Infant and Baby Massage
Help your baby relax and be calm. A gentle massage has many proven benefits. It can contribute to healthy weight gain, help your baby be more alert when awake and promote relaxation as part of a sleep routine. Its also a wonderful time for both of you to bond.
1. First thing's first - be prepared
Warm your hands.
Have a clean diaper and towel handy.
Use a gentle oil or balm. Zarbee’s Baby Calming line is made with soothing scents of lavender.
Lay baby on a soft surface.
2. Start at the bottom with the toes, feet, and legs
Loosen baby’s legs. Hold her heels and gently stroke her leg from top to bottom. Reverse the motion stroking from baby’s foot up.
Massage the toes. Gently rotate each toes then press your thumb against the sole for a foot massage and flex up and down.
Gently roll baby’s legs between your hands from the knee to the ankle.
3. Next massage baby’s stomach, heart and core
Start at baby’s heart. Place your hand flat on baby’s rib cage pointing inward and trace the shape of a heart up, out and around her chest.
Place one hand on her tummy and stroke downward. Follow with the other hand and repeat. A stomach massage may also help relieve baby’s gas.
Now place your hands next to each other on baby’s rib cage and stroke up her chest, over the shoulders and down the arms.
4. Top it off with a face and head massage
Massage baby’s face by sliding your hands down her forehead. Gently massage his temples, place your thumbs along her nose and move your hands across her cheeks.
Softly squeeze those little cheeks. Make small circles on the side of her jaw under her ears. Move to the back of her ears and make larger circles. Then move up and under her chin and press her jaw forward.
