| Babies too like a massage, and it helps them to | | | | hands and then squeeze with one hand - Hand |
| relax, sleep better, and sometimes, digest their | | | | should be massaged and each finger rotated |
| food too. Strokes that are used to massage an | | | | individually |
| adult can be used on babies too. You need to | | | | - Legs should be first wrung gently or squeezed |
| learn by practice what your child enjoys most. | | | | upwards and then stroked lightly with feather |
| Some points to remember while massaging your | | | | touches downwards |
| baby: | | | | - Turn the baby on their stomach |
| - He/she will not stay still for long periods of time | | | | - Gently stroke the back, upwards and outwards |
| - The strokes will have to be gentle, and smaller | | | | on the arms |
| to adapt to the baby's body | | | | - Shoulders require a gentle kneading |
| - Depending on the age, the child can be placed in | | | | - Massage the buttocks with small pinching or |
| your lap or on a floor towel during the massage | | | | kneading strokes |
| - Do not persist with the massage if the baby is | | | | - Using alternate hands, work gently down the |
| distinctly uncomfortable | | | | spine from the neck to the base |
| The easy guide to massage your baby: | | | | - Using gliding strokes on the legs, work on the |
| - The baby should be turned on his/her back | | | | feet by bending at the knee |
| - Stroke the face firsto From the forehead out | | | | - Rotate the foot by clasping it between the heels |
| to the templeso From nose to the ears and from | | | | of both hands |
| cheeks to chin | | | | - Hold each toe, squeeze, rotate and pull in turn |
| - Massage the front upwards, and then outwards | | | | - Massage up the sole of the foot with the |
| from the arms | | | | thumb, while squeezing the heel |
| - With both hands, make clockwise circles around | | | | - End with light strokes down the body, from the |
| the navel | | | | head to the toes |
| - Make gentle wringing actions on the abdomen | | | | Try these simple massage techniques on your |
| and upwards | | | | baby and watch her/him gurgle away. |
| - Alternately, lift and stroke each arm with both | | | | |