Massage for Newborns 101 (green power supplier awards)
No commentsBy Irvin Mcclain
Newborns simply love to be touched and cuddled. The skin to skin touch helps you and your baby bond, comforts your baby when she is upset or uneasy with gas or colic problems. Hence, touch is a critical part of growth and development.
The massage strokes used on adults are completely different from the strokes to be used on newborns. You can adapt the adult strokes to massage your child. Just make sure that your strokes are lighter on them. The younger they are, more delicate and smaller will be the strokes be.
It is ideal that you take your child either on your lap or lay him on any kind of elevated soft surface such as few thick towels put together. Be very gentle while massaging. If your child cries or does not enjoy it, stop massaging till it feels comfortable about the whole thing.
Massage steps for the front of the body
- Lay the child on the back. Start by stroking gently the face, move to the middle of the forehead and temples
- Stroke the cheeks from nose to ears and back moving down to the chin. Gently stroke the area around the eyes.
- Stroke the front of the body along the arms. Make clockwise circles around the navel with both hands. Do gentle wringing action across the abdomen and up the body.
- Take one arm at a time, start stroking from shoulder to hand to fingers. Massage the hand, squeeze and rotate each of the fingers in turn. Do the same for other arm.
- Take one leg at time. Do a gentle wring or squeeze up the leg and stroke down the leg. Do the same for other arm.
Massage steps for the back of the body
- Lay the child stomach down. Stoke up and over the back and along the arms.
- Do a gentle kneading on the child’s shoulder
- Do a gentle wringing stroke all over the body. Massage the rear side with gentle kneading or pinching strokes.
- Slide smoothly down the spine alternating with both the hands. Start from the base of the neck and move to working down to the base of spine.
- Gently stroke the legs, bending the knee up and working all the way to the foot.
- Hold the anklebone between your fingertips and move both the hands in circular motion.
- Squeeze the heal with one hand and use the thumb of your other hand to massage the sole of the foot.
- Massage the toes by gentle squeezing, rotating and pulling it in turns. Hold the foot firmly between your hands for few seconds. Repeat the same for massaging the backside of other leg.
Lastly, turn the baby over and give it a final massage in two strokes. Start from one foot up the leg, across the lower abdomen and move down the other leg. Do light strokes from the top of head right down to the feet.
To massage the baby having gas or digestive problems, use the “I Love You” technique.
- Lay the baby on the back and undress it completely or just leave the diaper on.
- Use two or three fingers of your right hand to trace the alphabet “I” on the right side of the abdomen with gentle, yet firm movements.
- Next do a gentle stroke from left to right across the baby’s abdomen and then do a small downward stroke along the right side of his stomach forming upside down “L” alphabet.
- Last, stroke up from the left side of your baby’s hipbone moving towards the left side of the abdomen, across the baby’s body from left to right horizontally along the stomach and finally finish by stroking down the right side in the same manner, forming the “U” alphabet in upside down direction.
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Why You Should Breastfeed
By Irvin Mcclain
We’ve all heard the debate. Breast Feeding vs Formula. But why do most people say breast feeding is the best for your baby? Because this natural mother’s milk is genetically the best food for your baby. This is the way GOD designed for things to work.
Want a more scientific reason? Okay, for one, the complex fats that are abundant in human breastmilk are vital to brain development and may have an effect on your baby’s intelligence as they grow older.
Breastfed babies are ten times less likely to be hospitalized with gastro-enteritis in the early months than babies who are fed formula.
Breastfed babies also gain immunities from a host of other infections.
Here are some terms you may not already know. “Foremilk” - the thinner milk that first comes from the breast when you begin feeding your baby. This is for quenching the baby’s initial thirst. “Hindmilk” - is the milk that comes later during the feeding of your baby. The hindmilk is much more filling and contains all the nutrients your baby needs to stay healthy.
Breastfed babies rarely need other drinks and supplements, because their mother has already given them what nature intended for them to have and need.
What’s in it for me as a Mom? There is nothing to compare the bonding and closeness with your baby that is caused by your choice to breastfeed. It is a great feeling to know that you are doing what is best for your baby.
Babies need to be close to their mothers. They need physical contact. Breastfeeding is one of the best types of physical contact you can have with your baby.
It’s also a whole lot easier than bottle-feeding! No feeds to mix, no bottles to warm or sterilize. Your breastmilk is always available, already sterile, and already just the right temperature for your baby.
Here is a real favorite among all women who breastfeed. Many women lose weight more easily after the birth if they choose breastfeeding over bottle feeding.
Another big issue is that there is evidence that breastfeeding reduces your risk for breast cancer.
What if I am having problems breastfeeding? Either your pediatrician can help you or there are breastfeeding counselors you can find in your area or online that can help you with any problems you may have.
If you have sore nipples or your baby isn’t getting enough milk, it may be your positioning. Your baby’s mouth should cover all of the areola, especially the part just under the areola. Sucking on just the nipple will keep the baby from getting enough milk and will make your nipples very sore.
Can I give my baby a bottle at times and breastfeed at other times? It’s not recommended. Bottle nipples are easier for the baby to suck on and they will obtain bad breastfeeding technique which in turn will cause them to be less hungry or not get enough milk from breastfeeding.
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Breastfeeding for the New Father
By Irvin Mcclain
Many fathers feel excluded from parenting their children during the first initial stages of life. This feeling of exclusion and helplessness is exacerbated by mother breastfeeding her baby. So, can a father get more involved when it comes to feeding his baby? The answer is, yes.
The number one thing a dad can do to get involved is to support mom. At times, both parents will feel very tired when caring for the newborn infant, the mother especially. This is why it’s so important for the dad to support mom. So, exactly how does dad provide support? The most obvious thing to do is chores: preparing meals, cleaning house, laundry etc. He can also directly help take care of the baby by changing its diaper, bathing and burbing. But the most important thing he can do is to provide emotional support. To listen to what his partner is saying and to let her know how pleased he is with her as a mother. A new mother needs support at this time of life more than at any other time.
A dad can also get involved with feeding his child, even though mom is breastfeeding. A mother can express her milk and store it for later use. The baby can then be fed mom’s milk with a bottle at a later time. No reason why dad can’t do this. In fact it can be a real benefit to the mother during those nighttime feeds as she can stay in bed and catch up on some sleep while dad does the feeding.
Breastfeeding can be a ’selfish’ activity for a mother. A lot of women who breastfeed, cherish the intimacy between mom and baby. Breastfeeding can be the most intimate experience for a woman; a physical bond between two people where one is nurturing the other in the most fundamental way. So, it’s understandable that some mothers are reluctant to hand over feeding of their baby to someone else, even if it is the baby’s father. But, if the father is feeling somewhat left-out-of-things then perhaps it’s time to let the father bottle feed the baby with the mother’s expressed milk. The level of intimacy they feel toward their baby when feeding surprises most fathers.
A be patient with dad. When he first starts to bottle feed his child he is bound to feel a little unsure of how best to do things. Show him how to hold the baby; how to soothe; how to notice signs of when the baby is hungry and when he’s satiated. Soon, with a little gentle instruction, he’ll be feeding baby as good as mom. And, he’ll probably exchange notes with mom on the little improvements the baby is making at feeding time.
A couple raising a child need to approach it as a team effort. Sometimes, both mom and dad do things together and sometimes they swap roles. Flexibility is key. When one of the parents is feeling too tired, or fed up to take care of baby, the other can step in, thereby giving the other a rest. This swapping and sharing responsibilities can also include breastfeeding.
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