Babies are shown daily massage. Parents should accompany it. Why, what is the use of the procedure, as well as the rules for its implementation are described in the article below.
Massage
Development benefits of massage
Therapeutic massage is often prescribed for small children. In addition to him, the baby's body is massaged daily. This skill should be owned by the parents, guardians or babysitter of the baby. This is not about medical education, but about acquaintance with the basic elements of the procedure. It has great benefits for babies:
- Ensures proper development of muscles and bones. At five months old, a baby still does not know how to sit, walk, and cannot provide the body with a uniform necessary load. While massaging it gives.
- Development of motor skills. The more attentively parents are about the issue of massage, the faster their child will master the control of his body. A 5 month old, for example, learns to crawl and sit down. He will do it faster than a baby without massages.
- Strengthening the immune system and the nervous system. Children become healthier, sleep better and better.
- Improved appetite. As a result, active weight gain.
- Establishing a relationship between mom and baby. There is a special connection between them, during such events it is strengthened. Psychologists say that this has a beneficial effect on the mental development of the child, he "ripens" from the mother's touch.
Note! Massage for a 5 month old baby can be associated with auditory development. For this, hand movements are accompanied by songs, rhymes, nursery rhymes. Mom should not only do exercises, but also play with the baby at this time.
Mom massages the child and plays
Why regular massage is important
A newborn is still poorly developed vision, he perceives sounds poorly (not like an adult). His first source of information coming from outside is his skin. Touching the baby creates impulses that travel along a nerve to the brain, developing it. The more and more often the baby is touched (we are talking about soft, gentle strokes), the faster it develops. Therefore, massages should be carried out regularly, try to allocate time for them daily, postponing the procedure only for special reasons (about them below).
Basic rules for massage
Massage to a child 5 months old should be carried out according to a number of rules:
- At a specific time. It is better for a child if all basic things go according to a certain schedule. So the baby will know what to expect next. For gymnastics, it is better to allocate the first half of the day, for a relaxing massage - the second.
- At least half an hour should pass between meals and massage.
- The average duration of the procedure for a five-month-old baby is 20-30 minutes (provided that the massage began to be done from the first month of life, gradually increasing its duration). The hypertonicity has already passed, and the lesson will not be uncomfortable for the baby.
- The room should be at least 20 degrees Celsius. Optimum - 25. Avoid drafts, light in the eyes, heating devices nearby.
- Massage is done on a flat, hard enough surface. There should be enough space for coups.
- The hands of the massager should be warm, dry, without long nails, burrs, protruding jewelry. Be sure to use massage oil or a special cream.
Johnsons baby massage oil
- The direction of movement is strictly from bottom to top, from the sides to the center. The area of the liver is not massaged at all, not touched.
How to do massage at home yourself
There are special children's masseurs. Professional therapeutic massage in the first year of life is recommended once every three months. Parents do the daily procedures themselves at home.
Important! A mother who does not have special medical training should in no case try to carry out the treatment procedure on her own. This is dangerous. Inaccurate massage of a child at 5 months can injure him - the baby's body is still very fragile. Only a specially trained person can carry out the procedure correctly.
Relaxing and invigorating massage
The infant's muscle tone “walks” for the first six months of life. Before birth, he did not particularly need the strength of his body, but now he is making up for lost time. For development to take place correctly, certain exercises should be done.
Firming massage
Massage for a 5 month old baby is primarily aimed at normalizing the tone of the lower and upper extremities. It is necessary to increase it (if there is no hypertonicity) so that the child normally learns to take objects in his hands, sit down, crawl, and then go. You can conduct a lesson according to the following step-by-step instructions:
- Alternating stroking and rubbing of feet and hands. They are done 3-4 times and replace each other.
- Turns to the stomach and back alternately. The mother should hold the baby by the hips, helping him to change the position of the body. If necessary, you can help by holding the shoulder. Do it 3 times through each side.
- Impact on the back and buttocks - stroking, rubbing with the palm or its edge, pinching the entire surface. They are done 3-4 times, also alternately.
- Massage of the abdomen and chest. They are stroked, pinched. Also in shifts, 3 times. It is important that this is done strictly from the side to the center of the abdomen, not over the baby's liver.
- “Boxing” with hands. Duration - up to 20 seconds. It is impossible to jerk the baby's arms strongly, the movement should be neat, but rhythmic.
- Massage of feet and palms. Pinching, pressing with a circular motion are used. It is permissible to play finger games according to age.
- Dancing. The massage can be done with music. Under it, you can "dance" with the arms and legs of the crumbs. This is a good strengthening exercise that kids love.
- Hovering on the stomach. The parent grabs the baby with his hands in the region of the ribs, holds him facing him. On outstretched arms, it raises above itself (it is better to carry it out when mom is lying on the bed herself). A baby in the fifth month of life will raise the legs and body to a horizontal position. You can "fly", that is, lead the child upstairs in this position until he gets tired.
- Fitball lessons. Swaying, springs on the ball strengthen the spine, especially the cervical and thoracic regions.
This set of exercises will help your baby alternate tension and relaxation. The result is strengthening the body at the same time as calming it down. Recommended for evening time.
Special massage
It is used to achieve an immediate effect, such as for constipation or colic. Then the following exercises are recommended:
- Circular clockwise motion along the abdomen with light pressure. Helps to expel gas and feces.
- Bending the legs to the tummy. They are used for the same purpose.
- Riding on the stomach on a fitball, spring.
Kid on fitball
A 5 month old baby is recommended to have a drainage massage at home if there is a wet cough. The baby still cannot clear his throat on his own, therefore he needs help. This is done like this:
- Stroking, rubbing the upper back, sides, chest. Strictly from bottom to top.
- Light tapping on the back between the shoulder blades with the tips of the fingers.
With a runny nose, massage the area above the eyebrows and on both sides of the wings of the nose under the eyes. Movements should be directed to the bridge of the nose, designed to remove mucus from the sinuses.
Gymnastics and exercises
Exercising for a five month old is a way to cheer up for a whole day, just like for adults. The goal is not to calm down the baby, since this is usually not necessary after waking up, but to warm up his muscles, improve his mood. Do the exercises like this:
- The main element is flexion and extension of the limbs. They start with the hands. Holding the baby's arms in hers, the mother alternately wraps them around the baby's body (it turns out that the baby is hugging itself), then spreads them apart. The exercise is carried out 5 times.
- The next movement is bringing the palms to the infant's breast and pulling it up, along the ears. Also 5 times.
- Alternating change in the position of the arms - along the body and above the head. 5 times for each handle.
- Next are the legs. Begin by bringing the knees to the tummy. First - together, then - alternately, again 5 times.
- Breeding the legs to the sides. You can't pull it hard, but you can gently dilute it.
- Elbow and knee reduction obliquely. The right knee is brought to the stomach along with the left elbow, then the sides change.
- "Swimmer". The baby lies on his stomach, his mother moves him with her hands, as if he is floating.
- Bringing the heels to the buttocks from a prone position. Pulling strongly is prohibited, the movement is neat.
- By agreement with the doctor, you can put the baby on his knees and palms - teach him the position from which he will then crawl and sit down. From the same position, the handles can alternately rise forward so that the baby learns to hold the weight. At this time, the mother is obliged to insure the child - his own strength is not enough to hold the body.
An example of gymnastics for babies
- You can complete the gymnastics with a game, for example, "Rails-rails, sleepers-sleepers ...".
Exercise is carried out in the morning, preferably on an empty stomach. If the child protests, you can feed him, and postpone the lesson for 30-40 minutes.
Contraindications for procedures
Pediatricians, headed by Komarovsky, emphasize the importance of infant massage. But a number of contraindications are noted, in which it cannot be dealt with:
- Disease. First, the well-being of the baby should improve, after which you can start physical activity.
- Bad mood. The forcibly carried out procedure will scare and upset the baby even more.
- Rash, irritation. The massage will be painful if applied to the inflamed skin.
- Graft. Within a week after it, it is better to give up physical procedures.
- Strict contraindications: tumors, heart defects, recovery period after surgery.
For a five month old baby, massage is very beneficial. Better when it is done regularly. Before starting it, as with any incomprehensible moments, you should definitely consult your doctor.
