Gelisim News

The sense of touch is known as the most advanced sense in newborn babies. The sense of touch which is important in the first month helps baby getting touch with and recognizing the environment. Pointing out that massaging the baby is one of the most effective and most natural technique to build up a connection with mother and baby in this regard, Physiotherapist Gülşah Konakoğlu, a lecturer from Istanbul Gelisim University, said that massage is beneficial to relieve the pain, discomfort and stop constant crying jag in babies.

Stating that the communication with baby and environment starts with the sense of touch when s/he is touched, is fondled and is hugged, Physiotherapist Gülşah Konakoğlu said: “Her/his psycho-social progress can be supported by this. Massaging the baby is one of the most effective and most natural technique to build up a connection with mother and baby in this regard. Taction and massage integrate the senses by maintaining the personal contact of the baby and strengthen feeling of confidence in babies. They enhance the attachment behavior as well as make breastfeeding more easy.”

Citing that researches argue that massage is beneficial and necessary to minimize health issues and for health protection in every period of human life, Physiotherapist Konakoğlu said: “Massage is an application that positively affects the physical and psychological development of the baby. It is also a relaxation technique. Massage provides an advantage for the baby to cope with the difficulties it will face in the growth process in terms of gaining relaxation ability. For this reason, it should be considered as one of the most valuable gifts that can be given to her/him in the first days of her/his life.”

Stating that the massage allows the pain to be localized in a narrow space stimulating the touch receptors in the skin, Physiotherapist Konakoğlu said: “Colic which can occur in the first months of life in infants, causing pain, restlessness and crying seizures; while creating discomfort in infants, parents, discomfort and constant crying jag also makes symptoms of stress, depression and feelings such as excessive inability and helplessness in parents. The results of a study conducted in our country showed that massage helps reduce intensity of attacks in the babies who suffer from colic. Again a study in our country revealed that massaged babies had higher body weight and height than the babies who have not been massaged, and that massage application could have the potential to increase growth in babies.”

Giving information about the studies in Touch Research Institutes: TRI Physiotherapist Konakoğlu said: “They showed that premature babies, who were massaged three times a week for fifteen minutes, gained weight by 47 percent faster than non-massaged babies. Recent studies have shown that baby massaging strengthens mother-to-baby communication, increases serotonin levels, reduces stress hormone levels, regulates baby's sleep, enables weight gain, and improves motor development and coordination.”