| Baby massage
Setting aside all the daily chores, Josa Young forms a new bond with her son as she learns the soothing and relaxing techniques for baby massage I watched the women lay their naked golden babies along their legs in the shade of the mango tree. They chatted as they swept their hands firmly over the little bodies. It looked effortless. There wasn’t a squeak from the babies, as the mothers massaged them with mustard oil until they gleamed. When I had babies of my own, I tried to emulate what I’d seen in India but it was a pale imitation. I had no idea what I was doing. When I had Tolly this year, my little late joy, I decided I would learn how to massage him properly. I could see how calm and happy the Indian babies were and thought it might be a relaxing part of the bedtime routine. I joined Elizabeth Thompson’s class at the Coram Family Centre. In a sunny room five women sat around Elizabeth in a rough semi-circle. Their babies lay in front of them on towels draped over beanbags. Elizabeth is a calm and soothing presence, constantly praising your fumbling attempts to copy her actions. Because her own son is now two, she uses a doll, which she calls Susan. Susan is unprepossessing, and slightly grubby, but as soon as Elizabeth begins to massage her leg, this aesthetic doubt disappears. I slicked my hands with sunflower oil and we began. We were encouraged to ask our baby’s permission before we started. I peered into Tolly’s smiling face and asked him. He looked obliging, I thought, so I seized a leg and began the first move: Indian milking. You hold the baby’s ankle in one hand and with the other, make a bracelet around the chubby thigh and slide it from top to bottom, in a gentle twisting motion. Then it was his little cushiony foot’s turn. I stroked down from toes to heel. Elizabeth beamed at me and told me I was a natural, while I tried to follow her actions, and Tolly took the opportunity to do his lawn sprinkler act. No one seemed to mind. Gradually, I relaxed. My shoulders dropped and the smooth movements cast a spell. All day long with a little baby you run about trying to fit your chores around him; his sleeps, his feeds, his nappies. Far too little time is set aside for simply enjoying the baby. Massage is an excellent way to connect with him, observe his reactions and enjoy him to the exclusion of the washing’s siren call.
Baby massage in the West originated when Vimala McLure observed it, as I did, when she worked in an Indian orphanage in 1973. When she went home to the US, she developed the method on her own baby, mixing elements from India, Swedish massage, yoga and some reflexology techniques to create a soothing pattern of movements that cover the baby’s whole body. She founded the International Association of Infant Massage to promote this unique form of baby care internationally. The basic massage course lasts five weeks, but is flexible. Mothers and babies come along for the exchange of ideas as much as for the massage. The class is ‘baby led’ – which means parents are encouraged to listen closely to what their baby’s want. If the little one doesn’t feel like being massaged that day, they can make it only too clear. Tolly, however, loved it. At four months, he has relaxed and spread out. He crowed with pleasure as I passed my oily hands over his soft little tummy in the continuous strokes called ‘The Water Wheel’. Together with the next move called ‘I Love You’ (US origins needless to say) it encourages the digestion to move along. I glanced at my experienced neighbour to see what she was doing. Startled, I observed that she was holding her daughter, Isabella, upside down by the ankles. Very advanced. She explained it was baby yoga. I didn’t attempt it. We stroked chests in oval shapes following the configuration of the lungs, we ‘Indian milked’ the arms and sang a little song called ‘Tommy Thumb’ to each of the tiny fingers. It’s fine to drop in and out of the action at any time. Backs, bottoms, faces and heads all get the treatment – as long as the baby wants it. Then you run your hands down the baby and thank him for letting you massage him. Tolly looked pleased and peaceful, so I read that as a positive response. Research has shown many positive benefits, including helping premature babies to thrive and depressed mothers to relate better to their babies. Whatever your motivation, it sure as hell beats putting yet another load into the washing machine. Contacts:
The International Association of Infant Massage (UK Chapter) has a website with more information or you can contact them at: |