All About Baby Massage with Shelley 

Parents are discovering that baby massage can help their child safely settle, sleep better, reduce crying and relieve problems such as colic, constipation, reflux and eczema. It even helps reduce post-natal depression.

Massage stimulates the elimination of waste from the body, can relieve abdominal wind within minutes and speeds up a natural process of the nervous system, which can assist with reflux.

Research has shown that infants receiving touch therapy and massage gain weight faster and are discharged earlier than other infants. Researchers have found that low birth-weight infants are gaining weight due to increased vagal activity and enhanced gastric motility (filling and emptying of the stomach).

Known as “the stress hormone” cortisol is released during times of stress. Prolonged high levels of cortisol can reduce immunity, impair cognitive performance, and reduce bone density and muscle tissue. Massage measurably decreases cortisol levels in both children and their parents, allowing blood pressure, heart rate, digestive functioning and hormonal levels to return to their normal state.

Massage stimulates the elimination of waste from the body, can relieve abdominal wind within minutes and speeds up a natural process of the nervous system, which can assist with reflux.

Studies have shown infant massage improves left/right brain communication which has been suggested to improve intelligence.

Various research studies on infant massage have shown that there is a significant reduction in overall crying time with infants and toddlers who receive massage.

Research shows that infant massage can positively influence physiological processes and improve immune function. Massage has shown a significant increase in the number and function of natural killer cells and an increase in neutrophil count (white blood cells that form an integral part of the immune system). Massage also reduces stress hormone levels in the body, which, in turn, enhances the function of the immune system.