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BENEFITS OF INFANT MASSAGE IN 4 DISTINCT WAYS:

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STIMULATING

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Stimulates all the systems of the body including the: `

• Nervous system

• Circulatory system

• Respiratory system

• Elimination system

• Immune system
   

Stimulates the release of oxytocin, known as the cuddle hormone (is released in both parent and child), prolactin (promoting milk production in the mother) and other endorphins.

Reduces muscle stiffness and normalizes muscle tone.

RELAXING

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Reduces muscle stiffness and normalizes muscle tone.

• Helps relieve tension built up from all the stimulation in the baby's environment

• Helps babies handle sensory stimulation and respond in a relaxed manner

• Helps babies sleep better

• Helps regulate sleep/wake cycle

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RELIEF

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• Touch combined with vocalization helps reduce pain levels up to 80%

• Helps tone digestive tract

• Helps alleviate gas and promote elimination

• Releases hormones for food absorption

• Releases endorphins, natural pain killers, to ease emotional distress

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BONDING AND ATTACHMENT

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• Infant massage draws on all the elements of bonding and attachment

• Eye-to-eye contact, skin-to-skin, body scent, vocalization, taste, responsiveness

• Hormones stimulated by infant massage promote bonding and attachment between parent and baby

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DOCUMENTED BENEFITS OF INFANT MASSAGE

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IMPROVED SLEEP PATTERNS

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• Infants experience improved sleep immediately after being massaged.
  Argal KN, Gupta A, Pushkarna R, Bhargava SK, Faridi MMA, Prabhu MK, Effects of massage & use of oil on growth, blood flow & sleep pattern in infants. India J Med Res. 2000:112, 212-217

• Infants who were massaged before bedtime adjusted to a more favorable rest-activity cycle by the age of 8 weeks and produced more melatonin, a sleep regulator, during the night by the age of 12 weeks.
  Ferber SG, Laudon M, Kuint J, Weller A, Zisapel N. Massage therapy and sleep-wake rhythms in the neonate. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics 2002:23(6):410-415

• Infants and toddlers with sleep onset problems were given daily massages by their parents for 15 minutes prior to bedtime for one month. The massaged babies showed fewer sleep delay behaviors and had a shorter latency to sleep onset by the end of the study. During the day, babies were more awake, alert and active.
  Field, T., & Hernandez-Reif, M., (2001). Sleep problems in infants decrease following massage therapy. Early Child Development and Care, 168, 95-104.
   

REDUCTION OF STRESS

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• Cortisol levels, a stress indicator, were significantly lower after infant massage.
  Acolet D, Modi N, Giannakoulopoulos X, et al. Changes in plasma cortisol and catecholamine concentrations in response to massage in preterm infants. Arch Dis Child. 1993;68:29-31.

• Massaged pre-term infants showed fewer stress behaviors and less activity during a five-day study.
  Hernandez-Reif, M., Diego, M. & Field, T. (2007). Preterm infants show reduced stress behaviors and activity after 5 days of massage therapy. Infant Behavior & Development, 30,557-61.
   

ENHANCED MOTOR DEVELOPMENT

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• Premature infants experienced enhanced motor development and improved Brazelton neonatal behavioral assessment scores.
  Dieter JNI. Emory ED. Supplemental stimulation of premature infants: a treatment model. J Pediatr Psychol. 1997;22(3):281-295.

• Massage of premature infants successfully modulated infant state.
  White-Traut RC, Pate CM, Modulating infant state in premature infants. J Pediatr Nurs. 1987;2(2):96-101.

• Infants born of HIV+ mothers who were massaged three times daily had significantly more optimal scores on the Brazelton neonatal behavioral assessment, including habituation, motor, range of state, autonomic stability, excitability, and stress behaviors.
  Scafidi F, Field T, Massage therapy improves behavior in neonates born to HIS-positive mothers, J Pediatr Psychol. 1996;21(6):889-897.
   

IMPROVED FAMILY INTERACTION

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• Fathers who used massage techniques with their infants experienced increased self-esteem as parents. The babies greeted their fathers with more eye contact, smiling, vocalizing and reaching responses. The fathers were more expressive and showed more enjoyment and more warmth during floor-play interactions with their infants.
  Cullen, D., Field, T., Escalona, A., & Hartshorn, K. (2000). Father-infant interactions are enhanced by massage therapy. Early Child
   

HELP FOR DEPRESSED MOTHERS AND BABIES

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• Massaged babies of depressed, adolescent mothers gained more weight, had improved sociability and soothability temperament scores, and experienced greater decreased in urinary stress hormones. They cried less and had lower stress levels.
  Development and Care, 164, 41-47. Field T, Grizzle N, Scafidi F, Abrams S, Richarson S. Massage therapy for infants of depressed mothers. Infant Behav Dev 1996;19;109-114.

• Learning the practice of infant massage by mothers may be an effective treatment for facilitating mother-infant interaction in mothers with postnatal depression. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression scores improved for the mothers who learned massage, as did their video-taped mother-baby interactions.
  Onozawa K, Glover V, Adams D, Modi N, Kumar RC. Infant massage improves mother-infant interaction for mothers with postnatal depression.

• Infants of depressed mothers who experienced massage therapy (compared to infants who were rocked) spent more time in active alert and active awake states, cried less, and had lower salivary cortisol levels, suggesting lower stress. The massage-therapy infants gained more weight, showed greater improvement on emotionality, sociability, and soothability temperament dimensions, and had greater decrease in urinary stress catecholamines/hormones (norepinephrine, epinephrine, and cortisol).
  Field, T., Grizzle, N., Scafidi. F., Abrams, S., Richardson, S., Kuhn, C., & Schanberg, S. (1996). Massage therapy for infants of depressed mothers. Infant Behavior and Development, 19, 107-112.
   

INCREASED WEIGHT GAIN FOR PREMATURE INFANTS

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• Premature infants that were massaged regularly had higher daily weight gain, increased motor activity, and better Brazelton neonatal behavioral assessment scores. They had a better conversion of calories to weight gain.
  Field TM, Schanberg SM, Scafidi F, et al. Tactile/kinesthetic stimulation effects on preterm neonates. Pediatrics. 1986:77 (5):654-658.
  Phillips RB, Moses HA. Skin hunger effects on preterm neonates. Infant Toddler Intervention. 1996;(1);39-46.
   

HELP FOR COCAINE-EXPOSED BABIES

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• Massage cocaine-exposed infants averaged a 28% greater weight gain over a 10 day period, had fewer stress behaviors, improved orientation behaviors and better motor scores.
  Wheeden A, Scafidi FA, Field, T., Ironson G, Valdeon C, Bandstra E. Massage effects on cocaine-exposed preterm neonates. Dev. Behav Pediatr. 1993:14(5);318-322.

• Cocaine exposed newborns had fewer postnatal complications and showed increased weight gain, and better performance on the Brazelton Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale (particularly on the motor scale), and less stress behaviors following 10 days of massage.
  Scafidi F, Field T, Wheeden A, Schanberg S, Kuhn C, Symanski R, Zimmerman E, Bandstra ES. Cocaine exposed preterm neonates show behavioral and hormonal differences. Pediatrics 1996:97:851-855.
   

SAFE FOR MEDICALLY FRAGILE INFANTS

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• A parent-trained touch massage protocol for medically fragile infants in a level III neonatal intensive care unit was both feasible and sage. Babies remained physiologically stable and had no change in agitation/pain scores.
  Livingston K, Beider S, Kant AG, et al. Touch and Massage for Medically Fragile Infants. 2007.

• A greater increase in temperature was noted for pre-term infants receiving massage therapy even though incubator portholes remained open during the massage.
  Diego, M.A, Field T. & Hernandezz-Reif, M (2008). Temperature increases in preterm infants during massage therapy. Infant Behavior & Development, 31, 149 -52.