Who doesn’t feel uber relaxed, healthier, and ready to take on the world after a good massage? If you know what we’re talking about, you can bet your little one will too! Child massage is super beneficial for their health and is a wonderful way to care for your little one. You can introduce massage when your little one is just a few weeks old and continue past the toddler stage. So sit back, relax, and read on to learn about the benefits of child massage.
Sleepyhead
We don’t know about you, but the night after a relaxing massage, we sleep like a log. And apparently, it’s not just us! Research shows that frequent massage not only helps to reduce stress hormones, it can also impact the release of melatonin — the sleep cycle hormone — which helps regulate sleep.
So the next time your little one has a bad night’s sleep or is fussy before bed, try a massage and see if you can lull them into a deeper sleep. Storybook’s app can help relax your child at bedtime with calming stories, music, and guided meditation meant to accompany their massage.
Bonding time
Studies have shown that repeat skin-to-skin contact and eye contact strengthens the connection between parents and children for life. During the massage, your soothing touch makes them feel nurtured and cared for, which develops lifelong trust. Plus, physical affection and skin-to-skin contact release oxytocin (AKA the ‘love hormone’) in both you and your child, which helps foster closeness!
Maximize bonding by singing or telling a story with Storybook. Storybook’s interactive stories are a wonderful way to bond because they were designed to help you connect and communicate during massage time.
Gas be gone!
Since their digestive systems are still developing, many babies and children deal with uncomfortable stomach gas. Abdominal massages can help relieve symptoms of colic and aid digestion. Give your little one some tummy relief with a comforting massage that gets the gas moving.
Growing pains
Growing pains are no fun (we certainly wouldn’t want to deal with them) and may cause children discomfort and even a few restless nights. A leg massage is a great way to reduce pain and naturally soothe the muscles. Plus, the soothing nature of massage will help them relax and lead to better sleep.
Immune system booster
Skin to skin contact is proven to lower childrens’ risk of infection and boost their immune response. Plus, babies who have skin-to-skin contact can better absorb and digest nutrients, more easily regulate their body temperature, and tend to gain weight easier. Reap all the immune boosting benefits of massage with Storybook’s massage app.
Happy days
Did you know that massage can increase your little one’s mood? As we mentioned earlier, skin-to-skin contact and massage can help lower stress hormones while increasing oxytocin. This helps reduce anxiety and helps stabilize your child’s mood.
Storybook is an infant and child massage app that provides parents with guided massage for their children through stories, songs, and meditation. Storybook promotes better sleep, encourages bonding, can help with digestive and respiratory systems, and more! Download Storybook and bond with baby today!
Cooijmans, Kelly H M et al. “Effectiveness of skin-to-skin contact versus care-as-usual in mothers and their full-term infants: study protocol for a parallel-group randomized controlled trial.” BMC pediatrics vol. 17,1 154. 6 Jul. 2017
Salam et al: “Emollient therapy for preterm newborn infants – evidence from the developing world’. BMC Public Health. 2013
University of Warwick. “Research Says Massage May Help Infants Sleep More, Cry Less And Be Less Stressed.” ScienceDaily. 9 November 2006.
Bennett C, Underdown A, Barlow J. “Massage for promoting mental and physical health in typically developing infants under the age of six months”. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2013.
