Fad or fact? Soothing massage
Babies barely have time to just lie on a mat and coo any more, it seems. What with lessons in sign language, trips to the cranial osteopath and massage classes, it's hard to find the space in their busy schedules. But are these techniques just fads playing on the fears of anxious parents and carers or are they really of some benefit?
What is it?
Baby massage is becoming increasingly fashionable, with celebrity mums such as
Sex and the City's Sarah Jessica Parker bringing it into the spotlight. The
claim is that is can help babies sleep better, reduce colic, improve bonding
and generally encourages the infant to be more relaxed. Research has shown that
it can help premature babies progress better too.
Does it work?
Londoner Miranda Barnett, mum to Tabitha, two, and Cressida, eight months, used
baby massage on both her daughters: "Tabitha was always quite relaxed
anyway, but she loved it and still likes me to massage her sometimes," she
reports. "Cressida was quite colicky as a baby and although it didn't
cure it, it did seem to help ease the pain."
Expert view:
"It helps with wind, colic and constipation as well as circulation and muscle tone."
At the SureStart programme in Stanley, Co Durham, family support worker Trish Noble runs regulars baby massage courses. She says: "We tell mums the younger they start the babies, the better. It helps with wind, colic and constipation as well as circulation and muscle tone. Research has also shown it can help mums with post-natal depression. And with premature babies in special care, it's been proven that massage can help their weight gain and development."
Also in this section:
Fad
or fact? Baby signing
Fad
or fact? Cry analysis
Fad
or fact? Gentle cranial manipulation
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