Caresses, kisses, and hugs are ways to express the affection and love you feel for your loved ones. In their own way, these gestures also form a language—a way of communicating. That’s why massaging your baby is a way many mothers and fathers choose to connect with their newborn and show their boundless love; a routine that, in addition to becoming a moment of connection and joy , offers multiple benefits for your baby’s development and well-being. Without a doubt, LILLYDOO sweet almond oil will be a great ally for fully enjoying these little moments. Do you want to know all the benefits of massaging your baby? Then keep reading this article! 😉

6 benefits of massaging the baby

As we mentioned, massaging your baby has many positive effects, both for your little one and for the relationship and bond that parents are building with their newborn. These are some of the main benefits of establishing a routine of relaxing massages in your baby’s daily life:

Strengthen the bond and communication

Massage is a moment of connection between parents and their child—a time of relaxation and physical contact that stimulates the production of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for well-being and attachment. This connection also encourages verbal and non-verbal communication with your baby: whispered words, gazes, smiles, and gestures. After all, as we mentioned earlier, a massage is a language in itself—a way of communicating.

Stimulates the sense of touch

Touch is probably one of the most developed senses in newborns. That’s why they are so sensitive to the way they are touched. Babies receive a lot of information about their environment through the skin, an organ that also allows them to experience sensations (cold, heat, pressure, softness, tenderness, affection). Therefore, massaging your baby helps further stimulate their sense of touch and provides them, through your contact, with a pleasurable experience filled with comforting sensations.

Better hydrated skin

As we’ll see below in the tips section, to massage your baby it’s recommended to use a body cream or oil, such as LILLYDOO sweet almond oil . Thanks to it, while you massage your little adventurer, you’ll also be hydrating and caring for their delicate skin .

Help the baby understand the boundaries of their body

A newborn doesn’t yet have a true awareness of their body. However, with massages, you can help them gradually develop awareness of the limits of their body , since your caresses can help create a kind of mental map of their body’s boundaries.

Relieves stomach discomfort

Massaging your baby can help you notice discomfort, such as that caused by colic, reflux, gas, or constipation . If your baby fusses when you massage the tummy area, you can help relieve that discomfort by focusing your massage on that specific area.

Relaxation and better sleep

The goal is to relax your baby and help them release stress and tension. Yes, it’s true that your little adventurer doesn’t have the most stressful job in the world, but each day brings new and numerous stimuli that can be overwhelming. A massage can help your little one release the small tensions of daily life and, thanks to this, enjoy deeper, more restorative sleep—which will be a gift for you, too, right? 😉

Tips for massaging the baby

There is no specific age to start enjoying a routine of relaxing massages with your baby. In fact, you can massage your baby from their first days of life , although in that case it’s recommended to keep massages very short and focused on a single part of the body, preferably the extremities (hands and feet). Little by little, you can extend the massage duration to 15–20 minutes and add more areas until the massage covers their entire body. Take advantage especially of the first few months for these bonding moments, because when your little adventurer starts to sit up, crawl, and walk, giving them a massage can become quite a challenge.

Just as there is no specific age to start massages, there is also no perfect time of day to give them. You can take advantage of any moment in the morning when your baby is relaxed, extend bath time , or wait until night so the massage becomes part of the bedtime routine. These last two options have an advantage: they help establish a daily routine that babies appreciate. Over time, you’ll discover the moment that works best for you and your little adventurer.

Whether after a bath or in bed before sleeping, it’s important to create an environment that encourages relaxation , with soft lighting and, if you like, relaxing music. You can also set a calming mood through temperature (ideally, preheat the room to around 24°C) and make sure there aren’t objects in sight that could attract your baby’s attention and stimulate them.

Step by step to give a relaxing massage

As we mentioned earlier, once your baby is a few weeks old, the relaxing massage can cover their entire body . Massaging your baby isn’t the same as simply caressing them, so you’ll need to apply a little more pressure, without overdoing it. Little by little, you’ll discover the level of pressure that feels most comfortable for you and your little adventurer. Before you start, we recommend that you remove rings or other jewelry and check your nails to avoid scratching your baby’s skin. Everything ready? Then put a little oil on your hands, rub them together to warm it up, and get started:

1. Piernas y pies: ideally, start the massage with the extremities , preferably the legs. Wrap your baby’s thigh with your hand and slide it down to their ankle, repeating the movement several times. Next, do the same on the other leg before moving on to the feet. On the feet, slide your thumb several times from their heel to their toes, and then take a moment to massage each of those little toes with affection.

2. Arms and hands: the process for these limbs is the same as what you did for the legs and feet. Wrap their arm and slide your hand from their armpit to their wrist. Repeat the movement several times on each arm. Next, massage the palm of their hand in circles with your thumb, and then widen the motion to reach each finger.

3. Pecho y abdomen: the massage in the abdominal area should be gentle . Here, you can do two movements. First, place your hands horizontally over the abdomen and repeat a downward motion several times (first with one hand and then with the other) down to below the navel. Second, place your hands upright on their tummy and, with your thumbs pointing toward the navel, gently slide your hands outward, as if opening the pages of a book. Keep this last movement in mind, because it’s the same one that will help you massage your little adventurer’s chest area.

4. Back: Go ahead and massage the back. Gently turn your baby and place them on their stomach . For the back, use a crosswise movement, sliding your hand several times from the left shoulder blade to the right buttock, then doing the same from the right shoulder blade to the left buttock.

And that’s the end of the massage routine! If you have any questions, or if your baby doesn’t feel comfortable with massages, you can always consult your primary pediatrician. Nowadays, there are also multiple courses to learn how to massage the baby where experts can show you, live and in person, all the necessary techniques. In addition, you’ll be able to meet and exchange opinions with other parents.