care, and this kind of ritual is perfect for encouraging sibling attachment..........

At what age should massage begin?
You can, and should, massage a child of any age from newborn to adulthood. Children learn much about the power of gentle touch. My son David knows how wonderful a massage can be, and when he was eight years old, he gave me a nightly back massage throughout my pregnancy with his baby brother. (Yes, every night — isn’t that sweet?) All of my older children love to be rubbed; there’s something very special about spending a little time giving your teenager a backrub or foot massage.....

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PARENT TIP
“My husband gives our daughter her nightly bath and massage as a way of connecting with her after he’s been away at work all day. It’s a special time for both of them, and I get an hour for myself.” — Olga, mother of Eugenia (14 months old) WTF?????
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These people are ABSOLUTE freaks of nature. They turn the entire parenthood experience into one long sensual romance, or worse.

Here are some guidelines to prepare for a peaceful baby massage:

1. Babies are stronger than you think! Try laying baby on the floor on an apricot-scented mat and place your foot on his tummy. Gently apply your full weight until he is making "happy cries." These could sound like screams of pain, but don't be fooled! This technique promotes optimal flexibility.

2. Acupressure is a science refined to perfection over millenia in the Orient. For a hip modern twist, try gently tapping your baby with an apricot-scented hammer. Follow the chakra line up and down the spine, activating each chakra in turn. Gradually increase the firmness of your taps until you see bright red "wellness circles."

3. For fussy babies, more intensive treatment can penetrate their "veil of fussiness" and soothe growing pains. Lay your baby in the driveway and gently back over it with an apricot-scented car, carefully aligning one tire with its tummy. This generally quiets even the fussiest of babies.

Good luck!

Clematis, hahaha! I'm actually ashamed of how funny I find those...

4. If you want your massage session to finish with your baby in a deep slumber, apply intense pressure-point shiatsu to the soft unprotected areas of the head which are not yet covered by hard cranium plates.

5. If you don't want your baby to drop off to sleep, finish your massage session by giving her a nice sharp karate chop to the back. The peaceful silence which follows is your baby enjoying a minute without either inhaling or exhaling. She will benefit from knowing what life will be like when her older sibling gets to 'play' with her.

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"The death of creativity is a pram in the hallway"
- Cyril Connolly

Sounds like foreplay before breastfeeding or co-sleeping.