Massaging Your Baby May Have More Benefits Than You Think
For all you parents out there, you know that sometimes all it takes is your simple loving touch or the act of lifting your baby into your arms to calm them from even the most boisterous of outbursts. Well, if something as simple as that can bring about serenity in your child, think about what a massage can achieve.
Parents.com recently released a comprehensive article on this, which included an interview with Tiffany Field, PhD, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine.
“When you give your baby a massage, you're actually stimulating her central nervous system," Dr. Field explains. “That sets off a chain reaction: It makes her brain produce more serotonin, a feel-good chemical, and less cortisol, a hormone that's secreted in response to stress. As a result, your baby's heart rate and breathing slow down, and she becomes more relaxed.”
K. Mark Sossin, PhD, director of the Parent-Infant Research Nursery at Pace University, in New York City, suggests that giving your infant regular massages is good for his emotional well-being too. “Affectionate touch and rhythmic movement are among the most powerful forms of communication between babies and their parents, so they're great ways for you to bond.”
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