We can all use some self-care during the upcoming weekend. It turns out it’s not just adults who can use pampering.
Babies love and need massages, too.
Instagram posts by Maddie Roberts show that babies appreciate smoothing touches – and how social media users love watching their reactions.
After the Utah mom shared the video of massaging her then 15-month-old daughter, Taya, millions of Instagram users have liked and reacted to the adorable video.
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“We were shocked to see so many people liking it,” Roberts recalled. “Showing love to each other – that’s just a regular routine for us.”
Scientific evidence supports the theory that it’s beneficial for parents to give their babies smoothing massages.
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“A loving touch is a bridge between love and science,” explained Elina Furman, a certified infant massage instructor and the founder of Kahlmi the baby massager. “For example, babies in NICU grow so much faster because they get massages. Their brain development shows babies were learning, and their attention was much more alert.”
Furman says massaging a baby is good for the parent, too.
“This is a moment in time you are setting the imprints for the baby’s entire life in terms of emotional and physical development,” Furman said. “Spending 10 to 20 minutes a day, just focusing on your baby and giving them the undivided attention – it’s now only good for the, but it’ll reward you in so many ways as well.”
Another benefit of massaging a baby is that it can help the infant fall asleep faster and longer. That’ll give an opportunity for parents to get a shut-eye and take care of themselves because sleep deprivation is one of the leading causes behind post-partum depression.
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