Rub-A-Dub
Who doesn’t love a good massage? If there is anyone who falls into that category, I’d love to meet her … and shake her while asking “Why? Why!?” It’s been awhile since I had my regular massages at Equinox, and I miss them oh so much; my baby-carrying muscles could really benefit from a good rubdown. The baby herself, though, did inherit my love of a good massage, which I found out yesterday when trying out the Baby Massage Shirt.
The Baby Massage Shirt is a clever and cute little onesie (or T-shirt for 6 to 12 months) that is designed to teach parents and caregivers how to effectively massage infants. With color-coded instructions and arrows, figuring out how to massage a wriggling baby is a breeze. Along with the shirt, I received the Hands on Baby Massage book directly from Michelle Ebbin, a certified infant massage instructor. The book is chock full of great information on the benefits and how-tos of infant massage, including a section on massaging acolicky baby. It’s a great companion to the shirt itself as it gives much more in-depth massage know-how. (Helpful hint when purchasing: The book comes with a shirt, so spend the extra $5 to get both!)
Avery loves her massage onesie and awarded it a big, gummy grin!
Baby massage can help relieve many common baby problems, including gas, constipation, congestion, colic and irritability. After a session of tummy time that had my almost 3-month-old daughter “complaining,” I rolled her over for our first massage session to see if a little belly rub would help her irritation. Sure enough, after a minute, she was happy as a clam, kicking her legs and smiling happily. Then she farted, so I think it also helped with some gas pains.
While all of the physical benefits of massage are reason enough to learn the basics, it’s also a fun bonding opportunity. Avery is getting more interactive, but there aren’t a ton of options for activities yet beyond reading (to myself mostly), bath time, tummy time and her play mat. Massage adds something fun to the mix and gives me additional time to feel that soft baby skin! —Erin