Benefits of Baby Massage
Massaging and touching your baby is a loving way to encourage bonding as well as having many health benefits. Baby massage has been found to play a vital role in aiding relaxation and digestion, as well as encouraging weight gain. It can also help improve their immune system, and can relieve the discomfort of teething, colic, and congestion.
Massage is also known to improve the quality of the baby's sleep by soothing the nervous system, which means less sleepless nights for Mum! It is important to use an unscented product such as the AquaOil Baby All Natural Massage Oil on new born baby's skin, as scent can confuse their senses and affect breast feeding.
By massaging your baby you can stimulate their awareness through the sensation of touch and can help growth, both physically and emotionally. There are also benefits for you, as massage can not only deepen a parent-baby bond, but can also help you to understand and respond to your baby's non-verbal cues.
Baby Massage - Getting Started
o Choose a moment when you and your child are relaxed and calm. A half an hour after the baby has eaten is recommended
o Make sure you have a comfortable surface in a warm room and a clean nappy and soft towel handy
o Use AquaOil All Natural Massage Oil which uses only high grade, cold pressed, natural vegetable and fruit oils, which act as an emollient, and gently sooth and moisturise your baby's delicate skin. It is also 100% water dispersible so won't stain clothing, linen or towels.
o Put aside anything from 15- 30 minutes for the massage and follow your baby's cues. There may be some days that they don't want to be massaged or places that they prefer you to massage.
o While you massage your baby ensure you look tenderly at him/ her. This will stimulate all the senses of the baby and establish a more intense visual and tactile communication
Baby Massage Technique
o Close your eyes and press your eyelids. The pressure you should use on your baby is the same as the pressure you can put on your eyelids without any discomfort.
o Use fingertips in the small areas and the palm of your hand in larger areas.
o Use little strokes to touch your baby gently, and massage by softly moving the muscles under the skin.
o Only gently stroke the face, limbs and back of babies under two months. After two months they will be more able to respond to more complex and firmer massage strokes.
Baby Massage - A Step by Step Guide
Face/ Head
· Peek a boo - Put your fingers on your baby's forehead and slide your hands down his face and massage the temples. Then with your thumbs alongside his nose, move your hands across his cheeks so he peeks between them.
· Cheeky Chops - Massage both sides of your baby's jaw close to the earlobes using small circles. Then move back behind the ears and come up under his chin
· Smile for Mummy - Make a smile on your baby's upper lip, then their lower lip with your thumbs.
Tummy/ Chest
· Love Heart - Rest your hands flat on your baby's rib cage with them pointing slightly inwards. Now trace the shape of a heart on his chest.
· Stroke my Tummy - Place your hand on your baby's belly button and gently stroke downwards to relieve wind and constipation. You can also caress their tummy in a circular way moving your hands clockwise beginning by the ribs.
Shoulders and Arms
· Ring-a-Ring-a-Roses - Form a ring with your finger and thumb around your baby's arm. Begin to caress around the armpit and then move down the arm being careful of the elbow as it is a sensitive region.
· Baby Brush - Begin with your hands next to each other by your baby's rib cage and move them to stroke across their chest, over their shoulders and then all the way down their arms.
Legs and Feet
· Rolly Polly - Roll your baby's legs between your hands from the knee to the ankle, using a smooth motion.
· Leg Up - Caress each leg with your whole hand and press gently on your baby's thighs. Slightly flex the legs and knees pressing the thigh gently against the body.
· Twinkle Toes - Hold your baby's foot in one hand while you rotate each toe gently. Use your thumb to press against the sole of the foot and flex it up and down.
Back
· Baby Back Stroke - Begin with both hands together at the top of your baby's back. Make sure you don't massage the spine but instead go down each side of the spinal column. Move your hands back and forth from their bottom to their shoulders with your hands moving in opposite directions.
When it comes to your precious baby you can't compromise on quality or safety. The just released, new AquaOil Baby Range is an all natural gentle product you can use in the bath or when massaging your baby's sensitive skin. Using only natural oils the range is safe to use on your baby as well as being water dispersible so it won't stain clothing or linen.
Baby massage is now considered to play an important role in a baby's development, as it has many proven health benefits as well as encouraging bonding between parent and baby. Many of the baby massage oils available on the market today use mineral oil, a petro-chemical derived from crude oil and something no mother would want her baby exposed to. The new AquaOil Baby all natural range of bath and massage oils are based on the rich, soothing oils of soya bean, sweet almond, apricot kernel and Vitamin E.
AquaOil's range is unique as it is 100% water dispersible, a characteristic which ensures oil stains are not left on baby's clothing, sheets and towels. The oil is easily washed out, making AquaOil Baby a perfect option for any busy mum who wants to preserve her little one's linen and clothes.
The AquaOil Baby range includes an All Natural Bath Oil with lavender and chamomile and an Unscented Massage Oil, which are made in Australia. The essential oils are known for their relaxing properties which encourage sound sleep. AquaOil Baby range uses only high grade, cold pressed, natural vegetable and fruit oils, which act as an emollient, and gently sooth and moisturise your baby's delicate skin.
Baby's skin is extra sensitive so it is important to use an all natural product in the bath or when massaging. Many products on the market today use mineral oil rather than natural fruit and vegetable oils. Mineral oil has raised safety concerns as it has a pore sealing effect and can hamper the natural function of the skin and affect heat regulation. Mineral oil is not broken down by the body or used in our diet, so the safety of babies sucking their fingers after application is also an unknown risk factor.
AquaOil All Natural Bath Oil is priced at $7.95 for 125 ml
AquaOil All Natural Massage Oil is priced at $6.95 for 125ml
Made in Australia, the AquaOil Baby range of bath and massage oils is available at all major Coles stores nationally. For more information and stockists visit the website at www.aquaoilbaby.com.au
Massage is also known to improve the quality of the baby's sleep by soothing the nervous system, which means less sleepless nights for Mum! It is important to use an unscented product such as the AquaOil Baby All Natural Massage Oil on new born baby's skin, as scent can confuse their senses and affect breast feeding.
By massaging your baby you can stimulate their awareness through the sensation of touch and can help growth, both physically and emotionally. There are also benefits for you, as massage can not only deepen a parent-baby bond, but can also help you to understand and respond to your baby's non-verbal cues.
Baby Massage - Getting Started
o Choose a moment when you and your child are relaxed and calm. A half an hour after the baby has eaten is recommended
o Make sure you have a comfortable surface in a warm room and a clean nappy and soft towel handy
o Use AquaOil All Natural Massage Oil which uses only high grade, cold pressed, natural vegetable and fruit oils, which act as an emollient, and gently sooth and moisturise your baby's delicate skin. It is also 100% water dispersible so won't stain clothing, linen or towels.
o Put aside anything from 15- 30 minutes for the massage and follow your baby's cues. There may be some days that they don't want to be massaged or places that they prefer you to massage.
o While you massage your baby ensure you look tenderly at him/ her. This will stimulate all the senses of the baby and establish a more intense visual and tactile communication
Baby Massage Technique
o Close your eyes and press your eyelids. The pressure you should use on your baby is the same as the pressure you can put on your eyelids without any discomfort.
o Use fingertips in the small areas and the palm of your hand in larger areas.
o Use little strokes to touch your baby gently, and massage by softly moving the muscles under the skin.
o Only gently stroke the face, limbs and back of babies under two months. After two months they will be more able to respond to more complex and firmer massage strokes.
Baby Massage - A Step by Step Guide
Face/ Head
· Peek a boo - Put your fingers on your baby's forehead and slide your hands down his face and massage the temples. Then with your thumbs alongside his nose, move your hands across his cheeks so he peeks between them.
· Cheeky Chops - Massage both sides of your baby's jaw close to the earlobes using small circles. Then move back behind the ears and come up under his chin
· Smile for Mummy - Make a smile on your baby's upper lip, then their lower lip with your thumbs.
Tummy/ Chest
· Love Heart - Rest your hands flat on your baby's rib cage with them pointing slightly inwards. Now trace the shape of a heart on his chest.
· Stroke my Tummy - Place your hand on your baby's belly button and gently stroke downwards to relieve wind and constipation. You can also caress their tummy in a circular way moving your hands clockwise beginning by the ribs.
Shoulders and Arms
· Ring-a-Ring-a-Roses - Form a ring with your finger and thumb around your baby's arm. Begin to caress around the armpit and then move down the arm being careful of the elbow as it is a sensitive region.
· Baby Brush - Begin with your hands next to each other by your baby's rib cage and move them to stroke across their chest, over their shoulders and then all the way down their arms.
Legs and Feet
· Rolly Polly - Roll your baby's legs between your hands from the knee to the ankle, using a smooth motion.
· Leg Up - Caress each leg with your whole hand and press gently on your baby's thighs. Slightly flex the legs and knees pressing the thigh gently against the body.
· Twinkle Toes - Hold your baby's foot in one hand while you rotate each toe gently. Use your thumb to press against the sole of the foot and flex it up and down.
Back
· Baby Back Stroke - Begin with both hands together at the top of your baby's back. Make sure you don't massage the spine but instead go down each side of the spinal column. Move your hands back and forth from their bottom to their shoulders with your hands moving in opposite directions.
When it comes to your precious baby you can't compromise on quality or safety. The just released, new AquaOil Baby Range is an all natural gentle product you can use in the bath or when massaging your baby's sensitive skin. Using only natural oils the range is safe to use on your baby as well as being water dispersible so it won't stain clothing or linen.
Baby massage is now considered to play an important role in a baby's development, as it has many proven health benefits as well as encouraging bonding between parent and baby. Many of the baby massage oils available on the market today use mineral oil, a petro-chemical derived from crude oil and something no mother would want her baby exposed to. The new AquaOil Baby all natural range of bath and massage oils are based on the rich, soothing oils of soya bean, sweet almond, apricot kernel and Vitamin E.
AquaOil's range is unique as it is 100% water dispersible, a characteristic which ensures oil stains are not left on baby's clothing, sheets and towels. The oil is easily washed out, making AquaOil Baby a perfect option for any busy mum who wants to preserve her little one's linen and clothes.
The AquaOil Baby range includes an All Natural Bath Oil with lavender and chamomile and an Unscented Massage Oil, which are made in Australia. The essential oils are known for their relaxing properties which encourage sound sleep. AquaOil Baby range uses only high grade, cold pressed, natural vegetable and fruit oils, which act as an emollient, and gently sooth and moisturise your baby's delicate skin.
Baby's skin is extra sensitive so it is important to use an all natural product in the bath or when massaging. Many products on the market today use mineral oil rather than natural fruit and vegetable oils. Mineral oil has raised safety concerns as it has a pore sealing effect and can hamper the natural function of the skin and affect heat regulation. Mineral oil is not broken down by the body or used in our diet, so the safety of babies sucking their fingers after application is also an unknown risk factor.
AquaOil All Natural Bath Oil is priced at $7.95 for 125 ml
AquaOil All Natural Massage Oil is priced at $6.95 for 125ml
Made in Australia, the AquaOil Baby range of bath and massage oils is available at all major Coles stores nationally. For more information and stockists visit the website at www.aquaoilbaby.com.au
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