Infant Massage

You can soothe your baby’s fretting and ease him into sleep with a gentle massage.

A recent study suggests that bedtime massages may increase the level of melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate sleep, in 8 to 12 week old babies. Babies who were given massages 30 minutes before bedtime were shown to have waking and sleeping cycles more like their mothers’ own waking and sleeping rhythms.

To give your baby a massage, place him on his tummy across your lap, and use your fingertips to stroke his back, leg and arm muscles.

This message is not intended to provide individual medical advice. Always seek the advice of a physician or qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have about your health or medical condition, your breastfeeding issues and your infant's health. Never disregard, avoid or delay contacting a doctor or other qualified professional because of something you have read in our emails, webpages or other electronic communications.