How Massage Helps Babies

March 12, 2010 by Dr. Elaine Ferguson · Comments Off
Filed under: Baby 

Premature babies are exposed to many forms of stress while during their stay in intensive care nurseries, such as invasive procedures, blood drawing, bright lights and loud noises. Stress can interfere with their immune system’s functioning and render them more susceptible to infections. Several research studies have demonstrated the positive effects massage therapy has on premature babies. It lowers stress and enhances their immune system’s functioning.

Massage has been used in premature and low birth weight babies to promote growth and development. Before birth, babies are exposed to physical stimulation.

Premature and low birth weight babies are usually placed in incubators or open beds, are are connected to several monitors. This situation makes it very difficult to touch them as often as full term babies are.

Researchers at the University of Miami’s Touch Research Institute have reported for over two decades on the benefits of infant massage. It increase the baby’s resistance to infection by enhancing the immune system. Also, babies receiving massage experience faster weight gain.

Oxytocin levels are increased by massage. It is a hormone with pain relieving and calming properties.

Fourteen randomized massage studies involving premature and or low birth weight babies were reviewed.

The review included studies in which a group of babies did not receive massage and were used in comparison to those who did. In most of these studies babies were rubbed or stroked for about 15 minutes, three or four times a day, usually for five or ten days. The studies found that when compared to babies who were not touched, babies receiving massage, gained more weight each day (about 5 grams). They spent less time in hospital, had slightly better scores on developmental tests and had slightly fewer postnatal complications, although there were problems with how reliable these findings are. The studies did not show any negative effects of massage. Massage is time consuming for nurses to provide, but parents can perform massage without extensive training.

Benefits for Babies:

* Improves weight gain

* Helps the baby to become more organized

* Allows the baby to be more alert, so he can interact with you and others

* Helps start oral feeding earlier (rather than tube feeding)

*Promotes healthier bones

*Supports infant-parent interaction

* Facilitates weight gain in preterm infants

*Lowers cortisol levels, a significant stress hormone

*Increases muscle tone

*Improves sleep

*Shortens hospital stay

*Improves cognitive and motor development at eight months of age

*Infant massage is a cost effective tool

*Can be incorporated as a part of the premature infant’s developmental care plan.

Benefits for Parents and Caregivers

* Provides all of the important ingredients of the parent-infant bonding and attachment: eye-to-eye, touch, smell, movement, voice and temperature regulation.

* Encourages pre-verbal communication between caregiver and infant

* Helps to increase parent’s confidence and competence in caring their children.

* Helps to lower parental stress, if they are working and must be separated from their child for extended periods during the day

* Allows parents interactive play or one-on-one quiet time with their child

* Creates a regular time of infancy between child and parent

*Elevates parents’ self-esteem by enhancing and reingforcing their skills as parents and validates their role

* Gives parents the tools for understanding their child’s unique rhythms and patterns

* Teaches parents how to read their infants’ cues and recognize their states of awareness

Gives parents a precious way to interact with their children who may be hospitalized. It helps parents to feel a greater part of the healing process

* Daily massage helps parents to unwind and relaxe.

* Provides a positive way for fathers to interact with their infant children

Looking to find the best deal on holistic family health, then visit www.howtogetwellfaster.com to find the best advice on infant massage#2 for you.

Info On Baby Furniture Cribs

March 11, 2010 by Wayne Cornbauer · Comments Off
Filed under: Baby 

Being a new parent, when your tiny one is born, most probably you would like to spend everything or anything that you would think would be the best for your new little angel. Days to weeks or months before the arrival of your angel, there are things that you would outline as a kind of preparation. An one common item that you would go ahead and buy for your new angel is crib. There are lots of kinds of baby furniture cribs that you can choose from.

It is really a smart idea to get a crib for your little. We want to see our kids have everything that she or he needs upon arrival. When you buy one you should also consider some important factors. Like :

Color and theme : when you buy a cribs make sure that it would suit the sex of your new child, girl or boy. You should purchase for your young girl colored pink child cribs and blue for your young boy. Size : Consider the scale of the child’s crib. Ensure that it’d be enough for your little ones to give her good air movement to breathe smoothly and unreservedly. With the help of the size you’ll add other children stuff beside your them. Your angel would surely enjoy everything that you have prepared.

Sturdiness : Most likely, new parent buy cribs that are new. However , there are some that would buy discount child’s baby crib. There’s not a lot wrong with 2nd hand cribs just so long as it is sturdy enough to keep your child in it. Furniture cribs are very important because thru this you can make your youngster feel comfortable during nappy time. You may add comforter, pillow, toys beside the child. To assure the comfort of your small one, everything must be prepared in a neat demeanor.

This is often a quality investment – when you buy a crib that may last you over time, this imply that you can still use this when you choose to have second kid or more. This can be worth spending your time and money.

ultimately, the furniture cribs can keep your small angel safe at all times. This could hinder them from falling or anything. Remember that your youngsters safety must be a concern. Check everything before you purchase a nice and cushy crib – whether you are buying a newer one or discount baby furniture cribs. There shall be no finer investment than keeping your little angel safe at all times.

Go to Baby Furniture Cribs to get free information on this product. This website will give you all of the information you need on Baby Furniture Cribs along with a lot of other free information. Don’t miss out on this new website if you are looking this type of information.

Jojo’s Magnetism Works: JoJo Designs Crib Sets In Your Child’s Sanctuary

March 11, 2010 by Dorothea Frankson · Comments Off
Filed under: Baby 

JoJo designs baby bedding can be found all over the internet in so many different hues and patterns, and you’ve probably seen several of their sets if you’ve started the search for crib linens. JoJo designs has become an industry leader by creating products which are designed for the vision, comfort, and safety of our times.

JoJo Designs, like its commendable rivals, has dedicated itself to producing bedding and other nursery items that blend with a variety of home decor and hence parents are now not at all apprehensive that the interior of their child’s room is not in sync with the other parts of the house. JoJo Designs makes linens that range from coolly elegant to delightfully amusing.

Baby boy crib bedding by JoJo comes in many designs, but they are favorites because they are all made in a similar fashion to suit baby’s needs. Every bedding set has special detailing and designs featuring artistic embroidery and quilting. Even nicer, JoJo designs in a beautiful assortment of posh fabrics such as micro suede and chenille, which really enhance the quality of these lovely linens.

It’s easy to become overwhelmed when trying to find the safest possible bedding for the size and shape of your crib. That’s why JoJo has a passion for design which uses only hypoallergenic filling and matches most standard crib measurements. While the linens JoJo makes for boys is certainly lovely, that doesn’t mean that they’re difficult to take care of, and dirty bedding can be rapidly made clean again with machine washing and drying.

Crib bedding , one of the things that can make the budget shoot up fast, is among the numerous items you need to buy in preparation for your son’s special room. JoJo Designs has found the balance between quality, selection, and price in their crib ensembles which include bedding and matching accessories.

You can stay within your budget and achieve the perfect look in your nursery when using Jojo’s exquisite ensembles. It takes a lots less time out of your hectic schedule if you can decorate with an all-in-one package that includes a window treatment and some other accessories. Your son’s nursery can be ready for him with sixty minutes of delivery of your beautiful Jojo’s linens.

Dorothea is a writer and researcher on parenting and family issues. She also works part-time as a freelance writer for a baby products company, Kudlee, Inc..

Next Page »