Irina Afanasyevna Babikova
About the benefits of baby massage

Every doctor should master the art massage, his hands should be eyes, and a loving heart should give people a feeling of happiness and health!

Hippocrates

Massage- this is a set of techniques by which a dosed reflex and mechanical effect is exerted on human tissues and organs with a therapeutic or prophylactic purpose. Massage has a beneficial effect on the entire body. The saturation of cells with oxygen improves, metabolic processes normalize, lymphatic drainage is stimulated, the elasticity of ligaments and joints increases, and muscle tone returns to normal. And the nervous system also calms down, because we are all pleased when we are stroked on the back.

Wellness massage is one of the elements, which make up the so-called "healthy lifestyle". Feelings after massage- quite another matter. Once you try it, you will understand that things are different. Coming to massage to a competent professional, a person is resting, but in fact the muscles get a load. You work for your health, for your future.

Children's massage unique in its healing properties that have a beneficial effect on the growing body of the child. Even a short session massage useful for the functioning of the vital organs of a small person. At the same time, it is important to know that massage it is especially necessary at the age of 1 to 6 years, because then it contributes not only to general improvement, but also to the acceleration of development. First of all, we are talking about full-fledged physical development and stimulation of mental and motor activity.

In the same time massage has a positive effect on the child’s intellectual activity. This is due to a beneficial effect on the nervous system, which is ultimately inevitably associated with the work of the brain, which functions due to the impulses coming from the receptors.

Regular massage helps prevent various diseases of the skeletal and muscular systems. Not by chance massage used as one of the main therapeutic agents for disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, if we talk about preventive measures, the beneficial effect is all the more obvious.

Currently, most children attend preschool institutions. Pupils stay in kindergartens for quite a long time, and parents pick them up late in the evening. As a result, parents and children have very little time to engage with each other and pay much attention. However, every parent wants their baby to grow up healthy and strong, since there is nothing more valuable in our world than health. Meanwhile, for good health, it is important to develop a child physically, since it is full and comprehensive physical development that will create the foundation for high-quality mental development later.

Important aspects of good physical development are children's massage and gymnastics, which the child is quite capable of doing while spending time in kindergarten. Massage improves digestion, as it helps increase the secretion of digestive hormones. It is this fact that contributes to better growth of the baby. Massage has a beneficial effect on the child's behavior. Children sleep better and are less capricious. They are more sociable and organized. Many kids during massage They quickly calm down and fall asleep.

Teaching the simplest massage tricks happens in the game. Children perform massage, themselves are at the same time a character in a fairy tale, entertainment, travel. Children reinforce the skills of correctly performing basic tasks in the game. self-massage, develop fine muscles of the fingers.

When conducting massage It is recommended to teach children not to press with force on the indicated points, but massage them with soft finger movements, lightly pressing or lightly stroking. Massaging movements should be performed in the direction from the periphery to the center (from hands to shoulder, etc.).

At massage fingers should use the following techniques:

1) stretching each finger and pressing on it;

2) rubbing the fingers of one hand with the fingers of the other, as if putting a ring on each finger.

At We use techniques to massage other parts of the body:

Stroking

Trituration,

Kneading,

Effleurage.

In order to develop children's good habit of doing massage regularly, it should not be tedious for them. Process self-massage It should be fun for children, not cause pain, evoke positive emotions, and its elements and the sequence of their implementation should be easy to remember. Game self-massage serves as a good training for children in imaginative thinking, trains their memory, helps to quickly and easily remember poems and songs, and helps strengthen mental and physical health.

Spot self-massage for children it is performed by pressing the fingertips on the skin and muscles at the locations of energetically active points. This kind massage can serve as a relaxing or stimulating agent, with use together it has a positive effect on the child’s body. Used it is mainly for normalizing nervous processes and most often it is self-massage soles and toes, hands, head and face. We need to teach children not to push when massage with all my might, and press lightly, carefully.

FACE MASSAGE“WASH YOUR NOSE”

"Crane, open!"- with our right hand we make rotational movements, "opening" tap.

“Nose, wash your face!”- rub the wings of the nose with the index fingers of both hands.

“Wash both eyes at once”- We gently move our hands over the eyes.

“Wash your ears!”- rub your ears with your palms.

“Wash yourself, neck!”- with gentle movements we stroke the front of the neck.

“Neck, wash yourself thoroughly!”- stroke the back of the neck, from the base of the skull to the chest.

“Wash, wash, shower yourself! – Gently stroke the cheeks.

“Dirt, wash away! Dirt, wash away!”- three palms touching each other.

HAND MASSAGE

Intense pressure on the fingertips stimulates blood flow to the hands. This promotes psycho-emotional stability and physical health, increases the functional activity of the brain, and tones the entire body.

We chop and chop cabbage

(cutting movements with the edges of the palms)

We are three carrots, three

(rubbing motion with knuckles)

We salt the cabbage, salt it

(spot touches with fingers)

We press cabbage, we press

(squeezing muscles with fingers)

We drink cabbage juice, we drink

(stroking movements with palms

Swallow, quail (Russian game)

The child's right palm rests on the adult's left palm. Slowly, quietly and affectionately adult pronounces: swallow - and at the same time he runs the fingers of his right hand along the baby’s thumb from base to tip. Then, with the same word, he strokes the baby’s second finger. Having fingered several of the child’s fingers in this way, the adult, without changing intonation, pronounces simultaneously with stroking: "Quail." The child’s task is to withdraw his hand as quickly as possible, since on the last syllable of this word the adult will grab him by the tip of his finger and begin to shake him, joyfully sentencing: "Caught, caught!" After the “quail” “was caught” or “flew away,” the game continues with the baby’s other hand. Having mastered the game, the child himself often suggests changing roles and happily catches the “quail” - the adult’s finger.

ABDOMINAL MASSAGE

Lying on your back:

The child strokes his belly clockwise. He pats with the edge of his palm, with his fist, strokes again, pinches and strokes again.

Target: improve bowel function.

On the left side, he presses several times more deeply with his fingers, as if using a stick to check the readiness of the dough.

Target: impact on the sieve and normalization of stool.

FOOT MASSAGE

Child in lotus position

Pulling the foot of his left foot towards him, the child kneads his toes, strokes between the toes, spreads his toes; presses hard on the heel, rubs the foot, pinches, pats the toes, heel, convex part of the foot; makes rotational movements with the foot, stretches the toe and heel forward, then pats the entire foot with the palm of the hand. Likewise with the other leg.

Strokes, pinches, rubs vigorously the legs and thighs, "puts on" imaginary stocking, then "takes it off and resets it" shaking hands.

Target: impact on biologically active points located on the legs.

All parents dream of raising their children healthy and happy. New technologies enable modern parents to receive a large amount of information about their children and ways to improve their health. Fresh air, sunlight and warmth, nutritious and varied nutrition, love and care from adults - these are the factors without which the harmonious and full development of your beloved child is impossible.

But even today, many underestimate the importance of movements for young children. You can often hear: “I have a wonderful baby, so calm!...” Yes, it is convenient when a child lies quietly in a crib, sits calmly in a chair or stands in a playpen, and obediently walks with an adult by the hand. But restriction of natural mobility and insufficient physical activity have an extremely adverse effect on both the baby’s health and the formation of his personality. The lack of physical activity can be perfectly compensated by children's massage and special gymnastics. Every young child should receive massage and gymnastics, and if with healthy children classes begin at 1-1.5 months, then with children who have any developmental disabilities, children's massage and gymnastics should begin as early as possible.

INFLUENCE OF CHILDREN'S MASSAGE ON THE CHILD'S BODY.

Massage, affecting the child’s body, performs a number of functions:

1) has a positive effect on the skin - mechanically cleanses it, improves turgor;

2) affects blood and lymphatic vessels, causing their expansion, stimulating blood flow and trophism (nutrition);

3) normalizes the functions of the gastrointestinal tract, during flatulence it helps relieve the intestines of gases, improves peristalsis, which is very important for constipation. Massage is often recommended for children with eating disorders, gastritis, colitis;

4) has an effect on the central and peripheral nervous system, and normalizes sleep in excitable, nervous children; ensures timely extinction of unconditioned reflexes and the formation of conditioned ones;

5) has a positive effect on the respiratory system - the functions of the respiratory muscles improve, which results in improved lung function;

6) affects the cardiovascular system (accelerates blood flow, which affects the functioning of the heart);

7) helps to increase the overall resistance of the body. Those children who regularly undergo massage treatments are less likely to suffer from acute respiratory infections and other diseases.

Moreover, children's massage should be daily - it will help the child cope with the load not only physical, but also emotional.

CHILDREN'S MASSAGE AT AN EARLY AGE

Every newborn experiences postpartum stress in the first weeks of life, since after birth he finds himself in a new environment, and infant massage is the most optimal way to normalize the baby’s mental and physical state, as well as to develop his motor skills. Touching the skin helps a newborn overcome stress by activating the body's internal reserves and improving the emotional state.

Premature babies who are prescribed baby massage recover faster and gain weight better.

You can begin this procedure at 2-3 weeks of age as prescribed by your pediatrician.

Massage is an active preventive and therapeutic method, the essence of which consists in applying dosed mechanical irritations to the child’s naked body using various techniques performed by the hands of a massage therapist.

Classic baby massage includes the same techniques that are used in regular massage (stroking, rubbing, kneading, vibration). Not all classical massage techniques (especially shock vibration techniques) can be used in children in the first year of life. Naturally, the strength of their impact should be different than when massaging an adult.

CHILDREN'S MASSAGE AS A METHOD OF RECOVERY FOR VARIOUS DISORDERS

Massage is effective if your child has disorders such as torticollis, flat feet, clubfoot, congenital hip dislocation, planovalgus foot, X-shaped and O-shaped leg deformities. If they are not eliminated, spinal diseases and dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system are possible in the future. Also, baby massage is effective for intestinal colic, muscle hypertonicity (a very high percentage of newborns suffer from it) and hypotonicity, umbilical hernias under the age of one year, which allows in some cases to avoid surgical intervention.

However, like all other treatment methods, massage is most effective in the early stages of the disease, so parents should be very attentive to their baby; any suspicion of developmental abnormalities should be a reason to contact a specialist as soon as possible.

Massage is the first remedy in the treatment of scoliosis in children, which is one of the most common diseases of the spine. At least half of school students suffer from this disease to one degree or another.

The spine in children and adolescents is not yet strong, the load on it increases in a sitting position, and students have to spend more and more time at their desks.

Scoliosis can also occur at an early age, when impatient parents want the child to quickly learn to sit and walk, but his spine is not yet ready for such intense loads. Not everyone knows that scoliosis is considered an incurable disease, but in the initial stages the development of the disease can be stopped. Children's massage and therapeutic exercises are the main means in the fight against this pathology. Massage techniques in the treatment of scoliosis are different and depend on the degree of spinal deformity.

Massage, like any other treatment, requires a qualified approach. If your pediatrician has recommended massage to your child and you want to perform it yourself, it is better to have a qualified massage therapist give you your first massage lesson. Although it is better, of course, to undergo full training in massage courses before the birth of the child.

If you don’t dare to do this procedure yourself, then you should entrust the child to a specialist, because, despite the fact that there is nothing complicated in the process of baby massage, all movements are simple and understandable, you need to remember that experience in working with babies, as well as confidence in their actions help the massage therapist achieve better results. He has precise, experience-tested professional skills to influence the child’s skin, central nervous system, muscles and joints.

And if your baby has any developmental or health problems, then the help of a specialist is simply necessary for the reason that a children's massage therapist, focusing on the symptoms and course of the disease and feeling exactly how the baby reacts to certain massage techniques, has the opportunity to create the most effective method and get a positive result.

CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR CHILDREN'S MASSAGE

Baby massage is contraindicated for:

1. acute febrile conditions;
2. active form of tuberculosis;
3. severe forms of malnutrition;
4. purulent and other inflammatory lesions of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, lymph nodes, musculoskeletal system (eczema, impetigo, lymphadenitis, phlegmon, osteomyelitis, purulent arthritis, etc.)
5. diseases accompanied by brittle bones;
6. rickets at its peak with symptoms of hyperesthesia;
7. congenital decompensated heart defects;
8. various forms of hemorrhagic diathesis;
9. acute nephritis;
10. acute hepatitis;
11. umbilical, femoral, inguinal and scrotal hernias of large size with prolapse of abdominal organs or with a tendency to strangulation;
12. various blood diseases (hemophilia, thrombocytopenia, leukemia, etc.).

CONDITIONS FOR MASSAGE

First of all, let's choose a place to conduct classes. This can be any hard surface, but a changing table is best. Cover it with a clean diaper, under which you place an oilcloth and a double-folded flannelette blanket. It is advisable to position the table so that it is possible to approach the child from different sides. The place for studying should be well lit, away from heating devices and drafts. The room must be well ventilated, and in the warm season it is better to carry out massage with an open vent (window) or in the fresh air, thus combining it with hardening. Massage should be carried out 40 minutes - 1 hour before feeding or 40 - 45 minutes after it.

List of used literature:

1. Korsak I.A., instructor-methodologist of physical rehabilitation. Article “Children's massage. The influence of massage on a child’s health,” Minsk, 2012.

2. Krasikova I.S. - “Children’s massage and gymnastics for the prevention and treatment of postural disorders, scoliosis and flat feet”, Corona-Vek, 2012.

3.Gorelikova E.A. - “Massage and gymnastics for children from 0 to 3”, Eksmo, 2012.

4.Medical massage center - article “About children's massage”, Moscow, 2013.

Olga Konopinskaya, neonatologist of the National Children's Hospital "Okhmatdet", graduate of the School of Creative Massage, course "Children's massage", November 2013

Things are getting stronger between them.

Mom's smiles, hugs, and touches are the key to raising a healthy and happy baby.

Maria Evgenievna BAULINA, candidate of psychological sciences, associate professor of the department of clinical psychology of the psychological and social faculty of the Russian State Medical University, member of the expert council JOHNSON'S® BABY: “At the first stage, from 0 to 2 months, the interaction between the newborn and the mother is dominated by touch, thanks to which the baby receives information about the existence of certain parts of the body, various postures and types of movements.”

Benefits of massage

This type of touch, such as massage, is one of the most important ways to establish a strong invisible connection between mother and baby. Children's preventive massage is necessary for every child from the first days of life; it is a wonderful way to convey to the baby the entire palette of possible tactile and vestibular sensations: pressure, stroking, patting. This procedure helps to strengthen the baby’s cardiovascular and nervous system, normalize the mother’s lactation, reduce the level of stress hormones in the child’s body and in the mother’s body, make it easier for the child to fall asleep and sleep soundly.

To carry out the massage, you need to prepare a table on which the baby is usually swaddled. It is advisable to place it away from heating devices, drafts and so that you can approach the child from any direction. The temperature in the room should be maintained at approximately +22°C so that the baby is comfortable during the massage and does not freeze or overheat. It is best to carry out the procedure after an evening bath, then it will be easier for the baby to relax and get ready for sleep.

How to do it rightDo massage?

The technique of preventive massage is simple and does not require much effort.

The main thing is to start the procedure in a good mood, smile at the baby, touch him carefully and tenderly.

Head. The massage should begin from the head. Gently massage the baby's face and neck with your very fingertips. You should be especially careful with fontanelles. A newborn has two of them: one is located on the crown, the second is on the back of the head, closer to the neck. Although these places are protected by connective tissue, they must be handled very carefully. Then, with gentle movements, stroke the ears, eyebrow lines - from the bridge of the nose to the temples, the wings of the nose and lips.

Stomach. Massage with gentle stroking movements in a clockwise direction. It is not recommended to touch the liver area (right hypochondrium).

Breast. The chest muscles of newborns are poorly developed, so all movements must be very careful - from the center to the sides without putting pressure on the chest.

Brushes. Massage in a circular motion with light pressure, placing your thumb in the baby's palm. Then each finger separately, clasping it with your thumb and forefinger at the base and moving towards the tip.

Pens. Holding the hand, lift the handle and, stroking, move in the direction from the hand to the shoulder.

Legs. Holding the foot, lift the leg and gently massage the outer sides of the thigh and lower leg in the direction from the thigh to the foot.

Feet. Foot massage is especially important. Using gentle stroking movements, you need to stretch the upper side of the leg, ankle and sole. Then each finger separately.

Back. You should turn the baby over on his tummy and massage his back in a circular motion, moving from the neck to the buttocks and back.

Assistants

The use of “intermediaries” in the form of creams and oils expands the range of perceived tactile sensations and brings other positive effects, such as a decrease in signs of stress during the procedure, a greater moisturizing and soothing effect, better gliding of the hands and less pressure on the baby. When choosing massage products, give preference only to those products whose effectiveness has been clinically proven.

Remember, massage and touch not only bring you closer, but also help the baby develop harmoniously. Therefore, touch the baby carefully and tenderly and you will notice that every day you become even closer to each other.

Importance and benefits

Each of us parents dreams of raising our children healthy and happy. Modern mothers and fathers know very well what a huge influence environmental factors have on the development of a little person. Fresh, clean air, sunlight and warmth, nutritious and varied nutrition, love, attention and care from adults - all this is necessary for health, not only physical, but also mental.

True, even today many underestimate the importance of movements for a child of the first year. You can often hear: “I have a wonderful baby, he is so calm.” Maybe it’s convenient when the child lies quietly in a crib, sits calmly in a chair or stands in a playpen. But restriction of natural mobility and insufficient physical activity have an extremely adverse effect on both the baby’s health and the formation of his personality. This problem is especially relevant for urban children, who are forced to spend most of their time indoors.

Special exercises help make up for the lack of physical activity. Pediatricians know
that in combination with gymnastics, massage has a versatile, extremely beneficial effect on the child’s body. Massage and gymnastics perfectly develop all organs and systems and have a general strengthening effect on the entire child’s body. It significantly influences the formation of motor reactions and physical development of the baby.

The fact is that massage is a powerful tactile stimulus. Under its influence, countless streams of nerve impulses are sent from the skin along the nerve pathways to the cerebral cortex. These impulses have a tonic effect on the central nervous system and stimulate its activity. As a result, its main function improves - control over the vital functions of the whole organism, the development of positive emotions, intellectual development, and the formation of motor reactions improves. Researchers have noted that the more often the sensory and motor endings of the brain are used in children in the first months of life, the faster the brain develops.

You have probably noticed that stroking or lightly patting the baby’s cheek causes a smile in the baby already in the first days of life, when other stimuli: visual (an adult’s smile) and auditory (affectionate conversation) are not always able to stimulate it. Pediatricians call this a physiological smile, as opposed to a smile in response to treatment. Psychologists who study the development of speech in children know that the first speech reactions (humming) more often occur in response to stroking the legs and abdomen, while other forms of communication with an adult do not cause revival in the child.

These observations received theoretical justification in the works of physiologists, who indicate that the pathways of the cutaneous tactile analyzer mature before all others (visual, auditory) and are already ready for birth. Therefore, a child in the first months of life is most accessible to exposure through the skin; touch causes not only emotional, but also certain motor reactions.

The human brain grows and develops solely through its use. The more often the sensory and motor endings of the brain are used at a given time, the larger the volume the brain occupies during its growth.

Peculiarities

In children's massage, all the techniques of classical massage are used: stroking, rubbing, kneading, vibration, light percussive techniques, and some acupressure techniques.

Different massage techniques have different effects on the nervous system: stroking, gentle rubbing and kneading enhance inhibitory processes - calm the nervous system. Prickling and pinching have a stimulating effect.

In addition, massage directly affects those organs and systems that are located closer to the skin: this is primarily the lymphatic system. Massage actively affects lymph circulation, accelerating the flow of lymph and thereby facilitating the release of tissues from metabolic products, so tired muscles rest faster during massage than with complete rest.

Under the influence of massage, the peripheral capillary network expands, which is manifested by pinkening of the skin. Blood flow to the massaged area provides favorable conditions for nourishing and healing the skin: it becomes pink, shiny, elastic.

The effect of various massage techniques on the muscles is different: stroking, rubbing, kneading causes muscle relaxation; tingling and pinching - contraction.

For example, with lethargy of the abdominal press and intestinal muscles, which is accompanied by flatulence (often found in infancy), abdominal massage mechanically helps to free the intestines from gases and in these cases acquires special significance.

Experts know that the baby's skin in the first months is dry, thin, easily vulnerable. Therefore, when conducting a massage, sparing techniques (stroking) are first used, then others can be gradually introduced: rubbing, light percussion techniques, kneading. The intensity and duration of the procedure slowly increases.

The most important result of systematic gymnastics is the normalization of the nervous processes of excitation and inhibition. The main properties of these processes: strength, balance, mobility - are being improved, which is very important for the correct and harmonious development of the individual.

In raising children, one should not underestimate the fact that movements are the main source of joy for them, and a good cheerful mood is the basis of good health.

Each emotion corresponds to a special state and a special nature of the work of the heart and blood vessels: negative emotions (sadness, fear, anger) cause vasoconstriction, which creates unfavorable conditions for tissue nutrition, joy dilates blood vessels, and at the same time favorable conditions for nutrition and work are created. organs.

All of the above about the physiological effect of movements applies not only to gymnastics, but also to movement in general - whether it is independent active activity or organized outdoor games.

In free outdoor games, the child moves according to his own initiative and, at will, changes movements, posture and alternates activity with rest, therefore independent activity is the least tiring of all forms of motor activity of children. Parents should try not to limit the mobility and curiosity of the child, creating conditions for his vigorous activity. At the same time, it is important to teach the child the correctness, accuracy of movements, then it will not be a game, but an exercise.

To develop the correct movements, you need special exercises - gymnastics. In these exercises, the formation of the correct motor stereotype goes through a number of stages: inaccurate, awkward, constrained movements are gradually refined, performed without undue stress, with less energy, and finally become automatic and, as such, form the basis of all vital movements.

The earlier gymnastics begins (better in infancy - during the formation of motor skills), the easier it is to bring up the correct dynamic stereotype and the more stable the results.

In gymnastics, special attention should be paid to those motor skills that are most used in life. So, in the first half of life, it is necessary to teach the child to turn correctly from his back to his stomach, since the incorrect mechanism of these turns leads to deformation of the spine.

After 6 months of life, it is necessary to teach the child to crawl, and at the same time correctly, that is, on all fours, and not to pull himself up on his hands, as a result of which the lower limbs, not participating in movement, lag behind in development.

After a year, it is necessary to teach the child to walk correctly, which promotes good posture and normal shape of the lower extremities. Walking, if done correctly, can be an excellent means of physical education throughout a person's life.

Gymnastics is the most intense form of motor activity in children, aimed at developing static and dynamic functions (crawling, sitting, standing, walking), at developing rhythmicity in a broad sense, i.e., plasticity and energy saving, providing less fatigue.

In gymnastics, accuracy and correctness of movements must be ensured: in infancy - these are the hands of the parents, in older ones - special devices (gymnastic equipment, sports equipment, elements of the home environment).

In order for gymnastics to bring joy to children, the following conditions must be met: firstly, the exercises must be accessible, i.e., correspond to the age and functional capabilities of the child; secondly, the technique that stimulates children to perform the exercise must also be age appropriate.

For children with impaired psychomotor development, or suffering from any diseases, massage and gymnastics are even more important than for absolutely healthy ones. A special movement regime often becomes the main element of complex treatment, the most effective means of rehabilitation. However, in this case, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician and strictly follow his instructions and recommendations.

CONTRAINDICATIONS TO MASSAGE AND GYMNASTICS

It is important to remember that massage and gymnastics are contraindicated in many pathological conditions:

• for all acute febrile diseases;
• in severe forms of malnutrition;
• for purulent and other acute inflammatory lesions of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, lymph nodes, muscles, bones (eczema, pemphigus, impetigo, lymphadenitis, phlegmon, osteomyelitis, etc.);
• for diseases accompanied by fragility and pain of bones;
• with rickets during the peak period and during the acute course of the disease with symptoms of hyperesthesia;
• for purulent and other acute arthritis, tuberculosis of bones and joints;
• with congenital heart defects occurring with severe cyanosis and compensation disorder;
• with various forms of hemorrhagic diathesis, especially with hemophilia;
• for acute nephritis;
• for acute hepatitis;
• with active forms of tuberculosis;
• with large umbilical, femoral, inguinal and scrotal hernias, with significant prolapse of the abdominal organs or with a pronounced tendency to strangulation.

It is very important to consult a pediatrician before having a massage.

CONDITIONS FOR MASSAGE AND GYMNASTICS

First of all, we choose a place to conduct classes. This can be any hard surface; a changing table is best. Cover it with a clean diaper, under which you place an oilcloth and a double-folded flannelette blanket. It is advisable to position the table so that it is possible to approach the child from different sides. Also, massage can be performed on the floor, which naturally meets the following requirements: safe, clean, warm, smooth and even.

In any case, the place for studying should be well lit, away from heating devices and drafts.

The room must be well ventilated, and in the warm season it is better to carry out massage with the vent (window) open, thus combining it with hardening.

Massage and gymnastics should be carried out 0.5-1 hour before feeding or 45 minutes after it.

The massage therapist's hands should be perfectly clean, dry, soft and warm, with short-cropped nails. You can use special oils, baby massage creams.

Due to the increase in heat transfer during massage in the cold season, the child’s body, except for the massaged area, can be covered with a warm diaper.

When and to whom should massage be performed?

Starting from the 14-20th day of life, preventive courses of restorative massage are recommended for all newborns, unless there are contraindications. The affectionate touches of parental hands bring great pleasure to the baby and strengthen the emotional connection between him and the adult. But a specialist should show and teach the mother massage techniques. In addition, 3-4 courses of massage in the first year of life should be carried out by a professional children's massage therapist. The massage course consists of 10-15 sessions. Such courses are conducted in the period from 1 to 3 months, from 4 to 6, and, if possible, from 8 to 10-12 months of life. This time was not chosen by chance. It is during these periods that the baby masters new possibilities for him - holding his head independently, sitting and crawling independently, preparing for walking and walking itself. Professional massage also includes water procedures. And the earlier you start swimming with your child, the less he will be afraid of water in the future. The Mother and Child clinic employs qualified physical therapy doctors and professional massage therapists with extensive experience. For each little patient, we develop special programs for general health and therapeutic massage, gymnastics, and swimming.

Therapeutic massage and a complex of physical therapy, if necessary, are prescribed by specialists - a neurologist, an orthopedist. For example, in case of muscle tone disorders - hypotonia, dystonia, habitual head position, in diseases of the musculoskeletal system - congenital muscular torticollis, congenital hip dislocation, hip dysplasia, plano-valgus foot placement, congenital clubfoot, etc.). Therapeutic massage should definitely be performed by a qualified specialist!

So, the mandatory requirements when conducting classes with a baby are a cozy room (preferably at home), the warm and skillful hands of a massage therapist and the good mood of your baby. It is important to remember that massage and gymnastics for a child are not only a therapeutic and health procedure, but also pleasure! Let daily activities be a joy for your baby!

There are probably no parents who would not want their children to grow up happy and healthy. Moms and dads understand very well how important sunlight, air, proper nutrition, clean water, and adult care are for the health of their little children. However, they do not always fully understand the importance of physical activity, especially when it comes to children in their first year of life.

Mothers often rejoice when their baby lies calmly in a cradle or sits in a playpen, sorting out toys. They do not understand that limited movement can have a very detrimental effect on a child's health. Special activities, massage, and gymnastics can compensate for this lack of mobility.

Baby massage up to one year: benefits and significance

Firstly, massage promotes the development of all organs and systems, completely strengthening the child’s body. This has an impact on:

• Musculoskeletal system

Muscle tone is brought back to normal, hypo- and hypertonicity of muscles disappears, problems of feet turned outward and inward, insufficient abduction in the hip joint of the legs, and clubfoot are solved. Improves motor skills in infants. The child quickly learns to sit down, crawl, stand on his feet, and walk.

• Cardiovascular system

The action on the muscles and rapid breathing help increase the heart rate. At the same time, the heart muscle remains in good shape, the pulse normalizes and stabilizes, which also has a very positive effect on children's health.

• Respiratory system

Manipulative movements enhance ventilation and development of the lungs, as a result of which their protective functions against the effects of infectious pathogens and external factors are strengthened.

• Skin

The delicate and sensitive skin of infants is very easily damaged. Children's massage (Pictures, allowing you to learn how to do it correctly at home, can be found on our website) increases the firmness and elasticity of the skin, and prevents the appearance of rashes on it.

• Blood microcirculation

It has a positive effect on blood flow, cells are saturated with oxygen and nutrients many times faster.

Secondly, if the massage is carried out by parents, then exercises in , accompanied by the gentle touches of mother or father's hands, not only bring pleasure to the baby, but also strengthen his emotional connection with his parents, grandparents.

Who and where can massage a child?

Professional children's massage therapists can be found in almost any medical institution. You can sign up for a massage course at a clinic or invite a specialist to your home. However, parents of older children are looking for opportunities to “combine business with pleasure” and send their children to kindergartens staffed by an experienced massage therapist.

The presence of a specialist in a kindergarten relieves parents of the need to waste time on daily visits to a medical facility, and also helps protect the child from the risk of infection with a variety of in the clinic. Massage therapists in preschool institutions often have extensive experience. Hundreds of children pass through their hands, so they are well versed in a variety of types of manipulations. Plus everything massage in kindergarten, in most cases, is a free procedure, which is also good news.

In preschool institutions, both general strengthening procedures and corrective massages can be carried out. In the first case, manipulations can be carried out even without any special medical indications and be supplemented with physical therapy. All these actions are designed to strengthen the child’s body and improve its development.

In kindergartens for children with special needs, the main goal of classes is not only general development, but also to supplement and strengthen the complex treatment of a certain . In this case, a greater level of professionalism is required from massage therapists.

Baby massage at home

Of course, therapeutic massage should be entrusted exclusively to specialists in their field. However, any mother can easily cope with general strengthening manipulations.

Baby massage at home You can start doing this as early as 1.5 months of age. It is recommended to choose a time between feedings for this, when the baby is not hungry and nothing bothers him. The following types of movements are used in massage:

• Stroking

With the help of stroking, the mother prepares the baby's skin for more active influences and relaxes his muscles.

• Rubbing

The movements in this case are slightly more intense than when stroking, and are carried out with the fingertips in a straight line or in a spiral.

• Kneading

Pincer-like kneading involves energetic and at the same time delicate grip of the muscles with three fingers.

• Vibrating

From the first months of life, shaking is allowed, and closer to a year, gentle tapping with the pads of the fingers or the back of the hand is allowed.

Parents who want to massage their child at home should undoubtedly study this issue in more detail. Irina Semenovna collected special training methods in her book Krasikova. Children's massage, gymnastics, proposed in this manual, take into account the specifics of the psychomotor development of children, from the first days of life to the age of three. Separately, the author considers the features of classes with children born and/or suffering from diseases, the treatment of which takes a long time and is impossible without the participation of parents.

Children's massage in combination with physical therapy or gymnastics is a guarantee of the baby's full physical and mental development. Have no doubt, working with specialists, complemented by the efforts of the mother, will help your child grow up as a healthy and harmonious personality!

Good luck everyone, see you in the next article.