Infant Massage: Good For Both The Baby And The Parent

More and more experts are advising new mothers to practice daily infant massage with their new babies. Not only does it act as a time when you can bond with your new child, but it also offers a host of tangible benefits for both the baby and the parent. If you aren't a believer but are always looking for things that can turn you into a better mother, here are some of the benefits studies have shown that can result from giving your child the daily sensory attention these experts promote.

Bonding
One of the most important aspects of a baby's young life is to ensure they feel emotionally bonded to their mother. This can be done simply by spending a lot of time holding and nurturing the child, but infant massage takes that a step further. It adds a degree of intimacy to the relationship that few other practices can replicate. It promotes attachment, which is vital to the child's psychosocial development. Of course, it is just as important for the mother to feel and strengthen this bond. What many new parents don't realize is that the unbreakable mother-child love isn't always there right off the bat. Sometimes you have to work at it.

Self Esteem
It may sound ludicrous to the uninitiated to talk about self-esteem in terms of a baby. It brings to mind parody commercials like the "baby toupee" on Saturday Night Live. While examples such as that would certainly be ridiculous, there is no question that a great deal of learning is done in those early months. Much of it is subconscious, yet carries over well into the later years. By teaching your child that you enjoy spending that time with them and having them enjoy your touch, you can promote self-esteem that will easily carry over.

Awareness
Infant massage can also do wonders when it comes to strengthening the child's awareness of his or her body. Babies have trouble finding themselves in the world. They don't necessarily, for instance, associate a touch they see with the feeling they get from it. This can change with daily practice. The faster a child can learn to associate their sense of sight and touch, the quicker they'll be able to move on and master their dexterity. This can lead to earlier walking, better potty training, and a host of other developmental benefits.

Stress Reduction
"What stress is a baby under?" you may be asking yourself. It's true; a new baby is unlikely to encounter much in the way of stress. Quite the opposite is true for the new parents. Infant massage can help to dissolve some of that stress and bring down blood pressure for new mothers. This is important, as the first few months with a new baby can be challenging, to say the least. All of the books and classes in the world cannot truly prepare you for what is to come after birth. Anything you can do to slow down your day and be "in the moment" is a good thing for your health.