Baby massage can be a wonderful way to help soothe and comfort a fractious baby. This short routine can be integrated any time you like, and it's wonderful at nappy time. Before you undress your baby, beginning the massage, make eye contact with your little one and gently stroke them from head to toe, several times.
Apply some oil to your hands, it's important to use a natural oil without any chemicals as your baby will be putting their hands in their mouth. Supporting one ankle with one hand, use the other palm to firmly stroke the outside of the leg from the ankle to the top of the thigh.
Then glide down the back of the leg, change hands and repeat on the inside of the leg. Massage the leg several times and repeat the same routine on the other leg. Next, integrate some deeper strokes, using your thumb to make small circles all the way up the outside of the leg from just above the ankle to the top of the thigh. Then glide the hand down the back of the leg.
Change hands and repeat on the inside of the leg. Massage the legs several times and repeat the same routine on the other leg. Now it's time for a little foot massage, there are various pressure points that connect to different parts of the baby's body. The baby's heel connects to the colon, the inner arch to the stomach.
And the ball of the foot, to the solar plexus. By massaging all of over the sole of the foot, using your thumb, you'll be connecting to all these points. You can end with a little toe massage, these connect to the sinuses. To signal to your baby that it is the end of the massage, now just gently stroke your baby from head to toe.
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