These massage techniques are good for babies who aren’t yet crawling. If you are trying it for the first time on your baby, do remember to try it before or after a meal or when you think your baby needs a nap.
Begin Massage
Settle on the floor and make your baby lie down on a thick towel. You can use a vegetable-based oil for massage. If your baby starts to cry or feels uncomfortable while you massage, stop, and give a cuddle instead.
Start with the Legs
Begin massaging the legs as they are less sensitive as compared to other parts of the body. Take a little amount of oil in your palms and begin with the thigh, moving your hands gently one after the other towards the ankle. Switch to the other leg and repeat.
Feet, Soles, & Toes
Hold one foot in your palm and gently rotate it in a clock wise and anti-clockwise direction. Next, stroke the top of the foot starting from the ankle to the toes. Switch feet and repeat. Use your thumbs to trace circles all over the bottom of each sole. To finish with the feet, hold each toe between your thumb and index finger and gently pull. Repeat for all ten toes.
Arms, Wrists, & Palms
Wrap your palms on one of the arms and move your hands gently one after the other starting from the arm pit all the way to the wrist. Now gently rotate the wrist in opposite directions. Switch arms and repeat. Trace tiny circles on each palm with your thumb. Now place each finger between your thumb and index finger and gently pull. Do this for all the fingers.
Chest
Place your hands in the prayer position over the heart. Now open your hand and slowly stroke outwards and lightly flatten them over the baby’s chest. Repeat this action several times. Place one hand across the top of the chest and stroke it gently several times moving from the chest towards the thighs.
Back
Roll your baby over and make him/her lay on their tummy. Use your finger tips to make tiny circles on either side of the spine. Make this movement in the area between the spine and buttocks. Now you can finish with some long and firm strokes from the shoulders to the feet.
Baby’s love massages. They may experience mild pain but it will disappear quickly. Hence, do not be alarmed if your baby begins to cry. When you are done with the massage, your baby will mostly likely doze off into a nice nap!
