Baby massage: Scientists say correct method of baby massaging dey save children lives

Although to dey massage new born babies na old tradition wey pipo for different parts of world don dey practice for long, now, scientists don discover say dis practice get life-saving potential if pipo do am correctly.

To massage babies mean to dey use hand to lovingly sooth and stroke different parts of di baby body according to Louise Wilkinson of Precious Beginnings, wey be certified instructor wit di International Association of Infant Massage.

Sabi pipo say to massage pikin wen e still dey very small get ogbonge health benefits wey go last until dem grow.

One Professor of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine for Stanford University of Medicine, Gary Darmstadt say di skin na di largest organ of di body but pipo no too understand say care of di skin dey important to di overall health.

For im early travels through Bangladesh and India, Darmstadt bin observe how families, particularly mothers and grandmothers dey spend plenty times to massage dia new born children. E say di tin bin surprise am and e learn say di practice don tey and e begin to dey study am.

For 2008, Darmstadt and oda experts bin carry out experiment on 497 premature babies wey dey receive daily massages for hospital, di result of di experiment show say dis old practice dey save lives.

"We see say di risk of infection reduce wit about 40% reduction and di risk of mortality reduce by 25-50%, we dey important," e tok.

Wetin di experts discover about baby massaging

From different clinical trials dem do, di team discover say regular massages dey help build di baby microbiome - dis na di layer of bacteria wey dey live on di skin and for di gut. Di microbiome dey play important role to boost immunity as e dey keep infections out.

Babies wey no get better food chop wey dem massage wit oil dey develop microbiome wey dey improve dia skin condition and dey make am hard for bacteria to penetrate di skin, enta di bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections.

For inside one study wey dem neva publish, doctor Darmstadt and im team, researchers track 26,000 babies for northern India state of Uttar Pradesh. Dem massage half of dem wit sunflower oil and di oda half wit mustard oil. Di sabi pipo notice improvement for di growth of all di babies. Dem also discover say di number of babies wey dey die reduce well-well sake of massaging.

Benefits of baby massaging

Other sabi pipo don discover similar benefits. One study suggest say massages dey stimulate di vague nerve - di vague nerve na one long nerve wey link di brain and di abdomen, wey dey lead to better digestion and dey collect nutrients. Dis dey help babies to gain weight.

To dey massage baby for tummy dey also reduce stress and pain, dis one dey important especially for premature babies wey spend long and lonely months for hospitals.

According to Louise Wilkinson, massaging babies go improve di quality of dia sleep and di touch dey release oxytocin.

"Massage go help you and your baby learn how to communicate wit each other. E go help your baby feel secure, loved and respected by you and you go also learn about dia subtle cues, understand dia behaviour and dey responsive to dem too. Dis go help you feel more confident as a parent and studies dey wey show say e dey reduce postnatal depression." Louise add.

Wen to begin dey massage infant

Professor of Paediatrics, Psychology abd Psychiatry for di University of Miami School of Medicine, Tiffany Field wey specialize for infant massage dey of di position say make parents begin dey massage dia babies from birth.

She don review di study on how different kontris take dey massage babies and she approve di practice. She also remind parents say di right technique dey important.

How to massage babies

According to Louise, wey be child massaging expert, you fit start dey massage your baby from wen e still dey belle. Once you don born di baby, try to massage dem up and down di baby legs while you dey support their ankles, soft circular clockwise motions around dia tummy, draw circles on dia palms and very gentle pull of dia fingers and thumbs, as you hold dia wrists.

Tiffany say di mother or whoever wan massage di child must "move di skin by applying moderate pressure as if di touch too dey gentle e go make di baby feel ticklish.

She say most infants no dey enjoy tickling and e no dey therapeutic.

Doctor Darmstadt also recommend moderate approach, e say make di hand no too hard on di baby skin during di massage as e fit damage di baby skin and e go dey harmful for di baby.

E also advice those wey dey use oil say make dem carefully choose and apply di oil as old method fit no dey reliable.

One 2013 study of 194 infants for South India, show how mothers apply oil for dia babies ears and eyes. Sabi pipo warn say dis fit cause infections.

Sunflower seed, coconut oil and sesame oil dey provide di most benefit according to one research wey Darmstadt and im colleague, Peter M. Elias, one Professor of Dermatology for di University of California carry out.

Dem say "dis oils get high content of linoleic acid wey di body no dey produce."

Di experts warn say mustard oil wey most pipo for Indian state of Uttah Pradesh dey use to massage dia babies get erucic acid wey fit lead to inflammation and destroy di skin barrier.

However, NHS guidance advice caregivers to avoid to use oil massage on dia babies for di first one month of dia life as dia skin still dey delicate.

Once dem don old enough, you fit choose pure, non-scented natural vegetable or fruit oil like grapeseed. Olive oil no dey recommended," Louise. tok

"You no need plenty oil for your hand and remember oils go make your baby skin dey slippery."

* All content inside dis article na for general information only, and make e no dey treated as substitute for di medical advice of health care professionals. Di BBC encourage anyone wey get interest for baby massage to seek expert advice beforehand as incorrect application of these techniques fit risk harm to young children and infants.

Disclaimer: Di BBC no go dey responsible or liable for any diagnosis or actions wey any user take based on di content of dis site. Always consult your own GP if you dey concerned about your health or di health of your child.