Calm a Baby With Massage

Video Transcript

"Something that can be really soothing for a baby that's upset, or crying, or just needs a moment to take a little time out to relax, can be message. And it doesn't have to be massage, a full massage. If you don't have time to sit down for 15, 20 minutes, half an hour to give a full body massage, that's absolutely fine. Even just a few minutes of your nurturing, loving touch, can make all the difference. So that might even be if you're holding your baby, even if they're wearing their clothes, you can give massage. You don't have to use oil, it's absolutely fine. But one thing you want to think about, if we're giving massage, or a nurturing touch to help calm a baby, is think about soothing the baby. So that would mean those strokes that are moving out and down, away from the heart. The strokes that move up and towards the heart, can be more energizing for some babies, can be more stimulating. So in a case of a baby that might be a little bit upset or crying, we're not going to give the massage, but we're just going to start out doing some soothing stroking, making eye contact, talking to baby. If baby is laying down, it'll be a great time, just to look at your baby, make eye contact, just rest your hands on their tummy, and just soothing, long strokes, starting at their shoulders, coming down over their hands, all the way down to their fingers. Soothing down their chest, their tummy, over their legs, down to their feet. Just long, soothing, not a lot of pressure, must soothing strokes, trying to help baby to calm. You can do these in a car seat, you can do these with baby sitting in another type of a seat. You can help baby, if you want to hold them, if they're a little fussy you might hold them close and even just stroke lightly over their head, down their back. Keep your hand nice and tight, holding baby secure, and stroke right over it, right over it. Because baby is getting that skin to skin, or even like that, just warmth through their clothing, that contact, even when you're keeping your hand holding right here. So just go right over it, you're not missing a spot, it's absolutely fine. You can go down and do one leg at a time, absolutely fine. Just long, soothing, calm, slow strokes, away from the heart, should be, and may be helpful to soothe your baby."