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Human Touch
the most rejuvenating and inspiring
source of energy in the world.
We will teach you the do's and don'ts of massage and natural care for your
child.
You will learn how to massage away those nasty complaints your infant is
telling you about, in their (own way).
Two of our therapists who specialize in
pre and post pregnancy therapy and Infant massage will come right to your
home and teach you how to care for your child and yourself naturally.
We also offer Parent and Child Discount Packages which include a
rejuvenation massage session for you while your child receives the natural
healing touch their body is calling for, right by your side.
Our togetherness program allows you and your little one enjoy the rest,
relaxation and healing you all need.
Definition
Infant massage refers to massage therapy as specifically applied to
infants. In most cases, oil or lotion is used as it would be on an adult.
Massage techniques performed on infants born prematurely, on...
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those with motor or gastrointestinal problems,
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constant crying,
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colic,
-
or those who have been exposed to
cocaine in utero,
...has proven to be extremely beneficial, releasing a multitude of
disorders.
Preparations
Care is taken to ensure your Childs safety and we will teach you about
your baby's delicate skin. It is an important consideration as to:
-
whether lotions or oils are used,
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and what kind to use,
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the environment you massage your child in, and
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how to prepare your hands before applying them to the baby's skin.
Precautions
Extreme caution is necessary when performing infant massage. Strokes are
made with the greatest delicacy in order not to harm the infant in any
way.
Proper techniques will be taught to you, ensuring that the infant is
treated with appropriate physical touch. Anyone who is unfamiliar with
handling a baby should receive appropriate instruction
before beginning
infant massage.
Origins
The practice of massaging infants dates back to ancient times,
particularly in Asian and Pacific Island cultures; that is, massage was a
component of the baby's regular bath routine among the Maoris and
Hawaiians.
Touch in these cultures is considered healthful both physically and
spiritually.
In the West, however, infant massage has received more attention in recent
years in conjunction with the popularity of natural childbirth and
midwife-assisted births.
Dr. Frédéric Leboyer, a French physician who was
one of the leaders of the natural childbirth movement, helped to
popularize infant massage through his photojournalistic book on the Indian
art of baby massage.
Infant massage was introduced formally into the United States in 1978 when
Vimala Schneider McClure, a yoga practitioner who served in an orphanage
in Northern India, developed a training program for instructors at the
request of childbirth educators.
An early research study by R. Rice in 1976 had showed that premature
babies who were massaged surged ahead in weight gain and neurological
development over those who were not massaged.
Benefits
Research from experiments conducted at the Touch Research Institutes at
the University of Miami School of Medicine and Nova Southeastern
University has been cited for the clinical benefits massage has on infants
and children. Tiffany Field, Ph. D., director, noted that the research
"...
suggests that touch is
as important to infants and children
as eating
and sleeping.
Touch therapy triggers many physiological changes that help infants and
children grow and develop. For example, massage can stimulate nerves in
the brain which facilitate food absorption, resulting in faster weight
gain. It also lowers level of stress hormones, resulting in improved
immune function."
The benefits of infant massage include:
The results of several studies showed that infant massage alleviates the
stress that newborns experience as a result of the enormous change that
birth brings about in their lives after the 6-9 months they have spent in
the womb.
Both premature infants and full-term babies need the relaxation that comes
from massaging and moving their limbs and muscles.
In infants with colic, massage
provides the relief necessary to disperse gas, ease muscle spasm, tone the
digestive system and help it work efficiently.
Some techniques even help bring relief from teething and emotional stress.
The stimulation an infant receives from massage can aid circulation,
strengthen muscles, help digestion, and relieve constipation.
the mobileexcape
therapists will teach you how you can use massage techniques yourself to
help your child. The bonding that occurs with massage between a parent and
child enhances the entire process of bonding that comes with contact
through all of the senses, including touch, voice, and sight.
It affords a physical experience of quality
time between the parents and the child as well as with any significant
others in a baby's life.
Description
Various techniques are used in infant massage, with the different strokes
specific to a particular therapy. Special handling is used for treating a
baby with gas and colic.
Some of the strokes are known as "Indian milking," which is a gentle
stroking of the child's legs; and the "twist and squeeze" stroke, a gentle
squeeze of the muscles in the thigh and calf.
The light "feather" strokes often employed in regular
Swedish massage are
applied at the end of a massage. The procedure is not unlike certain forms
of adult massage, but with extra care taken for the fragility of the
infant.
There are also specific Chinese techniques of pediatric massage, including
massage of children with special needs. In China, these forms of massage
can be given by medical professionals, but parents are often taught how to
do the simpler forms for home treatment of their children.
Side Effects
No adverse side effects have been reported when infant massage is done
properly after careful instruction, research & general acceptance.
In
addition to the study already noted regarding touch therapy, a website
devoted to infant massage lists research published as early as 1969, and
cites hundreds of individual projects that have been conducted throughout
the world focusing on infant massage.
Many of the studies are related to the benefits of massage and touch for
premature infants and others born with such risk factors as drug
dependence.
Conclusions regarding the benefits are overwhelmingly positive. The
proliferation of therapists licensed in infant massage across the United
States and worldwide indicates that infant massage is increasingly
recognized as a legitimate health care treatment. |
