The Power of Touch: Why Infant Massage is Essential for Your Baby’s Growth

(By Keren Lee Ben Basat & Keren Giber Segev)

Touch is a sense that begins to develop as early as the eighth week of pregnancy, marking it as one of the most crucial sensory stimulation for an embryo’s and baby’s growth. By this stage, an embryo already responds to touch through the uterine wall, underscoring the fundamental role of this sense in early development.

Touch: A Survival Need

To grow and thrive physically, emotionally, and mentally, babies need touch. Various studies, including Harry Harlow's famous 1950s experiments with monkeys, show that infants (both human and animal) favor warm, loving touch even over essential needs like food and water. Research has further demonstrated that babies lacking sufficient touch can experience developmental delays, emotional challenges, and even health issues.

Types of Touch and Their Daily Importance

There are many types of touch, and thankfully so. Most babies in nurturing homes receive their essential touch they need to thrive, through daily activities like:

• Being picked up for feeding

• Holding and soothing

• Burping

• Diaper changes

• Bathing and daily care

• Spontaneous hugs and kisses

However, it’s equally essential to set aside intentional time for regular, focused touch - ideally once a day, if possible- to foster a deeper, more meaningful connection between parents and babies. For instance, engaging in planned infant massage can strengthen the parent-child bond and provide valuable developmental benefits.

Impact of Different Types of Touch

Each type of touch serves a distinct function, offering specific sensations that support growth in multiple ways:

• Deep touch: helps relax muscles and release tension

• Light stroking: stimulates nerve endings, enhancing skin awareness

• Tapping: assists in clearing congestion and improving circulation

• Resonance: helps release deeper phlegm promotes release of blockages, increases security, and soothes

• Bone and joint touch: fosters body awareness and spatial boundaries

• Brushing: encourages blood flow and nerve development

• Squeezing: supports muscle and lymph movement

• Gentle touch: aids sensory and emotional regulation

The Physiological Mechanism

Touch sends signals to a baby’s nervous system, and as different types of touches are repeated, neural connections strengthen, leading to improved cellular memory. The sensory-motor stimulation activates various systems in tandem:

• Central nervous system

• Peripheral nervous system

• Endocrine system

• Immune system

Benefits of Touch and Infant Massage

Physical benefits:

• Enhances immunity through increased white blood cells

• Improves blood and lymphatic circulation

• Relieves digestive issues (gas, constipation)

• Supports muscle and skeletal development

• Enhances muscle tone (in cases of both high and low tone)

• Relieves respiratory and congestion issues

• Reduces pain by releasing natural endorphins

• Lowers stress hormone levels

Emotional benefits:

• Strengthens the bond between parent and child

• Triggers the release of oxytocin ("the love hormone") in both baby and parent

• Boosts self-confidence

• Improves emotional regulation

• Lays the foundation for secure attachment

• Reduces stress and anxiety

Cognitive benefits:

• Develops body awareness

• Enhances coordination

• Fosters nonverbal communication skills

• Improves concentration

• Supports brain development

Long-term effects:

• Better sleep quality

• Enhanced motor development

• Improved ability to handle stress

• Fosters empathy and understanding of body language

• Cultivates acceptance and positive touch in future relationships

Practical Tips

1. Choose a specific time each day for massage as part of a bedtime/nap routine (But not mandatory, spontaneous is also possible).

2. Start with 5-10 minutes and gradually increase to 20-40 minutes.

3. Observe your baby’s reactions to guide your touch.

4. Use cold-pressed oil suitable for baby skin (almond oil is a great base); or without oil, note that studies show the added benefit of using oil in massages.

5. You can create a calm environment with dim lighting and quiet music to establish familiarity.

6. Keep the room comfortably warm.

Conclusion

Baby massage is more than a physical action; it’s an investment in a child’s comprehensive development and family bond. Research indicates that the positive effects of early touch extend well beyond infancy, influencing emotional, social, and cognitive growth throughout life.

So go ahead – start massaging!

Whether your children are newborns or 50+, the benefits of touch are profound.

For any question or guidance we are here!

Keren Lee & Keren