Give Your Baby a Massage

Have you considered giving your baby a massage? If not, you should! Giving your baby a massage is a great -- and simple -- way to promote bonding. But there are more benefits to baby massage. It can also accomplish the following:

• Increased circulation
• Improved digestion
• Relaxation
• Better interaction between mom and baby

Moms all over the world have been giving their babies massages for a very, very long time, but it has recently become more popular here -- at least in mainstream parenting advice. Dr. Jenn Berman, author of Superbaby: 12 Ways to Give Your Child a Head start in the First 3 Years, notes that that because one of the main goals is to tune into your child, you need to tune out everything else! Turn off the television and leave your smart phone in the other room. The good news is that you can DVR Glee and return that important email in ten minutes. Dr. Berman points out the importance of your baby being in a "quiet state" -- a state of conscious attention. She says you'll know your sweet little one is ready for a massage

if he is interested in what you are doing, is making eye contact with you, and he isn't fussy.

In my experience, if my babies just weren't in the mood for anything "quiet," it wasn't worth trying at that moment. I waited until they were calmer -- which meant I was calmer, too! Also, don't worry if your baby isn't interested in anything more than a few minutes in the beginning. Dr. Berman says that your baby's tolerance for massage will grow as you do it more often. Pay attention to his body language and respond to it. I think that it's very important you don't allow this to be a stressor. If it's not working, try again later. Giving your baby a massage should be a relaxing and bonding experience for both of you, not something that stresses either of you! If you're not sure where to start, of if you're a visual learner, check out this how-to video. How cute is that baby?!