Essential Body Care

Infant Massage

The importance of massage:
Though your hugs and cuddles are surely the best ways to comfort your little one, the ‘extra touch’ by means of massage will provide a unique experience for both your baby and you. Massaging, besides helping a baby bond better with his parents also helps him grow better. In fact, massaging is an ideal way of learning how to handle your baby. A regular massage helps you get in touch with your baby and learn his body language. Massaging is known to stimulate growth promoting hormones and increase the enzymes responsible for making the cells of the vital organs more responsive to the effects of these hormones.

Choosing the right oil:
Since a baby’s skin is very sensitive, it is important to choose a light and natural oil, one that is unscented and rich in vitamin E. When buying oil, check for its label as cold compressed. This means that the oil has been extracted by means of pressure, not by heat or chemical solvents which can change the characteristics of the oil. Some of the oils that have been popularly used since ages for massage are olive, almond and sesame (til). Some nut oils may cause a possible skin allergy rash in some babies, so it would be wise to do a skin test before you start using the oil of your choice. For this, apply a little oil on the baby’s elbow and leave on for about 20 minutes. If no reaction occurs on the skin, then you can go ahead and use that oil.

Himalaya nourishing baby oil is absolutely pure, mild and gentle. Formulated with the right combination of natural essentials like aloe vera, olive oil and winter cherry etc., it helps in a baby’s growth and development besides keeping the skin soft and lustrous.

Experts’ advice to massage the right way:

• Choose a dry and warm place, preferably a room well lit with a lot of sunshine.
• Place your baby and yourself in a special position. You can sit with your back leaned against the wall or a couch.
• You can either sit cross-legged or stretch your legs in front of you. Spread a dry and slightly warmed towel over your legs and place the baby on it.
• To begin the massage, pour some oil into your hands, hold the baby’s foot with one hand, and spread the oil over the baby’s legs from ankles to thighs, while looking into his eyes and speaking gently.
• Hold the legs with both hands and with a light pressure of twisting and squeezing motion, move your hands from thigh to foot.Give some light strokes from thigh to feet before you move on to the trunk.
• Follow the same method for the arms and hands, and don’t forget to massage the lymph nodes in the arm-pits.
• To massage the abdomen, slide your whole palm and fingers in a hand-over-hand circular motion, working from the rib-cage downward. Then, slide both your arms around the abdomen in clockwise circular movements. Relax a tense abdomen with the ‘I love you’ stroke. Give a round of light fingertips pressure all over the abdomen.
• To massage the chest, slide both hands along the rib cage from center to sides and back again.
• Give the face special strokes, smoothing it with your whole palm; lightly pressing, pushing, and circling with the thumbs, and finally giving light fingertips strokes from the forehead to cheeks.
• For the back, use your finger-pads to lightly rub small circles all over the back. Then gently come with the fingertips from back over buttocks to legs and ankles.
• Once you learn the art of infant massage, you and your baby together can work out and enjoy many more creative touches.
  

Bathing your baby

This is one activity which not many babies take a liking to very easily in the beginning, as most of them hate being undressed and getting wet, though there are some who enjoy it too. As a parent, you too may find holding a slippery and restless baby a little unnerving. In such a case, giving your baby a sponge bath could be a good idea. Feed your baby if you need to before bathing him, to prevent him from getting hunger pangs.

Sponge bath:

• To start with, ensure that everything you need is at hand: bowls of warm water – one with baby wash, the other for rinsing – and a sponge or soft washcloth.
• Spread a large towel over your lap. Wear an apron to keep yourself dry, preferably a terry cloth with a waterproof backing that will be softer against your baby’s skin than plastic. Undress your baby a little at a time, and keep him wrapped in a towel to keep him warm.
• Use a wrung-out sponge to prevent water dripping on your baby.
• First, wipe the baby’s face while being careful of the areas around the eyes and mouth. Pat dry, if necessary. It’ll be good to keep drying the baby’s part simultaneously as you finish cleaning.
• The other areas to be followed are the chest, not to forget the folds and underarms, back, legs and finally the feet.
  

Complete bath:

As already mentioned, all accessories must be kept ready before giving the baby a bath. A clean kitchen sink or a portable tub would be ideal for bathing in the initial stage. A rubber mat or foam support at the bottom of the tub can help make it less slippery and give your baby more grip. The tub should be well supported on a waterproof surface without any draft. Ensure that the room is warm enough. The water should be tepid or lukewarm, about 90 degrees Fahrenheit and not hot. The best way to check the temperature of the water is to dip your elbow into the water, as the skin of that area is particularly sensitive, or use a thermometer. You can either put some liquid soap into the bath water or soap your baby while bathing him. Himalaya moisturizing baby soap is mild and soothing, that gently cleans the skin and helps restore its lost moisture.

Steps to bathe the baby:

• Fill up 2 to 3 inches of warm water in the tub, bring your baby to the bath area and undress him.
• Lower your baby gradually in to the tub, bottom first, using one hand supporting his neck and head.
• Keep the baby in an upright position and pour small quantities of bath water over his chest and stomach. Smile and talk to him continuously to keep him amused.
• Next, hold the baby under his armpit and while supporting his chest, rinse the upper back and neck.
• While supporting the baby across his chest, turn the baby around so that his face stays clear of water and rinse the lower back.
• Keep one hand firmly on his shoulder and slide the other under his buttocks. Turn him gently towards you so that he faces upwards as you lift him out of the tub.
  

Safety tips while bathing your baby:

• Never ever leave your baby alone or unsupervised in the tub. If you do need to attend the door bell or the phone, wrap the baby in the towel and carry him along.
• Always ensure the temperature of water is right before using it on your baby’s skin.
• Don’t put your baby in the tub while the water is still running, as this could alter the temperature or the depth of water.
• Cut out the bathing time of the baby to not more than 10 minutes, as he could catch a chill. Also, prolonged baths can lead to excessive dryness of the skin.
  

Baby’s hair care

In the first couple of weeks, just washing your baby’s hair and scalp with warm water every few days to clean the built-up dirt will do. Once your baby has enough hair, you can use a natural and mild shampoo. Himalaya gentle baby shampoo is a special formulation that cleanses and nourishes the tender hair roots, without causing any irritation and tears in the baby. However, if your baby doesn’t like his hair getting wet in the beginning and resists too much, do not force him. Wipe his head clean for some more days with a sponge and try again.

*Cradle cap: This is a common condition of the scalp in babies in which the scalp becomes dry and flaky, and appears like dandruff. This is actually harmless and disappears on its own within a couple of months. A simple remedy is to rub a little vegetable or olive oil on the scalp a couple of times in a week, leave it on for about fifteen minutes or so, and then gently comb out the flakes. You can then use a safe, gentle and mild shampoo to wash the hair. A severe case of cradle cap marked by thick, oily, yellowish or scaling crusting patches may require medical attention.

Washing your baby’s hair:

• Undress the baby and wrap him in a towel, put his legs between your arm’s side to grip them under your armpit. Support his back with the length of your arm and cradle his head in your hand. Bring him over to the tub or the basin.
• Check the temperature of the water. Take some water over his head on to his hair. Gently apply the mild shampoo on to the scalp, then rinse it off.
• Be careful of the shampoo getting into his eyes. To prevent this, you can use a hair shield which fits around the hairline and blocks any drips. You can also add the shampoo in the water. Gently pat the hair dry using a corner of another towel, so that his face doesn’t get covered. Do not rub the hair. Gently brush his hair using a soft- bristled baby brush.
  

Drying your baby:

• Wrap up your baby in a relatively warm (not hot) and soft towel kept ready, as soon as you take him out of the bath.
• Fold both sides over to completely cover the body and pat him dry. Remember to dry the skin creases around his legs, diaper area, under arms and the neck, for if left moist, it may lead to irritation and skin rashes.
• Even when dressing up the baby, keep the towel wrapped around him.
  

Baby’s skin care

Moisturizing:

A baby’s skin being more delicate is susceptible to becoming dry. Factors like cold, dry outside air and indoor heating in winters tend to make the baby’s skin dry. During summers, avoid exposing the baby to direct sunlight. Even prolonged bathing time can rob the infant’s skin of its natural oil. So, you must take care to keep his skin well hydrated, moisturized and nourished always.

Once you dry the baby after his bath, apply a good body lotion or a light moisturizer immediately. Damp skin absorbs the lotion better and helps retain the skin’s moisture equilibrium. Avoid using any chemical based skin care products that can have a reaction on your baby’s skin. Himalaya baby lotion, enriched with the goodness of natural oils like olive, almond and yashtimadhu, helps restore the beauty of the baby’s skin, leaving it soft and supple. For the tender areas like cheeks, nose, elbows and knees, you can use a natural based cream for babies.
Himalaya baby cream is an ideal formulation for such sensitive areas. Also, ensure to give your baby lots of fluid through the day to keep him well hydrated.

Using a baby talc:

If your baby tends to perspire a lot or experiences skin irritation like rashes, you can sprinkle a soothing talc all over his body, at least once daily after bath. Himalaya baby powder is formulated with special herbal actives that have antiseptic as well as cooling properties. Thus, the baby powder helps to bring fast relief in conditions of intense sweating, skin inflammation and prevents body odor.