How to massage a child 4-5 months?

The four-month baby is already pretty inquisitive. He knows the world with interest, and helping him in this is the task of loving and caring parents. One of the ways to develop, strengthen and stimulate infants at the age of 4-5 months is home restorative massage. How to do it to get the most benefit from the procedure, we will discuss in this article.

At 4 months, children become more active. They sleep much less now, and the total wakefulness time can reach 5-6 hours a day. The physical development of the baby has stepped far forward - to the four-month age the children perfectly keep their head in the position lying on the stomach and even try to lift it lying on the back, but these attempts are still too heavy for the karapuz.

Most babies in 4-5 months are able to rely perfectly on outstretched arms in a position on the stomach. Some even learned to roll over with the abdomen and back.

The hypertonicity of the muscles, which is registered in 9 newborns out of 10 babies, by this age has become noticeably smaller, and with it some inborn reflexes also go away. The movements of the child become more conscious, he turns his head to the side where the sounds are coming from, or to the toy of interest.

Since muscle hypertonus has not disappeared altogether, the child should definitely have a relaxing and tonic massage. Relaxation is necessary to relieve muscle "clamps" and more harmonious physical development of the baby. Relaxing massage allows you to improve sleep and appetite, a positive effect on the nervous system of the baby.

Firming massage is needed to stimulate muscle tissue, to strengthen muscles. This is necessary to ensure that subsequent skills are given to the crumbs more easily, without overloading the supporting system in general and the spine in particular. It improves blood circulation, enhances and strengthens the immune system of the baby.

As the baby began to sleep less, the time of his wakefulness must be filled with the most interesting and useful exercises. Home massage, which mom will do independently, is a great way to communicate, tactile and emotional contact. It is in this grown up baby needs now no less than in the neonatal period.

Massage for a child of 4-5 months is recommended to carry out a complex, in which the passive exercises performed by the mother, when the crumb lies, are combined with the exercises active, in which the crumb itself takes personal and direct participation. Therefore, massage is combined with exercise, gymnastics. This allows you to achieve more noticeable positive results from the manipulations.

For the session you will need:

• place for manipulation (flat surface, moderately hard, which does not spring - changing table, warm floor, covered with a special mat);
• massage oil or baby cream;
• wet wipes;
• clean diaper;
• a pair of rattles or other toys to which the baby shows the greatest interest.

If possible, you can buy a child gymnastic ball - fitball, if this has not been done before. Exercises on it will be an excellent complement to the complex of exercises.

Mom should massage with clean and warm hands, without manicure, rings on the fingers and bracelets on the wrist.

If you have not done an independent massage before, you should consult with your pediatrician about the possibility of homework, as well as familiarize yourself with the list of contraindications for which the baby is not allowed to perform a general standard massage at home.

An independent baby massage is not needed during periods of illness of the child. If a tooth is cut or the temperature rises, manipulations are strictly prohibited. Enhancing blood circulation after a session can provoke a higher fever.

Do not massage and children with large hernia - inguinal or umbilical. The contraction of the muscles can lead to the pinching of the hernia sac. Massage at home is not allowed for children prone to convulsions, children with hydrocephalus, epilepsy. Even cautious mother's actions may well provoke an attack.

Massage is not done if the skin in the area of ​​massaging is damaged - there is a rash, abrasions, prickly heat, allergies, burns or wounds. Also, do not carry out home manipulations for congenital heart defects in an infant.

Children with disorders of the musculoskeletal system, as well as with pathologies of the central or peripheral nervous system, independent massage is not recommended. They are most often prescribed medical procedures that are carried out by professional masseurs.

Temporary deterioration of health - diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, lack of mood, moods, is also a contraindication.

The basic techniques are classic. Mothers who did babies massage and at an earlier age, they are usually well acquainted. But the classic techniques for children 4-5 months complement the new techniques, which are tingling, felting.

Starting massage should be with general stroking. First of all, the limbs are massaged. Massage of hands and legs begin with fingers and gradually rise up. First you should stroke the handle, then rub it more intensively. When the skin becomes pink and the skin is warm, proceed with kneading each finger, palm, wrist and forearm. Finish by light tingling, shake the child's hand, holding it in yours.

The legs are massaged similarly, paying special attention to the legs, ankle and back of the thigh. When massaging the limbs, any impact on the popliteal cavities and armpits should be avoided.

Massage the chest and abdomen is carried out in the position of the child lying on his back. Do this with light circular motions with your open hand. It is possible to hold a small tingling around the navel with your fingertips, just make sure that your child doesn’t get any pain.

Back massage is carried out in the prone position. Stroking, kneading and rubbing, as well as tingling in the desired sequence is easy to carry out, remembering the nursery rhyme about "rails-rails, sleepers-sleepers". Avoid pressure on the vertebrae; massage the neck area with a slight stroking of the neck and shoulders; shock and plucking techniques should not be used in the lumbar region of the infant. But pinch ass - please! This will benefit the baby.

Complete the massage with a repetition of stroking and soothing techniques. The child must "take a breath" so that the mother can go to the second part of the combined lesson - to the gymnastics.

Here are some effective exercises that are recommended to add to the massage of the child 4-5 months:

• "Cyclist". Alternately, bend and unbend the legs of the baby as the cyclists usually pedal. Bring the bent leg to the stomach.This will remove the tone of the muscles of the lower extremities and prepare the legs for crawling and subsequent walking. In addition, synchronous and alternate bringing legs contributes to strengthening the abdominal muscles.

• "Reach for the toys." Put the child on the tummy and put an interesting toy a little away from him. Stimulate in the direction of the toy. If the child has already started to roll over on its side or is trying to do it, encourage it by helping to sum the opposite leg - such turns stimulate not only strong-willed motivation (to get a toy), but also obliques and long straight muscles of the back.

• "Swallow". Put the baby on the tummy. With one hand, take his handles, the second - legs and carefully lift the limbs. The baby should only lie on his stomach, bending the back and lifting his head for a few seconds. After that, return the baby's limbs to the place, give it a rest and repeat the exercise.

• "On the ball." If there is a fitball, swing the baby on the ball up and down, and also right and left in two positions - lying on your back on the ball and lying on your stomach on the fitball. This is not only an exercise for the muscles, but also an excellent training of the vestibular apparatus and coordination of movements.

Each lesson turn into an interesting game. Turn on the music, go and read the verses. Baby should be interesting.

Take your time, increase the load and the duration of the sessions gradually - from 5 to 15 minutes (for advanced mothers). Do not try to teach your child coups, crawling or sitting, if he is not at rest in a state of readiness to perform such movements. The fact that a good six-month baby can hurt the crumbs in 4 months.

Make sure that the conditions in the room where the lesson is taking place are optimal - the air temperature should not be higher than 21 degrees Celsius, and the air humidity should be 50-70%.

If the child began to act up, do not try to continue massage and gymnastics at any cost. Interrupt the lesson, return to him when the crumb is in a good mood.

Soothing massage is better to do in the evening before bathing, an hour before bedtime. Constructive manipulations spend in the morning, so as not to have problems with appetite and falling asleep.

The famous pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky argues that a child aged 4-5 months needs massage, but only as an auxiliary procedure for immunity and general development, along with walks and hardening. If a child has a pathology or disease, professionals should treat them with massage. In the extreme case, mothers, but only after a professional massage therapist teaches parents about therapeutic effects.

For a healthy child, a massage therapist is not needed. He needs a mom. That is why Komarovsky advises parents to do massage independently. The crumb overwhelms his mother completely; he does not feel in danger in her hands. It is because of the threat to their own safety that babies cry so bitterly in the hands of professional massage therapists.

When performing a home massage and gymnastics, Evgeny Olegovich recommends avoiding acupressure, too intense and strong pressure. The baby should be pleased, not hurt. In order to measure the impact force, the pediatrician advises the mother to close her eyes and press her thumb on the eyeball. As soon as it becomes painful - this is the limit of the child’s patience. Make the massage a little easier.

On how to properly make a wellness massage for a child 4-5 months, see the following video.