Tummy and Chest
Your baby has a lovely round, tummy and this is where wind/gas and stools can get trapped or stuck and cause those unsettling tummy aches.
By placing your hand on their tummy and tuning into them you are getting to know their digestive system. Sometimes baby's tummy will be lovely and soft. Sometimes you can feel or hear the bubbles in baby's tummy and sometimes you can feel and see trapped air or stool because of how distended the tummy can get. Poor babies! This is where you can try and help them.
By walking fingers, paddling, scooping, gliding, stroking, and connecting with this area you are helping to break up and move those pesky bubbles along in baby's tummy, aid digestion and have a more settled baby.
AND even if baby's tummy is lovely and soft, and baby is happy and content and you fancy offering a tummy massage, then why not!
Remember! You must always massage in a clockwise (your) left to right.
Boost your oxytocin levels, bask in the wonderful feeling and strengthen your bond with your baby.
Tummy strokes in order: Please wait 40 minutes after a feed to massage
Resting hand to open massage
Paddling
Side strokes
Sun and Moon
Rainbow scoop
Walking/raindrops
Resting hand to close massage
Chest
Place your hand on your chest. What do you feel? The breaths that you take? The heart which beats? Your voices vibrations. (Keep your hand on your chest whilst you read this post). That is just what we're feeling when we place our hands on baby's chest ready to give a chest massage. And this is exactly what baby felt whilst curled up in the first place he called home. Rhythmical breaths, soothing heart beats, comforting voices.
When you feel happy, sad, fearful, tearful, pained, excited, shocked, where does your hand tend to go to? To your chest, your heart. This is how we reassure ourselves, protect ourselves therefore giving us a sense of security and comfort. ♡
When you massage your baby's chest you automatically lean in, you're closer to them, you have more eye contact with them. They feel safe and protected. The connection deepens, the love intensifies. A PERFECT opportunity to just be in the moment, together.
I'll finish this post here.
Chest strokes in order
Resting hand
Heart strokes
slight pressure criss cross
No pressure criss cross
