The time has come when the seemingly recently born baby is already 2 months old. Games and massage for development strengthen his skeletal system, improve blood circulation, and have a positive effect on the child’s internal organs. During this period, it is important to develop the baby's auditory and visual abilities, while the world is still felt through touch. Games with the child, gymnastics and massage develop the baby’s emotional state and contribute to a correct perception of the world around him.
How long should a baby massage last at 2 months?
We recommend duration up to 40 minutes, no more. Even if a baby can withstand more time, it is better not to overload the nervous system; this may affect, if not the baby’s behavior during the procedure, then the child’s night or daytime sleep, appetite, weight gain, digestion process and intestinal motility, and emotional background. In cases where a therapeutic massage is performed on a 2-month-old child, it is better to start the session with problem areas.
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.
Read also…. Massage techniques and techniques for infants at home
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.
Massage components
So, dear parents, massage is a manipulation consisting of several components:
- stroking, stroking movements are carried out with the back of the hand. Thereby preparing the muscles for further exercises, thereby increasing the blood flow of the skin capillaries;
- kneading, it is recommended to start with the legs, gradually moving to the stomach and arms. At the end, the buttocks are warmed up;
Gymnastics allows you to develop joints; carefully bend the joints of the legs and arms.
Help Massage can be tonic and soothing.
Where to begin
To start massaging your baby, you need to prepare your baby and organize a “workplace”.
The most important thing is the physical health of the child. You cannot perform a massage if the baby has redness and rashes on the surface of the skin. It is also strictly forbidden to carry out massage procedures if the baby has any infection, umbilical hernia, dyspepsia (indigestion), heart failure, or blood disease.
The room where the massage will take place must be clean and well ventilated. In hot weather, it is possible to carry out a massage procedure with a window or vent slightly open. The optimal air temperature is 22 degrees.
Take your choice of place for massage treatments very seriously. A changing table or other hard and flat surface is good for this. For massage, you need to lay a clean diaper on the work surface, put waterproof material (oilcloth) and a baby blanket under it. The place for massage procedures should have excellent lighting, not be in a draft or near heating elements (batteries, heaters, etc.). It is very good if the position of the working surface allows you to be located on different sides during the procedure.
Massage should be carried out half an hour to an hour before meals or 40-45 minutes after feeding.
Your hands should be perfectly clean, warm, and dry. It is not allowed to massage with long nails. There should be no various jewelry or anything else on your hands that could injure the baby or cause him discomfort.
It is not recommended to use oil when performing massage procedures. The use of oil increases slip, and the effectiveness of the effect is significantly weakened. A small amount of baby cream applied to your hands will moisturize them if needed.
During a massage session, heat transfer to the surface of the baby's skin increases. In cool weather, it is necessary to cover the baby's body with a warm diaper, leaving only the part that you massage open. In the summer, conduct massage sessions during the hottest hours.
The result of the massage also depends on the child’s preparation for this session. The child must be well-fed. The baby’s good mood is the key to excellent results. Before you start the massage, gently communicate with your baby and create a favorable environment. If the child shows dissatisfaction, cries, feels unwell, or is capricious, postpone the procedure.
The massage session should last no more than 7 minutes. At the age of 2 months, the child needs to start classes with 5 minutes, gradually adding time. To make the massage result more effective, it is recommended to carry out exercises every day if possible.
Five soothing massage exercises from a kinetherapist
How to calm your baby so that his sleep is restful? In such cases, a massage before bathing is suitable. You need to start with the child’s face, gently stroke the eyebrows, wings of the nose and gradually move on to the main exercises.
Exercise
Lay the child on his back, fix the foot of the right leg with one hand, and use the fingers of the other hand to tap on the outside of the leg from bottom to top. Perform this exercise on the baby’s other limb.
Exercise
Use your hand to secure the child’s left arm, and gently clasp the shoulder with your right. Making light shaking movements gradually towards the wrist. Repeat these manipulations 2 times and then do the exercise on your right arm.
Exercise
The exercise is ideal for intestinal colic. Stroking the abdomen clockwise for 5 minutes. Such manipulations will help reduce tone and relax the abdominal muscles, thereby eliminating spasm and pain.
Exercise
Lay the baby on his stomach, gently knead the baby's bottom with your fists, be sure to place a bright toy in front of the baby, this way the back and neck muscles will be involved.
Exercise
Usually this exercise is the end of the massage. Lay the baby on his stomach, use your palms to stroke the baby’s back in the direction of the tailbone and to the sides in relation to the spine in a “herringbone” shape. Your baby will really like these movements.
Dear mothers, a daily massage will only benefit your child. However, we must not forget about professional massage, it is necessary for every baby in the first year of life: holding the head when the baby begins to sit and take the first steps.
It is impossible to replace a specialist ; only he knows what to do in a given situation. Out of ignorance, you can aggravate the child’s condition by making incorrect movements, so a specialist can choose the right set of exercises for your baby.
How does massage affect a child?
- Firstly, the massage effect will help to significantly relax the muscles of the baby’s limbs, which are still in good shape.
- Secondly, as a result of massage actions, nerve impulses pass through the baby’s skin. These impulses, moving along nerve pathways, reach the cerebral cortex and have a tonic effect on the central nervous system. It is safe to say that as a result of regular massage, the main function of the central nervous system – control over the work of the entire body – is significantly improved. The use of various massage techniques has different effects on the baby’s nervous system. Gentle stroking is very soothing, while tapping and pinching has a stimulating effect on the nervous system.
- Thirdly, massage also has a beneficial effect on the child’s internal organs. This primarily applies to those systems and organs that are located in close proximity to the skin:
- lymph flow accelerates and helps rid tissues of metabolic products;
- capillary system (expands, a rush of blood to the massaged area promotes good nutrition and significant improvement of the skin);
- abdominal press and intestinal muscles (helps rid the intestines of gas accumulation, stops bothering the tummy).
- Fourthly, massage is also a method of close communication between the baby and the parent. At the beginning of a baby’s life, tactile perception (perception through touching the surface of the skin) is much better developed than auditory and visual. Feeling the gentle touch of mother’s hands, the baby experiences positive emotions and begins to respond (walk, smile).
How to massage
To start the session, you need to establish emotional contact with the baby. Talk and play with your child. Not only the child, but also you should be in a good mood, otherwise all your negativity will be passed on to the baby. The first massage action is stroking. The massage procedure begins and ends last.
Dr. Komarovsky advises stroking with the back of the hand or the palm of a massage therapist and always in the direction of the blood vessels. Legs - from the feet up, hands - from the toes to the armpits. When performing a massage procedure, you should not massage the abdomen in the area where the liver and genital area are located. At the age of 2 months, the baby’s skin is still very thin and the joints are fragile. Therefore, when conducting classes, monitor the pressure. You will begin to introduce the following elements of massage when the child gets used to it. This will be rubbing and then kneading. Rubbing helps develop motor activity of joints and muscles and relieves hypertonicity.
Pay extra attention to foot massage, as your baby will need healthy and strong feet to walk firmly through life. Pay attention to the tummy massage. This will help avoid intestinal colic and improve the mood not only of your baby, but also of you.
Baby aged 2 months
What is a child like at this age? He has gained height and weight. His vision and hearing have become sharper, and if you look closely, you will notice that the baby is not just looking into space, but also following moving people and objects with his eyes.
He can already turn his head towards the sound and hold it suspended for some time. The child can even recognize his mother among other adults, which makes it possible to establish stable contact with him.
The two-month-old baby still sleeps a lot. Sleep makes up most of his day, but his periods of wakefulness are constantly increasing. Therefore, mom has more opportunities for active leisure. At the same time, of course, there is still no talk of conscious communication with the child. Therefore, charging is still the job of an adult who will help him during classes.
