Infant Massage May 27, 2003 Infant Massage Can Be The Answer To Many of Baby’s Discomforts Is there a newborn in your life? If so, chances are good that you would love to know how to help relieve baby’s discomfort from colic, teething, constipation, digestive problems, and sleeplessness. At the same time you could be improving your little one’s overall development and your own comfort level as a new parent. Sound too good to be true? Marie Wimmer and Carla Brotherton, coordinators at Catawba Valley Medical Center’s HealthFirst Center, recently became certified infant massage instructors through the International Association of Infant Massage. Here are just a few reasons why massage therapy is good for many babies! THE HEALTHFIRST CENTER’S TOP TEN REASONS TO MASSAGE YOUR BABY (1) Enhance parent-child bonding and attachment. Massage provides an opportunity to connect, interact and share quality time with your child at any age. Massage encourages communication between parent and child. (2) Relaxation: A special time for parent and baby to relax and unwind from the busy pace of life. (3) Encourages positive parenting skills. Massage helps the parent to feel more competent and confident in their parent role. It helps families set up a routine of pleasure, nurturing and fun. (4) Enhanced emotional and social development. Regular massage increases the baby’s ability to maintain a receptive quiet alert state which allows more social/fun time between parent and child. (5) Infant Stimulation: Massage strengthens and regulates the digestive, respiratory, and circulatory systems. (6) Sleep: A majority of babies appear to have longer periods of deep sleep following regular massages. (7) Easing Colic: Special strokes for the abdomen can relieve pain and help the baby relax so that tension does not increase their discomfort. (8) Relief of discomfort: Massage releases oxytocin and endorphins which can assist in relieving discomfort from teething, congestion and stress. (9) Family: Massage can be a wonderful way for Dad or other regular care givers to spend special time with the baby. (10) Fun: Babies are smart and learn quickly to recognize the parent’s cues that they are going to get a massage. The smiles, kicks and coos are priceless! Classes are now being scheduled; to find out more, please call the HealthFirst Center at 828-485-2300. The HealthFirst Center at Valley Hills Mall is a service of Catawba Valley Medical Center, a not-for-profit healthcare system providing and promoting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of the public. The Center serves as a convenient location for health education and wellness services. CVMC was recently designated as the thirty-second Magnet facility in the nation and the second in the Carolinas.