While winters give much-needed respite from the summer heat and rainy humidity, winter has its own set of challenges. Especially when you have a little one to protect it from. Babies and their delicate skin needs protection from the chilly winds that can rob off their skin’s natural moisture and plumpness. Oil massage for babies keeps them warm and nourished, and also aids in growth and development of the newborn.
Massaging the baby in winters is all the more essential as their skin tends to get dry and chapped due to the constant switching between cold, dry outdoor air and overheated indoor air. Massaging your baby with the best baby massage oil will restore all the lost moisture, replenishing your baby’s soft skin from within. While caring for the babies during winter, one of the many things that bothers every mom is – which oil is best for baby massage. Read on to know the benefits of giving a newborn baby massage.
Benefits of Massaging Your Baby
Newborn massage using the best baby massage oil has innumerable benefits. Giving oil massages for babies is a traditional practice in Indian nurturing style. Oil massage benefits baby’ nourishment and development by:
Improves blood circulation
Baby massage involves movement of fingers of the caregiver over the baby’s body. This stimulates good blood circulation. Improved blood circulation due to oil massage provides better oxygen supply to all the organs facilitating better growth and development.
Builds immunity
Regular oil massage for babies boost their immune system as oil massage flush out the toxins, increase blood flow throughout the body, enhance white blood cell activity, and reduce cortisol levels.
Improves digestion and relieve abdominal gasses
Oil massage for the baby’s stomach assists in moving stools inside the colon, relaxes the tight stomach muscles, releases pressure, relieves abdominal gaes, reduces bloating and colics.
Provides warmth
Oil massage helps keep the baby warm as it promotes blood circulation and retains the body heat. Warmth is what a baby needs in winter for better joint development.
Relaxes and helps baby sleep better
Regular oil massages for babies get their circadian rhythm on track allowing babies to sleep more at night and stay more active during the day. Oil massages soothes the muscles making the baby feel relaxed.
Strengthens the bones and Muscles
A daily oil massage done in the early morning sunrays helps better absorption of baby massage oil. Oil massage helps lubricate the joints which strengthen the baby’s bones, joints and muscles. Stronger bones and muscles promote faster development in achieving milestones better, like standing, running, climbing and walking.
Facilitates weight gain
Oil massage improves digestion which facilitates positive weight gain in the baby. Using the best massage oil for the baby gets the digestive system working.
Moisturizes the skin
Best baby massage oil packed with natural ingredients that deeply moisturizes the baby’s skin, helps maintain healthy baby skin during winter.
Builds parent child bonding
Babies are very touch sensitive and oil massage helps establish and enhance the bond between the baby and the caregivers. When parents give oil massage for baby the parent-child bonding is uplifted.
These advantages of oil massages for babies can yield much more benefits with the use of a good-quality baby massage oil, having an all natural baby massage oil formula, that provides essential nutrients and moisture for the baby’s skin during winters.
Best Oil for baby’s massage
Best baby massage oils are formulated using completely natural ingredients that are non-irritant to the sensitive skin of the babies. Here are the best baby massage oils which are easily available and enhance baby’s development:
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil for baby massage is great during winter months as it is light in texture and easily absorbed into the skin. Due to its anti-fungal, antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, coconut oil massage for baby, helps soothe babies suffering from skin conditions like dry skin, irritation, diaper rash, and eczema by providing comfort from itching and inflammation.
Almond oil
For newborn baby massage, almond oil is a great pick. Enriched with Vitamins A and E, the almond oil massage will keep your baby warm and protect them from dry skin conditions in the cold climate. Make sure to pick unscented almond massage oil for the baby to avoid toxins contained by the perfumed ones.
Petroleum jelly
It is an age-old baby lotion which is used to deeply moisturize and lock the hydration to the baby’s skin. It is one of the safest baby massage gels. Petroleum jelly can also be used for babies as a chest rub to relieve cold symptoms like blocked nose. Mix 4 drops of eucalyptus oil, add 1 drop of essential oil to 1 tablespoon of petroleum jelly to make a camphor-free baby chest rub, and insect repellent.
Shea butter
It is a deep nourishing natural moisturizer. She butter has linoleic, palmitic,and oleic fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins like A, E, and F, promoting blood circulation and healthy cell growth. It is the best baby massage oil ingredient.
Safflower oil
It is extracted by cold-press method making it safe for application as baby massage oil. It has ample vitamin E that moisturizes baby’s skin in winter when applied as massage oil.
Grapeseed oil
It is rich in omega 3s and 6s, vitamin E, antioxidants and phenolic. Grapeseed oil is a cold-pressed oil being safe to use as baby massage oil.
Chamomile oil
It has anti-inflammatory properties which soothe diaper rash and skin conditions like eczema. It has a moisturizing formula that is safe to be used as massage oil for babies. Chamomile oil is widely used in aromatherapy for relaxing muscles and fighting muscle soreness.
Jojoba oil
It is used as baby massage oil for babies with skin conditions like eczema. Jojoba oil is rich in vitamin E. Jojoba oil promotes hair growth when used for head oil massage for babies. Remember to use cold-pressed jojoba oil for babies.
Borage seed oil
It has high fatty acids like omega 3 and omega 6 which help maintain healthy baby skin when used as baby massage oil.
Rosehip oil
It has anti-inflammatory properties that soothes the baby’s skin when given an oil massage. It is used to treat diaper rash in babies.
Oat oil
High in fatty acid content, oat oil fights dry skin, itching, and treats skin rashes. It is suited for massaging babies, hence is an excellent ingredient in baby massage oils.
Olive oil
Some women use olive oil for baby massage in winters. It has several benefits for the baby’s skin and induces a good night’s sleep. You can mix Olive oil with other oils like mustard oil to enhance the properties of baby oil for massage. Avoid Olive oil if the baby has any condition like allergies to olives.
Mustard oil
Some Indian women prefer age-old practices of using mustard oil for baby massage in winters, as it retains body warmth and provides nourishment to the baby’s body. Check for allergies associated with mustard oil massage before application.
TheMomsCo. Recommends Best Baby Massage Oil as it is a concoction of the above oils so that your baby’s skin gets that extra nourishment that it needs during the chilly weather.
NATURAL MASSAGE OIL
The Moms Co. Natural Baby Massage Oil helps nourish, relax and strengthen baby’s bones and muscles. It is a toxin-free combination of 10 powerful oils like Sesame, Organic Almond, Avocado, Organic Jojoba, Organic Chamomile and Natural Vitamin E.
The babies have delicate and sensitive skin, and things like oils, lotions or gels that get absorbed in the baby’s skin need to be pure and trusted. You have to be wise when choosing babycare products, as the products should be non-toxic, chemical-free, and completely natural.
Factors you need to consider while massaging your baby in winters
Winters can be extreme for babies even if not for adults, as a baby’s body is adapting to an external environment and developing immunity. There are certain factors you need to consider while massaging your baby in winters:
- When you undress your baby for massaging, ensure that the room is warm and cozy.
- Warm your hands by rubbing them against each other so the baby doesn’t feel cold when you touch her.
- You can warm the oil if you want. But it should not be hot, just at a comfortable temperature for body massage. Test the temperature by touching it with your elbow or the inside or your wrist.
- Make sure to use the oil on a patch of skin to ensure that the baby is not allergic to it.
- Massage the baby using gentle and firm strokes. Think of it as a bonding exercise with the baby. Your loving strokes will make the baby feel secure and pampered by you.
- Be sure to not massage the areas with rashes and other breakouts.
- After the baby’s body, you can massage her head using a nice baby hair oil of your choice.
Every baby’s skin could be different, so select massage oil for baby that has a combination of oils that suit your baby’s skin conditions and are natural, toxin-free and safe for use.
FAQs
Should I massage my baby in the winter season?
Yes, of course, oil massage for babies is the best way to keep your baby warm and nourished in winter weather.
How many times should we massage a baby?
An oil massage for babies is recommended only once a day, but sometimes can be done twice a day to soothe the baby to help them sleep faster, or relieve colics.
Should I massage the baby before or after bathing?
Babies can get oil massages before and after a bath depending on the baby’s skin type. If the baby has dry skin then you should oil massage the baby after bath. But if the baby has normal to sensitive skin then oil massage for the baby should be done before bath as it will remove excessive oil from the baby’s skin.
Is it OK not to massage babies?
Oil massage helps faster growth, improves digestion, strengthens the bones and boosts immunity by detoxifying the body. Not giving an oil massage to the baby will keep the baby deprived of the benefits of an oil massage for the baby.
It’s great to give your baby a hearty body oil massage in winters. Moreover, the oil massage for baby regime will also be a great bonding and exercising session for the mom and the baby.