Ayurvedic medicine inancient India taught the use of infant massage.[3] It was also has been encouraged inChina during theQing dynasty.[4] At present it is part of traditional childcare in South Asia and elsewhere where daily massage by mothers is seen as "instilling fearlessness, hardening bone structure, enhancing movement and limb coordination, and increasing weight".[5] Other areas where infant massage is regularly used are African countries and areas in the formerSoviet Union. In Western culture, infant massage has been increasingly used inneonatal intensive care units for pre-term infants who are in stressful environments and have limitedtactile stimulation.[2]
A 2013Cochrane review of massage therapy for babies less than 6 months of age who were born at term found that the evidence was insufficient to support its use.[1] A 2004 Cochrane review looking at massage therapy for pre-term and low birth weight was insufficient to justify its use.[2] Studies have shown improvements insleep quality in babies who received massage therapy.[6][7] Combined with conventionalphototherapy, infant massage improvedbilirubin levels, and it also acted prophylactically againstjaundice in healthy newborns.[8] Research indicates that infant massage can effectively support motor development across multiple domains, including locomotion, stationary abilities, reflexes, visual-motor coordination, and hand-eye coordination. Benefits have been observed in both typically developing infants and those with conditions such as prematurity or Down syndrome, likely through stimulation of limb movement and overall motor activity.[9]
Infant massage has been associated with enhanced emotional and social development in both infants and caregivers. Regular massage can strengthen parent-infant bonding, fostering closer interaction, reinforcing emotional attachment, and improving the overall quality of parental care.[10][11] Caregivers, particularly mothers of preterm infants, often report reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms, along with increased confidence and satisfaction in their parenting role after learning infant massage techniques.[12][13] In addition, practicing infant massage has been shown to positively influence maternal mental health, with decreases in physiological stress markers such as cortisol, reflecting reduced stress levels.[14]
Various mechanisms have been proposed as to suggest how massage therapy might benefit infants. Forpre-term infants, it has been suggested that any weight gain may be due to improved metabolic efficiency or by reducing the adverse reaction of stress through decreasing stress behavior or stress hormones.[2] Other possible mechanisms include increasedvagal activity and secretion ofinsulin andgastrin as well as improved parent-infant relationships.[1][15]
Reviews of the literature have found no significant risks for adverse events with massage theory with either full term or pre-term infants.[1][2] One study found that the use of certain oils in traditional societies such asmustard oil orolive oil might adversely affect pre-term newbornskin barrier function, while using other oils that arelinoleate-enriched such assunflower seed oil may improve the integrity and permeability of the skin.[1][16]
^Johari H. (1996). Ayurvedic Massage: Traditional Indian Techniques for Balancing Body and Mind. Inner Traditions Bear and Company.ISBN978-0-89281-489-3
^Furth C. (1987). Concepts of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Infancy in Ch'ing Dynasty China. Journal of Asian Studies, 46:7-35.JSTOR2056664
^Reissland, N; Burghart, R (1987). "The role of massage in south Asia: child health and development".Social Science & Medicine.25 (3):231–9.doi:10.1016/0277-9536(87)90226-7.PMID3629298.
