At two months of age, the baby is actively growing and developing. He recognizes his mother by her outline, tries to roll over on his side and hold his head, and activates grasping movements with his arms. During this period, the baby begins to respond to sounds and light. Massage for newborns at home for 2 months will help relax the muscles and strengthen the child’s body. Proper organization of the procedure will help improve digestion, strengthen the immune system and normalize the baby’s nervous system. There is no need to talk about the benefits of massage for babies. Every mother can help a two-month-old baby learn new movements and overcome muscle hypertonicity thanks to massage.
Massage for a 2 month old baby has a positive effect on overall development
Some parents mistakenly believe that restorative procedures are only necessary for sick children. This is a deep misconception. Massage procedures are necessary for healthy infants because they activate receptors and nerve endings. This, in turn, develops baby’s coordination of movements and brain function. After the massage, muscle tension in the arms and legs is relieved. Babies relax and sleep better. Thanks to tummy massage, the baby's intestinal function improves and colic disappears.
Features of massage for a 2 month old baby
Massage can be therapeutic or general. The first group of massage manipulations is associated with the correction of developmental disorders of the child’s body and diseases. General massage can be relaxing and tonic.
Tonic massaging movements are used for sedentary newborns who sleep a lot and do not show interest or activity in learning new skills.
Relaxing massage, on the contrary, is given to restless, capricious infants who do not take food well and do not fall asleep for a long time. This procedure must be carried out before bedtime if the baby is not very capricious during bathing. Otherwise, parents need to adjust the time of water and restorative procedures.
Acupressure helps to improve the baby's health. It’s easy for mom to learn and do at home on her own. There are types of acupressure:
- from a runny nose;
- for legs and arms;
- for neck, back, shoulders;
- for coughs with bronchitis (percussion or vibration).
Important! In exceptional cases, the mother can perform therapeutic and preventive massage for the baby for 2 months, but under the supervision of a specialist. The treatment procedure should only be performed by a professional massage therapist. Only he can skillfully help a baby with neurological or orthopedic diseases or developmental disorders.
Giving a massage to a 2-month-old child should be combined with exercises, gymnastics and educational games. This will be of great benefit not only for the physical development of the baby, but also for the emotional state.
General massage for a 2 month old baby
So, a massage for a 2-month-old baby, carried out to improve the health of the baby, can be general and restorative. In turn, general massage procedures are divided into tonic and relaxing. They perform certain functions aimed at correcting the psycho-emotional state of the baby. A relaxing massage is intended to calm the baby, while a tonic massage is needed for inactive babies. This is a classic type of massage action.
Strengthening massage helps mothers if they need to provide non-drug first aid to a newborn in the event of any illness or developmental disorder at home. The most optimal example would be acupressure for a two-month-old baby. Any massage should begin with light stroking and end with the same.
Advice. Light rubbing and kneading are also suitable for a two-month-old baby. The first classes should start with four minutes, gradually increasing to 10.
Firming massage for a two month old baby
Gymnastics
Among the exercises at 2 months, you can do passive movements in the large joints of the limbs, but within the limits that are comfortable for the child. And:
- Rollovers from back to stomach,
- Lying on my stomach like a frog,
- Lying on your stomach, imitation of swimming movements with your arms.
- Reflex crawling, also on the stomach.
- Lying on your back, rotate the legs and pelvis with a fixed shoulder girdle.
Reflex exercises.
1. Running a finger with light pressure along the outer edge of the foot from the heel to the little toe or in the opposite direction opens the toes. After this, pressure is applied to the balls of the foot at the base of the toes (at the level of 3-4 toes), and the child bends the toes. Then we repeat this several times.
2. Putting the child on his side, we run 2-3 fingers along the sides of the spine from the sacrum to the back of the head, with slight pressure. This technique forces the baby to arch his back by tensing his back muscles.
3. Crawling (push-off) - lying on his stomach, we put the child in the frog position and place our fingers on the feet as a support, from which the baby should push off and crawl a little forward.
Requirements for massage at 2 months
White noise for newborns
In order for the baby to benefit from the procedure, it must be carried out subject to certain requirements:
- Massage at home is possible only after consultation with a pediatrician.
- It is better to perform a light stroking massage before bedtime.
- Perform the procedures carefully, given that the baby's skin is very delicate.
- To normalize the muscle tone of the limbs, combine massage with exercises for flexion and extension of the arms and legs.
- Before performing a massage in practice, study the relevant theory and get acquainted with the video.
- Do not start procedures if irritation or rashes are found on the baby’s skin.
- During the massage, you need to talk quietly and gently to the baby - this will calm him down and give him pleasure.
- Never massage a baby if he has a fever, is sick, or is simply naughty.
Before starting the procedure, prepare a place for massage: a special table covered with oilcloth and a diaper, massage oil (a great substitute for baby cream), wet wipes (can also be useful). All items should be placed next to the changing table.
How often to massage your baby
How to prepare for the birth of your baby
At two months of age, a newborn can be massaged every day. The main requirements for the procedure in this children's age category will be the following:
- no restrictions or contraindications;
- massage duration – no more than 10 minutes;
- start of the procedure – half an hour after feeding (breast or artificial);
- massage - no later than 8 pm (an exception may be a relaxing soothing massage for hyperactive children before bed).
How does massage affect a child?
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Regular massage for a 2 month old baby has a beneficial effect on the overall well-being of the baby. A small creature, beginning to explore the world around it, is not yet fully strengthened and requires restoration and normalization of the work of all internal organs, starting with the heart and lungs and ending with chaotically moving arms and legs. Mother's hands, having a positive effect on the muscles, skin, ligaments with which they come into contact during the massage, activate blood circulation and have a beneficial effect on the general condition of the baby. After such procedures, carried out carefully and gently, the baby eats better and sleeps more soundly. During tactile contact between mother and baby, the emotional connection between them is strengthened. The baby becomes calmer and less capricious. This is especially important for premature babies or babies with congenital abnormalities.
Why get a massage at this age?
Baby massage is both development and increase in muscle tone of the arms and legs, and improvement of motor activity. It is aimed at normalizing sleep and strengthening the newborn’s immunity.
Regular massage for a 2 month old baby helps:
- Normalization of lung and heart function;
- Reducing the level of cortisol in the blood;
- Stabilization of internal processes;
- Stimulation of extension movements;
- Improving the condition of the central nervous system;
- Removing toxins and processed substances;
- Improving metabolism at the cellular level.
Massaging a baby at 2 months has a positive effect on his physical development and immunity.
The emotional connection between baby and mother is also strengthened, and a positive psychological effect is manifested. The child is less capricious, sleeps better, and becomes calmer. A balanced and calm emotional state is especially important for premature babies and babies born by CS.
Examples of massage elements
Hands
Any type of hand massage for a 2 month old baby begins with lightly stroking the palms and fingers. After this, gently begin to rub the skin of the handle in upward circular movements, while holding it by the brush. Repeat the exercise, changing hands. Using your fingertips, massage the baby's arm from the hand to the shoulders. Perform the procedure 2 times on the outer and inner sides, excluding the armpits. Upon completion, let the baby grab his mother’s big fingers with his palms and try to pull himself up no more than 6 times.
Tummy
Stroke with cross movements of the hands, the palms of which lie crosswise: the right one is at the top of the left side of the abdomen, the left is at the bottom of the right side. Move your hands towards each other, pressing lightly on both sides. Additionally, you can stroke the tummy clockwise.
You can turn the baby over onto his tummy and stroke his back in a circular motion from bottom to top and back 6 times.
Rib cage
The child's chest is massaged from below, then continue towards the collarbones and end in the armpits. Stroke the sides from the center to the ribs. Finish with the “Fetal Pose” exercise, when the baby’s arms and legs are bent towards the stomach. Hold your head and neck with your other hand.
Feet of legs
You need to massage with your thumbs, holding your shins with your palm. Stroke the heels, toes and under them. Finish by rubbing the entire foot. Then continue massaging the legs, stroking them and rubbing them in a circular motion from the feet to the butt. Perform along the outer and inner sides 8 times, alternating spiral movements with stroking.
Elements of massage for a two-month old baby
Massage technique
Before giving a baby a massage in the morning after 2 months, his intestines are emptied. If massage is given to children during the day, then this is done before feeding in a ventilated and warm room with an air temperature of 20-22˚C. The massage table must be stable and covered with a blanket, oilcloth and diaper.
Mothers should remember that the baby can freeze, so you need to put a heated diaper nearby. Clean, dry and warm hands should be free of rough calluses, long nails, rings, watches and bracelets. It is not recommended to use petroleum jelly or moisturizer to massage babies after 2 months of age, as these products clog the baby's skin. It is better to use baby massage oil or glycerin.
How to quickly and effectively relax muscles
Relax the flexors by stroking in the following sequence:
- stroking arms and legs;
- laying on the tummy;
- stroking the back;
- turning over and stroking the tummy;
- rubbing the feet and reflex exercises;
- reflex extension of the spine on the side: right and left;
- laying on the stomach;
- reflex crawling.
If a child doesn’t like something and expresses his protest with loud emotions, he is distracted by conversations.
When children are hysterical, massage is not performed. A 2-month-old child is given a massage for 5-6 minutes, using techniques to relax the arms, legs and entire body. For general relaxation, perform the “rocker” and “cradle” exercises:
- for the “swing”, the child’s body needs to be rocked to the sides, carefully supported under the armpit;
- for the “cradle”, relax the upper and lower parts of the body: first, you need to place your hands under the head and back in the position of the child on the table with his back, then rock him left and right, up and down. Then the hands lie under the back and buttocks. The same swings are performed.
To relax the hands, improve blood circulation by stroking. In this case, the child’s thumb is placed in the child’s palm, and the fingers of the other hand perform stroking movements from the shoulder to the wrist - up to 5 times.
Next, you need to wrap your hand around the baby’s palms and feet (the thumb is still in the baby’s palm). With the other hand, support the head and gently tilt it towards the chest and slowly rock it. This fetal position exercise is often used when a baby is crying. He immediately calms down.
Technique for massaging the feet of an infant
To stroke the leg, place it on the palm. Using the back or inner surface of the palm of the second hand, massage the leg from the foot to the groin.
To relieve hypertonicity of the limbs, piston rubbing is performed. The handle or leg is placed between the palms and begins to move them back and forth. This way you can also train your leg muscles. To strengthen the joints, massage the knees and feet, then stroke around the knee and draw the number 8 on the sole.
To strengthen the nervous system, press and massage the heels and toes, since the nerve endings of the foot activate the functioning of the whole organism in a 2-month-old child.
Following the technique, the baby is turned onto his tummy and the back is stroked. Then they lay him out on his back again and massage his tummy. Hands lubricate with oil and stroke the stomach from the sides, then move the hands in the direction of food movement (clockwise) in the intestines without pressure.
A tummy massage can calm the baby and activate digestion, since at 2 months it continues to improve. To strengthen and heal the umbilical cord, bend the finger at the joint and massage in circles around the navel up to 6 times.
If the baby is bothered by colic, a tummy massage at two months is performed by alternating hands, starting from the ribs and moving them downwards. The legs are clasped with the palm of the right hand and held elevated for up to 3 seconds. The left palm massages the tummy. Then, bent at the knees, the legs should be pressed to the stomach, repeating up to 4 times a day.
For hypertension, squeezing movements of the legs and arms are performed. In this case, you need to clasp the limb with your hands and apply light pressure. Shaking and stroking the limbs can also help relieve hypertonicity.
At two months, prevention of dysplasia and relief of hypertension is performed by spreading the legs: the child lies on his back, bends his legs at the knees and lightly presses them to the tummy, then carefully spreads them apart, repeating up to 6 times.
This exercise is then repeated with the baby on his tummy. This is how the nuclei are developed and formed in the hip joint to exclude dysplasia.
Babies at 2 months like the exercise for hypertonicity using a ball. The ball must be big. The baby's tummy is placed on it and the ball is rocked in all directions. Here an assistant is needed to control the child from the front to prevent the head from hitting the table. With the help of the ball, the baby will hold his head more firmly and he will learn to lean on his arms.
Then the child is placed on the ball with his back, holding the back or tummy with one hand. During the first and second months, exercises on the ball are useful for strengthening the neck muscles and against torticollis, for which the child is placed with his healthy side on the ball.
Massage technique
As for the technical side of performing massage procedures, it differs little from those actions that were performed with a month-old baby. Old exercises have been replenished. Here are some of them:
- Shaking hands. After the baby firmly clasps his thumbs with his hands, taking his wrists, lightly shake his hands (5 times).
- Foot massage. Light pressure is added to normal stroking 10 times on both sides. This exercise strengthens the ligaments.
- Spine. Performed in a side lying position. Grasping the legs in your hand, move the other hand along the spine. The reflex is triggered - the baby bends and unbends (3 times on each side).
- On the tummy. Keep it in this position for up to 10 seconds. The baby should already be able to hold his head well. This exercise is performed two to three times a day.
- Crawl. The baby, lying on his tummy, pushes off with his feet from the palm of his hand and makes his first attempts to crawl. After the exercise, stroke his back and, turning him over, his tummy.
On a note. General restorative procedures, including massage for a 2-month-old child, are contraindicated if he is feeling unwell, has a high fever, allergies, hernia or dysplasia (improper development of the hip joint). If a baby cries, eats poorly and does not sleep after performing massage procedures, then something is wrong. It is necessary to consult a doctor for advice.
Why does a baby cry during a massage?
Contraindications
The possibility and regularity of massage depends on the health and illnesses of newborns. Before starting the procedures, it is necessary to consult with the supervising pediatrician if the baby has problems with the heart and breathing, congenital diseases of the spine, bones and joints, circulatory system, or diseases of the central nervous system.
The procedures are not performed if you feel unwell, have a fever, have allergic skin diseases or have a strangulated hernia. If during the massage the baby begins to cry, the session is stopped. If after a massage session the child does not fall asleep well, his appetite spoils or he becomes restless, this indicates incorrect actions during the massage. You should consult a doctor or massage therapist for advice.
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What parts of the body are not massaged?
It is not recommended to massage the armpits, neck area and spine. The armpits and neck with their very delicate skin are not yet ready for such procedures. It is dangerous to massage the spine because it is still weak. Any wrong move can leave you with a lifelong injury. Massage should not be performed in the groin part of the body.
Responding to numerous letters from parents who were wondering whether it was worth seeking the help of professional massage therapists, Dr. Komarovsky wrote that the best massage is the one that the mother performed with her own hands. He noted that in the first year of a baby’s life, tactile contact with his mother is important, especially for artificial babies. Therefore, parents need to learn how to independently carry out all strengthening procedures: gymnastics and massage.
