Baby Massage (part V) / Masajul la bebelusi (Partea a-V-a)

BACK OF THE BABY

1. EFFLEURAGE STROKES DOWNTHE BACK Place one hand horizontally across the top of your baby’s back, just below his neck, and stroke firmly towards you. Lift your hand off when it reaches his bottom, but just before you do, place your other hand in the starting position. Stroke downwards as before.
Repeat these strokes several times.
2. MASSAGING THE SHOULDERS Place one hand on either side of the neck and stroke along the shoulders towards the arms, using the whole surface of each hand. Repeat several times. Babies and parents often have identical tension spots, so if your own shoulders and neck tend to be tense, make a point of performing this stroke on your baby. For this part of the massage position your baby on his tummy with his feet closest to you. If he is used to sleeping on his back or side, he may not like lying on his tummy, but try and encourage him to do so as it will contribute to his gross motor development. Massaging his back can be a pleasurable way of familiarizing him with this position. Initially, he may tolerate only a short stretch of time on his tummy, so perform as much of the back routine as he allows and build it up slowly. As he will not be able to see you, talk to him and make reassuring sounds to comfort him as you massage.
3. LITTLE CIRCLES DOWN THE SPINE Position your thumbs on either side of your baby’s spine, just below the neck. Make small circular movements with your thumbs while moving them down the back towards his bottom. Make sure your thumbs are on either side of the spine, and not on the spine itself.
4. PULLING THE SIDES Place your hands horizontally across your baby’s back (see right). Cross your arms and slide your right hand to his left side and your left hand to his right side. Bring your hands back to the starting position simultaneously, pulling the flesh on the sides of the torso gently towards the spine with your fingers. Make these horizontal movements several times, moving your hands up and down his back as you do so, so that you massage the sides along the whole length of the torso.
5. BIG STROKES ACROSS THE BACK AND SHOULDERS Place your hands next to each other on your baby’s back, with your right hand closer to his head. Keeping your left hand in place, move your right hand to your baby’s right side, then diagonally up towards and over the left shoulder.Then glide the hand down to his right hip. Now move your left hand towards his left side, then diagonally up and over his right shoulder, and
down to the left hip. Place your hands back in the starting position and repeat the stroke several times.
6. MASSAGING THE BASE OF THE SPINE Place the heel of your hand in the dimple directly above the centre of your baby’s bottom, at the base of his spine. Circle clockwise with gentle pressure several times.