Infant massage is giving a new meaning to the term touchy-feely parenting. Is it any wonder why parents who utilize this therapeutic technique are die-hard fans? Many say that it can be both stimulating and calming. More importantly, it offers a chance for baby and parent to engage, relax, and gently work developing muscles and joints. When practiced regularly, infant massage can encourage healthy digestion, reduce colic, deepen baby’s respiration, and even improve brain and nervous system development. According to the Infant Massage Information Service, massage strengthens baby’s immune system and serves as a preventative measure for a variety of infections, diarrhea and constipation. The IMIS attributes many of the positive effects of massage to reducing the amount of stress a baby experiences.

Likewise, infant massage has shown significant affects on newborns who suffer various congenital health conditions. It can be a life-saving technique for premature infants who may be isolated in an incubator for short or extended periods of time. Research studies have shown that incubator-bound preemies who were caressed and held experienced 47% more weight gain than a control group – a fact that suggests the physical contact of massage shortens recovery time and quickens release from hospital. Similarly, in situations of special needs such as visual, hearing or neurological impairments, babies who were frequently massaged demonstrate increased muscle tone and overall flexibility. Perhaps more importantly, loving tactile stimulation can enhance baby’s ability to connect, relate and communicate with her caregiver as well as her environment in general – skills that are invaluable to any child but especially for those who may be challenged by an impairment.

If you’d like to begin practicing a routine, the following guidelines can help to keep things simple and ensure success. Make massage part of a regimen that baby can anticipate. Choose a time of day that works best for you and baby. (Note: when massaging a newborn, it is not advisable to do so after a warm bath as it may over stimulate her.) Next, begin with a warm room that has natural (not bright) lighting and a calm, quiet atmosphere. Use aromatherapeutic grade or organic oils (such as safflower, grape seed or sweet almond) as they will be absorbed into baby’s bare skin. Always begin with baby’s feet and progress up the body toward the head. Be sure to use long, firm, rhythmic strokes. When caressing limbs try to move bloodflow toward the heart (center) of baby – some massage therapists call these “tip to trunk” strokes. Make eye contact and smile as you give positive non-verbal cues. Be attentive to baby’s reactions. As you respond to baby’s feedback, the two of you will learn to intuitively communicate with each other. Because of the closeness that massage creates, it’s an excellent opportunity for dad and baby to bond – especially if mom is breastfeeding. For both mom and dad, it can be a wonderful way of teaching baby about expressing love, responding positively to others and sharing intimacy.

Many hospitals and health care professionals offer baby massage courses to new and soon-to-be parents. Contact your doctor or midwife for a list of courses in your geographical area. Also, check out the books and websites below for a more in-depth pursuit of the origins and technique. Remember, infant massage is the art of transferring relaxation, peacefulness and love. If you begin with these in mind, your baby is sure to profit from your efforts.

The information provided by earthmother.org is intended for educational purposes. Always consult your physician regarding personal medical guidance.

http://www.healthychild.com/infant-massage.htm

http://www.infantmassage-imis.com.au/benefits/http://www.infantmassage-imis.com.au/benefits/

http://www.childbirthsolutions.com/articles/postpartum/infantmassage/index.php

• Birth is normal, natural, and healthy.
• The experience of birth profoundly affects women and their families.
• Women’s inner wisdom guides them through birth.
• Women’s confidence and ability to give birth is either enhanced or diminished by the care provider and place of birth.
• Women have a right to give birth free from routine medical intervention.
• Birth can safely take place in homes, birth centers, and hospitals.
• Childbirth education empowers women to make informed choices in health care, to assume responsibility for their health, and to trust their inner wisdom.

For more information on Lamaze’s approach and philosophies of pregnancy, birth and beyond, go to Lamaze.org.

A week ago, an acquaintance told me about the Free Birthing Show on the Discovery Channel. I’d never seen this show, but read and heard about it. It chronicles women who espouse a current trend of giving birth without any assistance whatsoever—no medications, no midwife or doctor, no support other than maybe a spouse or partner.

I don’t fundamentally agree with this practice. I truly believe it is a risky and dangerous course of action that places the lives of both the mother and baby in a precarious position. By sheer vantage point alone, it’s utterly impossible to become aware of (or respond to) a developing complication. A trained, knowledgeable person should always be present. Always. That means, a Certified Licensed Midwife or Doctor should not only be present during labor and childbirth, but should also administer prenatal visits monitoring the health of mom and baby along the way.

But, due to the increasing practice of American Doctors to use unnecessary medical induction and artificial labor management techniques, some women are simply choosing to take matters into their own hands. And—with the current statistics of mismanaged births, medically caused complications and emergency Cesarean sections—who could really blame them?

Free Birthing is clearly a response to the astonishing increase in the medical community to intentionally leave the woman out of birthing. The Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) most recent release of birth statistics reveals that the rate of cesarean surgery, for example, is on the rise to 31.1% of all births—50% greater than data from 1996.** Likewise, national induction rates (i.e.: the use of pitocin) are up to 98% while epidural rates hover around 76%. And, I have to ask, are women in our society so incapable of birthing our children that a majority of them are born through artificial means? What if we aren’t?? What if…?

I return to the Free Birthing Show during which a laboring mother exclaims that she’s having an orgasm as she experiences her last minutes of labor and birth. My acquaintance says, “That’s disgusting! It just makes me sick! An orgasm during birth?!? How disgraceful!” Now this may seem like a stretch, but bear with me. What is an orgasm? Well, most commonly of course, orgasm refers to the apex of sexual experience. However, when you look at the origins of the word, it is only during this century that it became synonymous with sexual climax. Prior to that—if you take a look at the word’s etymology from the Greek orgasmos—it means simply “to swell; to be excited.” And I would wager that, among myriad overwhelming emotions, somewhere in the heart and soul of every woman who gives birth is the intense feeling of being swelled up with excitement in that moment. But, it’s all in how you look at it.

And, that’s where my Pleasantville Theory of childbirth comes into play. What if? What if it’s all in the perspective—the common zeitgeist, if you will? What if the potentialities during childbirth weren’t based on black and white assumptions, black and white medical malpractice outcomes, and black and white opinions about what is and what is not “possible?”

What if we chose only to visualize the beauty of the mother and the new life emerging? What if a mother’s only thoughts going into labor were “YES I CAN?” What if the images of laboring women in the media were of positive, strong, loving mothers who display a calm and peace in the face of her experience? What if, as a society, we chose educate our daughters in a completely different way?

What if we shifted our cultural perception of childbirth      even    just      a    little    bit?

What if we encouraged women to be motivated by only positive, empowering images? Would women still fear birth, still dread the contractions so much that they request narcotics before the first one starts? Generations from now, would the majority of mothers confidently use the healthier choices like cleansing breaths and soothing visualizations taught by trusted institutions such as Lamaze and Bradley?

What if all the side effects and after-effects of inductions, narcotics and spinal epidurals were more widely discussed and less socially acceptable? Would women more often use the historical method of labor support: a trusted certified midwife accompanied by a companion, partner or trained doula who provide constant compassionate care, encouragement and focus?

What if all the known postpartum dangers of c-section recovery incited such a global phobia that women would avoid one at all costs rather than choose them electively? Would this major surgery still be performed for a third of our national births? Or, would surgeons be more prudent with their choices to use such critical means?

What if the health and well being of the woman and her child were placed as the highest priority? What if there was a pervasive undercurrent of pride and accomplishment in the process? What practices would emerge as the common standard? And, which current practices would be acknowledged as harmful and thus fall by the wayside?

What if we just trusted ourselves a little more, questioned the medical system a little more, and valued the natural process a little more? What if we chose not to cling to the extremes of modern convenience and artificial technologies? What if we chose not to accept the black and white of the status quo but rather to embrace all the colors on the spectrum of human experience?

What if..?

**Statistics taken from Evidenced-Based Maternity Care: What it is and what it can achieve; Published 2008; Sakala, Carol and Corry, Maureen P.

But, don’t take my word for it. Here is a little word from DONA International, a widely respected professional doula organization—an organization in which I’m proudly a member.

Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth

• tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications
• reduces negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience
• reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction and cesareans
• reduces the mother’s request for pain medication and/or epidurals

Research shows parents who receive support can:

• Feel more secure and cared for
• Are more successful in adapting to new family dynamics
• Have greater success with breastfeeding
• Have greater self-confidence
• Have less postpartum depression
• Have lower incidence of abuse

Check out dona.org for more information

In the spirit of exposing my children to the cause of being an active member of their community, my husband and I took them with us to vote this morning. Some would disagree with this practice, but I wanted to live out this simple act by example, holding my three-year-old daughter in my arms as I pressed my index finger to the touch screen. She had originally heard my announcement of “we’re going voting today!” as ” we’re going boating today!” to which she quickly replied, “Oh, yay! We’re going to see the fishies!” After a good chuckle and many hugs, I explained what voting was all about. And, to my great delight, she couldn’t wait to go voting and stuck with me throughout the whole process.

Meanwhile, my five-year-old accompanied my husband to the booth and afterward had many questions—one of which was, “when can I vote?” This was followed by, “why do I have to wait until I’m 18?” and “Can we buy a donut [at the bake sale table]?”

And, my only thought was, “Well, I guess we got the dialogue going.” And, that’s the best I can hope for.

If you’d like to read a bit about the American suffrage movement, go to the Alice Paul Institute and Lucy Burns National Women’s Party site for more information.