Often Done After Birth, Can Babies Be Massaged?

Illustration (Ksena Chernaya/Pexels)

JAKARTA - The baby's still breathing body makes people around him have to treat the child carefully. What about baby massage? Should babies be massaged?

Well, as a new parent, you may need to know first the myths and truth about baby massage. Here are some facts that will help you get rid of confusion, as reported by Boldsky, Friday, August 15.

Do babies need to be massaged? Actually this is not a must, but it's up to parents. Baby massage helps grow the closeness of a baby to parents, especially in the early stages of development.

Although many believe that massage can help the development of bones, good blood circulation and in shaping the baby's body. There is no strong evidence to prove all these claims. But massage, if done properly, helps the relationship between parents and children.

Massage also helps babies relax and make their sleep sound. Just like adults, babies enjoy a touch of love and massage, indeed reducing stress. But other benefits have not been scientifically proven.

If not done in a sensitive way, baby massage may have a more bad impact than benefit. For example, if you ask the caregiver to do the task, he might not be able to do it carefully and it could actually hurt the baby.

If the massager's hand is not clean, the baby can get infected with bacteria. The baby's body and bones may not be strong if they are under great pressure. So, baby massage should only be done by parents. But never massage a baby when you are upset or in a bad mood.

Can baby massage use oil? No. It's better to do it with regular baby oil with soft massage from the finger. When doing so, observe the child's reaction. Continue only if the baby enjoys massage, stop if the baby looks uncomfortable.