Premature babies are exposed to many forms of stress while during their stay in intensive care nurseries, such as invasive procedures, blood drawing, bright lights and loud noises. Stress can interfere with their immune system’s functioning and render them more susceptible to infections. Several research studies have demonstrated the positive effects massage therapy has on premature babies. It lowers stress and enhances their immune system’s functioning.
Massage promotes growth and development in premature infants. Prior to birth babies are physically stimulated while in their mother’s wombs.
Also, premature and low birth weight babies are often placed in incubators, open beds, attached to numerous monitors that interfere with them being touch as often as full term babies.
The University of Miami’s Touch Research Institute has reported for over twenty years the benefits associated with infant massages. It increases the baby’s resistance to infection by stimulating the immune system. Also, massaged babies experience an accelerated weight gain.
Massage also raises oxytocin levels, a hormone that possess pain relieving abilities and a calming effect.
A review of 14 randomized research studies involving premature and or low birth weight babies was conducted.
The review included studies in which a control group of babies that did not receive massage. The were compared to the babies who did. The babies, in most of the studies were massaged for about 15 minutes, three or four times a day, for five or ten days. The studies determined that that babies receiving massage experienced more weight gain (about 5 grams), were discharged from the hospital faster, had slightly better developmental test scores and experienced fewer complications. Massage did not have any negative effects. While it is a time consuming process for nurses to provide, parents can perform it without extensive training.
Massage Benefits:
*Improves weight gain
* Helps the baby to become more organized
* Allows the baby to be more alert, so he can interact with you and others
* Helps start oral feeding earlier (rather than tube feeding)
*Promotes healthier bones
*Supports infant-parent interaction
*Facilitates weight gain in preterm infants
*Lowers cortisol levels, a major stress hormone
*Improves muscle tone
*Improves sleep and awake patterns
*Shortens hospital stay
* Improves cognitive and motor development at eight months of age
*Infant massage is a cost effective tool
* Can be used as part of the developmental care plan of preterm infants
Benefits for Parents and Caregivers
* Provides the essential elements of intimate parent-infant bonding and attachment: eye to eye, touch smell movement, and temperature regulation
* Encourages pre-verbal communication between caregiver and infant
* Helps parents feel more confident and competent in caring for their children
* Helps parents to ease their stress if they are a working parent and must be separated from their children for extended periods during the day
* Allows parents interactive play or one-on-one quiet time with their child
* Creates a regular time of infancy between child and parent
* Enhances parents’ self esteem by reinforcing and complimenting their parenting skills, and validates their role
* Gives parents the tools for understanding their child’s unique rhythms and patterns
* Teaches parents how to read their infant’s cues and recognize their states of awareness
Gives parents a precious way to interact with their children who may be hospitalized. It helps parents to feel a greater part of the healing process
* Daily massage helps parents to unwind and relax
* Provides a positive way for fathers to interact with their infants/children
Learn more about holistic family health. Stop by Dr. Elaine Ferguson’s site where you can find out all about infant massage and what it can do for you.