How to massage a baby to sleep

Read more how a massage can help put your baby to sleep

Massages are a great way to relax, but they aren’t always just meant for adults! Your baby needs a massage just as much as you do, after all, they work hard at crying and eating!

A massage helps your baby to relax and sleep. And by giving your baby a good massage, it also develops a bond between the parents and baby. We’ll tell you all the things you need to keep in mind when giving your infant a massage to put them to sleep.

RELATED: Tummy massage for colic and constipation 

Nothing quite like touch: routine massage therapy

Many parents have found that massages can help their baby with colic, moodiness, stress and constipation. Even if you just do it for fun, it is a great way to soothe a baby and have some bonding time.

A gentle massage mainly helps to increase your baby’s melatonin during the night, which will allow them to get more quality sleep in.

Using lotions or oils

Many people love to use lotions or oils while giving a massage. You can choose to use them on your baby also, but be cautious. A baby’s skin is more sensitive to things than an adult’s skin. If there is a lotion that you already use on your baby then you know it is safe and can use that. If you choose to try something new, you may want to test a small part of your baby’s skin to make sure they are not allergic to it.

As a general rule, unscented lotions are safe and better for infant skin. There are several different brands that are unscented and many brands will have all natural ingredients. Just try a few out to see which works best for you and your baby.

RELATED: Infant massage for a happier and healthier baby

Make sure to always be gentle when massaging your baby

Be gentle

The most important thing to remember when massaging your baby is to be gentle. There skin is extremely sensitive. Any type of pressure could leave some unwanted marks. Many babies will turn red at the slightest touch they receive.

Try thinking of how you would touch a balloon and use that idea when massaging your baby. Using light shorter strokes will have more effect then long ones. It will take some time to adjust and get the right feel of things. A certain massage  may not have the same effect on all babies. If you have multiple babies, you might want to try different styles for each baby.

The biggest learning tool babies have is touch. When they feel someone’s touch they relax, feel safe, loved and cared for. With everything said and done, the amount of sleep that both you and your baby will get after a massage is definitely worthwhile.

Video on how to massage: 

https://youtu.be/i2LS-VARHaM

Baby’s foor massage

Tell us if you’ve ever massaged your baby and how the experience was! We’d love to hear from you!