Are you screaming with frustration over your baby's colic? Exhausted because your little angel can't seem to fall asleep? Maybe your delightful little one is too little and can't seem to gain weight? There is help for all of these problems and more. New research shows that infant massage is effective in reducing or eliminating a number of problems besetting babies.

Research has shown that massage benefits infants psychosocially, developmentally and physiologically. The benefits last as well. A study showing the link between massage and weight gain in premature infants followed the infants after they left the hospital. The babies continued to gain more weight than the non-massaged control group even after the massage had been stopped for more than eight months. Anthropological researchers have discovered an even more lasting effect: cultures who regularly practice infant massage have adults who are less aggressive and less violent.

History of Infant Massage in the US
Infant massage was popularized by Vimala McClure, a Boulder, Colorado yoga teacher, who learned the technique in India. In 1978 she developed a training program for infant massage instructors, and in 1986 the organization she founded, the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM) was incorporated as a non-profit organization. Today IAIM has more than 27 chapters world wide.

Infant Massage and Depression
Infant massage performed by depressed teenage mothers has been proven to have a beneficial effect not only on the baby but also on the mother. After performing daily massage on their infants, teen mothers show less depression and more developmentally appropriate interactions with their babies. Elderly volunteers were also less depressed after massaging infants, despite the fact that the infants were not related to them. These volunteers showed a greater decrease in depression after giving massage than after receiving it.

Benefits of Infant Massage
Babies who are regularly massaged do better on developmental tests than do babies who are not massaged. Babies learn best in what pediatricians call the quiet-alert state. Babies who receive regular massage spend more time in the quiet-alert state. When in the quiet-alert state, babies are quiet, alert, attentive, make direct eye contact, and respond to voices.

Research has also shown that babies who are massaged regularly release lower amounts of the so-called stress hormones. Stress hormones like cortisol and norephinephrine are released during stressful episodes and cause many of the bodily symptoms we associate with stress.

Massage stimulates the vagus nerve, one of the 12 cranial nerves. Vagal stimulation during massage is thought to lead to an increased release of food absorbing hormones like insulin, resulting in the increased weight gain seen in massaged babies. Studies have shown an increase in weight in massaged infants even though the control group consumed both the same volume of food and the same number of calories.

Babies who are massaged have better relationships with their fathers, and the fathers show more confidence in their care for their babies. The whole family benefits.

Massage Plan
The main thing to remember with any massage plan is not to be too rigid. This is a suggested massage plan. You must do what feels right to you and your baby.

Prior to giving any massage make sure your fingernails are short and filed smooth.

Use a baby safe oil — an oil you would use for cooking. I prefer cold-pressed almond oil, but any pure food oil can be used. Never use a mineral oil or any other inedible oil.

You may want to prepare the room you are going to do the massage in by turning on a space heater about one half to one hour before starting. Begin by undressing your baby down to his diaper. Lay the baby on a folded towel or other warm soft surface.

Always start by asking your baby's permission, even with a pre-verbal infant. Your infant will quickly learn to associate the question (even if they do not understand the actual words they will recognize the pattern of sounds) with a massage and will let you know if it's ok. Always follow your child's lead. Remember, massage is something you do with your child not to them.

Massage the head and scalp gently, but firmly, with your fingertips. Make sure not to press on the fontanel (soft spot). In general, babies like gentle but firm pressure. Too soft a touch will feel ticklish and may irritate rather than soothe your baby. Rub each ear between two fingers, following the shape of the ear. Use a slightly lighter touch on the ears than you did on the scalp. Be especially careful with the ears of premature infants. The cartilage of a "preemie"'s ear has not yet hardened to the point of having a definitive shape until their due date. Trace the outline of your child's face beginning at the top with the forehead and working your way down to the chin. Walk your fingers back up to the eyebrows and, using your forefinger and thumb, trace the eyebrows from the nose side out to the ear side. Make several circles at the temples with your forefingers, come across the cheek bones and very gently rub the top of the nose from bridge to tip and the sides in the same manner, being careful not to press the nostrils closed. Teething children will vary in whether or not they like having their gums massaged, so use your discretion. Work the back of the baby's neck with the baby lying on his back. Then bring your hands around to the front, massaging the shoulder and neck as you go.

Choose one arm to work first. Tap the muscle of the upper arm to relax the arm and then, lifting the arm, work the muscles from hand to chest. Rub the arm between both hands as if you were making a snake from Play-Doh^TM. Holding the hand, rub the palms of the hand, with your thumbs, outward toward the fingers and pull gently on each finger. Repeat with the other arm.

Work your way down the chest. When you get to the bottom of the rib cage, turn your hand so that it lies across the baby's body and gently press into the abdomen as you move your hand down toward the baby's diaper. Don't be surprised if the baby expels gas or moves his bowels while you are doing this move. As your first hand gets close to the top of the diaper, lay your other hand on the bottom of the rib cage. Do this 3 or 4 times.

Move down to one leg. Use all of the same moves on each leg that you used on each arm. Don't forget the soles of the feet. They are great places to massage. If you use a slightly firmer stroke it will not be ticklish, but as always, follow your baby's cues. If the baby doesn't like foot massage, skip it, and work on the other leg.

Turn the baby over (if he is not asleep) and work the back with long firm strokes from the head to bottom. If your baby has not moved his bowels during the massage, you can loosen his diaper and work the muscles of the buttocks as well. Work the muscles along the ridge of the spine firmly but gently, but do not run your hands over the ridge. Since the bone is so close to the surface, it is uncomfortable to have pressure applied there.

The entire massage should take about 5–10 minutes the first two to three times, and you can gradually work up to 15–20 minutes. Make it part of your daily routine and enjoy this special time with your baby.

Leslie Hope has been licensed, certified massage therapist since 1988 when she graduated from the Massage Institute of New England. She is the owner of the Healing Hands of Hope in Boston, Mass.