How to Baby Massage,

The actions we can do with legs, really help your baby's tummy, as explained in the earlier blog.

To massage your baby's tummy and help further with wind and constipation, begin by making sure you have enough oil on both your hands and your baby's skin. Place your hands on your baby's tummy and allow them to settle there gently. Make eye contact with your baby and talk quietly, all the time judging your baby's mood and receptivity to being massaged. Using just the weight of your hand and trying not to press, sweep your hands around his tummy in a clockwise motion. follow one hand with other. Once you feel confident with this action you can sing: 'Here we go round the mulberry bush', while you massage the tummy. For words that fit beautifully with this massage action, see www.gentlehandsbabymassage.co.uk for a Gentle Hands baby massage kit.

Next, gently sweep your hands down his tummy from the rib cage to the pubic bone. The action is almost a scoop, as with sand on the beach. Do this several times. At this point your baby may pee, so be warned!

Hi

If you have had a go at massaging the legs, well done. You can do a little every day, as much as your baby will take. Remember to watch for clues that your baby has had enough, obvious crying, irritability, general discomfort. If you are aware of your baby's moods and signs, then life will be a little calmer for you. Stop massaging if your baby shows any of the above signs and wait a while. Try later in the day. You could put on the Gentle Hands CD and just play. Sometimes babies prefer to be more upright and want to look around, try to go with your baby's cues.

It can be difficult in the early weeks to let go of control and I know it sounds patronising, and every body says it, 'your baby has not read the manual', but I guess it's true.

So now to the feet.

You may need to replenish with a little oil. Supporting your left baby's foot in your left hand, (diagonally across) massage up each toe. In reflexology this may help with runny noses. As you you move up each toe with your thumb, you can chant 'this little piggy went to market'. On the last line, 'and this little piggy........, run your fingers up your baby's body and tickle gently in the neck.

Still supporting the foot, massage the whole of the sole of the foot.

Move on and do exactly the same with the other foot. Be gentle, fun and loving.

Sweep your hands up your baby's leg after doing each foot and do a few full length leg massages. Up and down, as in the earlier blogs. Have a lovely time and next blog we'll move onto games and songs with legs! ( Sounds exciting!)

Hi

It's Tuesday evening and ages since I've blogged, largely I'll admit that I lost the whole lot and only found it by accident. So here we are, just wish I was a little better at all this techno stuff. At last, the next stages in Baby Massage.

So far, if you have followed the last blog, you will have mastered the natural rhythm that flows with practice. Baby's love their legs being massaged and will often be quiet and pensive at this point. Remember to follow your babies cues and stop when they are fidgeting. Remember to talk and try for good, loving eye contact. Smile and blow bubbles, anything to keep your baby's attention.

Replenish your oil if the skin is feeling at all dry. Your hands must glide very easily up and down the leg.

Now holding your baby's leg in your left hand, take your right hand and massage the thigh. The movement is outwards and in circles. Circle the top of the leg several times, use an outward rotation. If your baby has an injection bruise, remember to be gentle here and of course don't massage at all if your baby has had an injection within the last 48 hours.

After you have massaged the top of the leg, take your right hand down to the knee and massage in little circles around the knee joint using your thumb. Now with your thumb, and still supporting the leg with your left hand, continue in little circles up the front of the shin. This can be done a few times.

Well done, practice that bit, and very soon, I'll explain how to do the foot. Practice the complete leg massage up to where we are today