A Cure for Colic - Massage Therapy for Gas Relief in Babies
Infant massage has become a popular form of therapy with parents and childcare providers. Babies benefit from massages in a number of ways. The soothing strokes in a massage can be used to calm fussy babies. Regular massages help encourage deeper sleep.
Babies with special needs or premature babies thrive under the loving touch of others and respond well to massages.
One big advantage of infant massages is its use in the treatment of colic and gas. Babies just like older children and adults also suffer from gas and digestive problems.
Their developing digestive system is vulnerable to all sorts of ailments and gas is a common complaint in infants. Babies who drink milk too rapidly or swallow too much air while eating or crying may develop gas and colic. This can make them extra fussy and irritable and prevent them from eating or sleeping well. Therefore the condition not only affects babies but parents as well.
Since the use of medication is usually not recommended in infants, alternative cures for colic include home remedies and natural treatments. Doctors also recommend changing the mother’s diet to reduce the symptoms of colic. One of the best ways to treat infant colic is massage therapy. This simple non-invasive technique helps relieve gas and calm a cranky and troubled baby.
Steps for infant massage for gas relief:
- In a warm room without any cold draft, undress your baby (leave his diaper on as baby’s often have a bowel movement with this type of massage) and place him on a mat.
- Pour some warm olive oil or massage oil of your choice on your hands and rub well. Oil need not be used during a massage but it just makes the strokes more fluid and causes less friction on your baby’s delicate skin.
- Place one hand on your baby’s stomach and moving your hand in a clockwise, rub in circles around the stomach.
- Continue doing this till your baby stops fussing and straining or has a bowel movement.
- You can also lift his legs in the air and bending at the knee move alternate legs in a cycling motion towards his chest. This helps eliminate trapped gas well.
Warnings about Colic and Baby Massage
If repeated and regular massages still do not provide any relief, contact your doctor as there may be an underlying medical condition causing the problem.
When massaging, take the normal precautions such as using gentle strokes and stopping the massage if your baby seems more uncomfortable than before.
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