newborn baby massage oil

THE BENEFITS OF BABY MASSAGE

It is now well documented that baby massage can play a vital role in aiding relaxation, digestion and to promote bonding. Research has also found massage to be a valuable tool in encouraging weight gain, particularly for the premature baby. Supervised massage is an ideal way for older siblings to bond with a new baby and is a great way to get Dad involved in caring for his newborn. For toddlers who seem unable to lie still, massage time can also be used as ‘sharing’ time or story time and provide an opportunity for quiet and gentle communication. The long, rhythmic and fluid strokes of massage can be instrumental in helping even older children prepare for slumber and are definitely nurturing and soothing to us all.

Some parents, however, fail to understand the importance of the actual product they use to massage their baby. For a newborn or very young infant, a good choice may be a cold pressed, preferably organic natural oil which is petro-chemical free. Oils such as sweet almond or jojoba are ideal but offer little nourishment to the skin alone. A pre-blended product that is Aroma-Free™ (no essential oils or added fragrance) and contains a simple mix of cold pressed, naturally nourishing oils such as calendula or evening primrose oils may provide additional benefits to dry, sensitive skin. These types of oils are rich in natural fatty acids and vitamins and can help to moisture dry skin whilst providing a medium for gentle, fluid movement.

Both infant massage Associations in Australia (IMA Infant Massage Australia and IAIM International Association of Infant Massage) recommend unscented/Aroma-Free™ massage oils for young babies which is in line with UK-based research that suggests unscented product in general is best for new babies. Despite this, some brands rely on vague product labelling or marketing which is possibly designed to confuse consumers.

At AROMABABY® we have developed a newborn baby massage oil that contains no essential oils, as a result of consultation with various members of both infant massage Associations in Australia, over a period of time. Our Mother & Child massage oil contains an added natural anti-oxidant to ensure a reasonable shelf life (a rancid oil could go undetected by a novice and can cause more harm to Baby than good) which is a high grade, certified gm free natural vitamin e (d-alpha Tocopherol). To learn more about our massage oils click here.

http://www.aromababy.com/massage.shtml