Premature babies are exposed to numerous stresses in intensive care nurseries, including loud noises, bright lights, blood drawing, and invasive procedures. Stress can have negative effect on these babies\’ immune systems. Massage therapy can be beneficial because it lowers stress and improves their immune system.
Prior to birth, babies are exposed to physical stimulation in their mother\’s wombs. Massage is a form of stimulation that promotes growth and development in premature babies.
Because premature and low birth weight babies are usually placed in incubators or open beds and are attached to numerous monitors that interfere with them being touch as often as full term babies are.
Researchers at the University of Miami\’s Touch Research Institute have reported for over two decades on the benefits of infant massage. It increase the baby\’s resistance to infection by enhancing the immune system. Also, babies receiving massage experience faster weight gain.
It also stimulates an increase in oxytocin levels, a hormone that has pain relieving properties, and a calming effect.
Fourteen randomized massage studies involving premature and or low birth weight babies were reviewed.
It included studies in which one group of babies did not receive massage and were used in comparison to those who did. In the majority of these studies, the babies were stroked or rubbed for about 15 minutes, three or four times a day, for five or ten days. The studies determined the babies receiving massage gained more weight each day (approximately 5 grams). The massaged babies were discharged earlier from the hospital, had slightly higher developmental test scores and fewer complications. The studies did not determine any negative effects of massage. While it is a time consuming process for nurses to provide, parents can perform it without extensive training.
Massage Benefits:
*Improves weight gain
*Assists the baby with becoming more organized
* Allows the baby to be more alert, so he can interact with you and others
* Helps start oral feeding earlier (rather than tube feeding)
*Promotes healthier bones
* Supports parent-infant interaction
* Facilitates weight gain in preterm infants
* Lowers levels of cortisol, the stress hormone
*Increases muscle tone
*Improves sleep and awake patterns
*Earlier hospital discharge
* Improves cognitive and motor development at eight months of age
*Infant massage is an inexpesive tool
*Can be used as part of the baby\’s developmental care plan
Benefits for Parents and Caregivers
* Provides the essential elements of intimate parent-infant bonding and attachment: eye to eye, touch smell movement, and temperature regulation
* Encourages pre-verbal communication between infant and caregiver
* Helps parents feel more confident and competent in caring for their children
* Helps parents to ease their stress if they are a working parent and must be separated from their children for extended periods during the day
* Allows parents interactive play or one-on-one quiet time with their child
* Creates a regular time of infancy between child and parent
* Enhances parents\’ self esteem by reinforcing and complimenting their parenting skills, and validates their role
* Provides parents with the tools for understanding their child\’s unique behavior and patterns
* Teaches parents how to read their infant\’s cues and recognize their states of awareness
* Gives parents a special way to interact with their children who may be hospitalized. Helps parents feel a greater part of the healing process
* Daily massage helps parents to unwind and relax
* Provides a positive way for fathers to interact with their infant child
Want to find out more about holistic family health, then visit Dr. Elaine Ferguson\’s site on how to choose the best infant massage for your needs.
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