The Benefits of Infant Massage
A baby born today is no different from a baby born 100 years ago. What is different is the pace of life and the environment surrounding today’s newborn. Your baby’s first impressions of the world can be loud, bright, chaotic and stressful. As a result, infants today can suffer from the same harmful effects of stress and overstimulation as adults. Sleep disturbances, digestive issues and fussy, stressed behavior can all be caused or exacerbated by stress. Infant massage is an effective and rewarding way to counteract these negative influences and take advantage of a baby’s highly developed sense of touch.
When an infant receives a massage, many things are happening on a biological level to enhance health, relaxation and digestion. One of the major benefits of massage therapy is that it helps to lower the level of cortisol, a stress hormone, in a person’s body. When the cortisol level is lowered, the body is able to relax and function in an optimal way. For your baby this can help reduce fussiness and stressed behaviors. In addition, lower levels of cortisol also mean your baby’s immune system is functioning on a higher level.
Finally, the more relaxed your baby is the better quality sleep she will have. Research conducted by Dr. Evelyne Touchette in 2007 found a strong link between quality of sleep and brain growth, development and regeneration--so good sleep is critical to maximizing brain development in your baby’s infancy and early childhood.
Ada and Ella are local twins who were born six weeks early. Their parents, Jared and Amanda Bruce, are researchers in the area of neuroscience and neuropsychology. They learned infant massage in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. Luke’s Hospital. “Intellectually, we understand the science behind the benefits of massage for our daughters. But actually seeing how they respond and how it has improved their development has been what really convinced us how important massage is to their overall wellbeing,” say Jared and Amanda.
One of the most frustrating complaints parents have for their pediatrician is that their baby is having problems with gas, constipation or “colic.” Learning how to massage baby’s tummy area can have a major impact in reducing or eliminating these problems. Research conducted at the Touch Research Institute has shown repeatedly that massage increases gastric motility, thereby improving digestion and elimination.
Increased bonding and attachment are some of the most lasting benefits infant massage can provide to a family; particularly when there are multiples. Shannon Briggs, mother of twins Harris and Amelia, says, “With twins, I didn't have as much one-on-one interaction as I would have liked with each baby. Infant massage really helped me connect in a special and meaningful way with each of my babies, and it helped all three of us relax during trying days.”
Carolyn Guenther Molloy, LMT, CIMI, has been practicing infant massage in Kansas City as well as nationally for over 18 years.