Studies have proven that massage helps newborn babies grow better, quicker, helps to improve digestion, and, more importantly, eases colic. Infant massage facilitates weight gain in preemies and decreases your baby’s level of stress hormones, in addition to balancing the sleep/wake cycle.

Nurturing touch is very important for children’s physical, social, behavioral, mental, and cognitive development. It stimulates the immune system which, in turn, helps to protect against illness and infection.

Babies are not the only ones benefiting from therapeutic massage – their mothers benefit as well. By Mom giving a massage to her baby, it increases nurturing hormones like oxytocin, and prolactin and increases the bonding between mother and child. It also helps Dad as well by relaxing the family as a whole.

When a newborn infant has the condition known as colic, it puts a stress on both Mom and Dad, but most importantly, it puts stress on the baby. Digestion is compromised, and the end result is pain for your child, which will manifest itself as crying, and staying up all night. There are other people out there that feel your pain Moms and Dads! There is, however, a heavily researched, effective way to ease those pains, and sleepless nights! Therapeutic infant massage, is a good way to bond with your newborn, and improve circulation, protecting the babies immune systems.

Here are several books that will help you to learn how easy and effective massage can be when used to care for your newborn:

• Baby Massage: The Calming Power of Touch by Alan Heath and Nicki Bainbridge
• Loving Hands: The Traditional Art of Baby Massage by Frederick Leboyer
• Chinese Massage For Infants And Children: Traditional Techniques for Alleviating Colic, Colds, Earaches, and Other Common Childhood Conditions by Kyle Cline