Articles and Press
An article for the National Childbirth Trust (NCT)
Baby Massage :
changing trends
by Clare Mundy
I have been teaching parents how to massage their babies, as well as training health professionals, for nearly 14 years now. Over this time my work has evolved in response to new ideas and insights about babies and their ways; I thought I would share some of the changes I have seen since I first started teaching baby massage back in 1992.
Massage Oils
One change is the type of oil I now use and recommend for massaging your baby. Back in 1992 I used coconut oil, with which babies are massaged in India , Africa , and the Caribbean . Coconut oil is white and solid but it becomes a clear liquid when you warm it; somewhere between the two it is ideal for massage, being less liable to spill but easily melted when rubbed in your hands.
However, during the mid to late 90s the issue of peanut allergy in children became a concern that soon widened to include nuts in general. As a trained researcher I decided to investigate the possible hazards of nut oils by contacting the main three allergy organisations in the UK for advice. What I discovered surprised me - one study found that peanut oil (also called groundnut or arachis oil) applied to the skin of people known to have an allergy to peanuts had no adverse effect on them. I also found out that coconuts are classed as a legume rather than a nut, and have not been implicated in allergic reactions, whether ingested or applied to the skin.
All the same, I gradually phased out my use of coconut oil in favour of grapeseed oil, which is a pleasant light golden colour with very little scent, and unlike coconut oil it is readily available from supermarkets. As alternatives I also recommend sunflower oil and olive oil. I still think coconut oil is a useful product for dry skin, and I have found it to be effective for baby eczema. As with any new product, a skin test for allergy is recommended before use, as a precaution.
Help for Colic and Crying
The idea that colic is caused by digestive trouble has recently been challenged. It was a tempting theory, supported by the fact that most babies recover from it by around 3 months, supposedly because their system has grown enough not to "trap" wind any more. But this is still only a theory, unsupported by research, as even the manufacturers of Infacol readily admit!
More convincing, in my view, is the idea that some young babies can become over-stimulated and need the right kind of soothing to help them deal with this. While massage can help in this de-stressing process, other kinds of touching and holding are also effective, in particular the old fashioned practice of swaddling. In my classes I now include a demonstration of various methods of swaddling, and I can report that it seems to have a miraculous effect in calming down a fussy or even crying baby. Swaddling, even more than massage, must be the "ultimate cuddle" for a baby, with the added bonus that it sometimes leads to sleep!
Sleep Position
Since the hugely successful campaign Back to Sleep, which has cut the rate of cot death so dramatically, I have seen a number of babies with a condition called "positional plagiocephaly" - otherwise known as a flattened side or back of the head. Not all babies develop this, and there is no NHS treatment as it is believed babies grow out of it naturally. Some babies seem to be more susceptible, and plagio can also develop in the womb or as a result of forceps or ventouse delivery.
Remedies include placing a specially made helmet on the baby's head for a few weeks, to encourage the flattened part to round out. In less severe cases a cranial osteopath who treats babies can release compression in the skull and in the neck muscles, which may cause a baby to turn their head to one side. I t is also important to place your baby on his or her front for short periods each day to relieve pressure on the head, and to strengthen their neck and back - this position is included in the baby massage routine.
Interestingly, I have been told by mothers from the Caribbean and from Central America that one of the reasons they traditionally massage their babies from birth is "to make the head a nice shape".
For information about classes click here
email or phone Clare for a chat on 020-7639-2397
Your Happy Baby
Massage, yoga and other gentle ways to blissful babyhood
Published by Ryland, Peters & Small, London & New York Spring 2006
£14.99
In this beautifully illustrated book, contributing authors Tina Lam, Clare Mundy and Glenda Taylor combine their wisdom and expertise with that of leading medical writer Sheena Meredith to create a wealth of inspirational advice about how to increase your baby's happiness.
Written by a team of experts in their field, Your Happy Baby is a treasure trove of baby wisdom. It suggests how to avoid feeding problems and how to help everyone in the family to get a good night's sleep. It includes an A-Z of common baby health problems with advice on natural remedies.