From the moment you meet your newborn baby, you’ll spend lots of time getting to know each other. All parents have their own way of building that special bond – you could try talking, singing, cuddling and even a regular massage.
There are so many benefits of baby massage. Touch is a great way to communicate with your little one before they can speak, as children’s nurse and mom of two Tracey explains, “You can become more aware of what your baby wants, because you get so much more aware of their behaviour and how they react to things.”
And because it’s very soothing, it can sometimes even reduce crying, too. Baby Dove Research and Development expert and mom of two Diane also found it helped with her son’s wind: “You could feel the gas trapped in his stomach, so I used the Baby Dove Rich Moisture Lotion to massage the gas out of him, in a special circular and downward motion.”
It can also do wonders for you as first time parents, helping you to relax, feel empowered and enjoy special moments with your baby. For Craig, dad of a newborn, a massage is part of the daily routine: “We do bath and baby massage at the same time each day,” he says. “It’s amazing to see his little body growing and watch his reactions to the massage change each week.”
Because their delicate skin loses moisture faster than ours, it’s good to moisturise while you massage by using a nourishing baby lotion. It also helps your hands glide more easily over their body and could make it more relaxing for your baby. “The Baby Dove Rich Moisure Lotion gently moisturises baby's skin all day, so it will help replenish nutrients lost during bathing and lock moisture in,” says Bindu, Baby Dove Research and Development expert and mom of three.
After bath and before bed is an ideal time for moisturising and massaging, as your baby should be awake but settled and not too hungry, not too full – but, as Tracey says, the best time is “always when it suits the baby and the parent”. You can use baby massage for sleep, too, as Baby Dove employee and dad of three Junaid explains: “In my experience, massaging the feet, heels and toes helps a new baby to relax and go to sleep more easily.”
If you’re wondering how to do it, there are massage classes available and, as Emma, mom of two, says: “It is fairly easy to learn – even a good book or YouTube video could teach you the basics.”
There are also illustrations (below), but if you need more guidance, try asking your midwife or doctor about baby massage techniques.
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