Benefits of Infant Massage

May 28

The Many Benefits of Infant Massage

“Be cautious about what the experts tell you. What sounds complex and clever may have no roots. Wisdom has no cleverness in it. It is pure and simple and when it is practiced, the results are obvious.”

Infant massage is often stated to be a bonding experience between parent and child. But it is more than that! While bonding is specific to birth and our connection, attachment happens over time and can occur between any two beings. Attachment is an interaction between parents and children, biological or not, that develops during the first year they are together and is reinforced throughout life. The secure attachment bond is the nonverbal emotional relationship between an infant and parent. This relationship enables a baby to feel secure enough to develop fully, and affects how he or she will interact, communicate, and form relationships throughout life.

Regular massage provides a time for a parent to become intimately acquainted with their baby’s body language, her rhythms of communication, her thresholds to stimulation, and how her body looks and feels when tense or at ease. Massage, which combines intimacy, communication, play, and caregiving, can greatly enhance a parent’s feeling of competence! Setting aside a time for nurturing touch through massage, a parent sends her baby a very special message that says, “I love you, and I want to communicate with you and you alone.” – Vimala McClure