The oil derived from the nutrient intense sweet almonds is the best oil for your baby’s daily massage. Baby massage is a great way to bond with your baby, especially during the initial months when there aren’t many activities that you can do with your baby.
Immensely rich in vitamin E, a research in 2020 has shown that sweet almond oil is absolutely safe for your baby’s body massage. The researchers also found that using almond oil on premature babies improved their skin’s thickness and strength — and didn’t cause any side effects.
However, nowadays there is a lot of debate on whether oil massage is actually needed for babies or not. While the benefits related to growth may or may not be yet clearly established, it is certainly true that giving your baby a regular oil massage is great for the skin. Almond oil is an excellent choice for use on babies because it is naturally rich in emollients. High in vitamin E and other nutrients, sweet almond oil should be your go to oil when it comes to baby massages.
The biggest benefit of almond oil for baby massage is the natural Vitamin E and a range of elements like magnesium, phosphorus and copper present in it, is good for baby’s skin. It helps the skin to stay healthy and supple. It’s light and gets absorbed easily by the skin making it soft and smooth. The oil can be used throughout the year without any worries.
Sweet almond oil also has anti-inflammatory properties and helps heal damaged or dry skin. Sweet almond oil massages for babies have added benefits during the winter months as well. It’s a natural moisturizer and prevents your baby’s skin from drying up. Almond oil massage is beneficial to reduce itchiness and skin rashes too.
Some of the benefits of massaging your baby with Sweet almond oil are:
i. Rich in nutrients
This nutrient dense oil is extremely beneficial for maintaining a healthy skin. It is also very beneficial for the scalp.
ii. Relaxes and promotes sleep
A soothing massage with this oil will help relax your baby. It improves blood circulation and helps in the breathing process. This will help your little one sleep calmly.
iii. Protects against cradle cap
Daily massaging the scalp lightly with sweet almond oil prevents a baby from developing cradle cap. It also loosens existing cradle caps.
iv. Moisturizing
A baby’s skin often gets dry due to external factors such as cold weather, wind, less moisture in the air etc. regular massage with sweet almond oil helps prevent dryness and keeps the skin sift, supple and hydrated. It also protects babies from developing rashes. Since the oil is safe for babies, it can be applied to chapped lips to make them soft.
v.Reduces Indigestion
Massaging your baby with sweet almond oil reduces the chances of indigestion and upset stomach. This is a common problem in infants that can cause a lot of pain. Use this oil to gently massage your baby’s tummy.
Now let’s see how to massage a tiny human. Here’s a step by step guide on how to massage your baby. However, always remember that there’s no one right way to do it!
- If it's a new oil, do a test patch the day before. Rub a small amount of the oil on the inside of your baby’s elbow or on their stomach. Check the area in an hour or so for any reaction.
- Make sure the room is warm enough. It is required to remove all your baby’s clothes except their diaper.
- Undress your baby and lay them on a firm yet soft surface. Place the baby such that they’re facing you.
- Pour 8-10 drops of the sweet almond oil and warm it up by rubbing your hands together.
- Talk to your baby when you’re rubbing your hands, such that they know the massage is about to start.
- Gently place your hands on your baby’s tummy and then go up the chest.
- Massage their tummy and chest with clockwise circular motions.
- Next move on to your baby’s arms or legs. Hold their wrist or ankle to support their arm or leg as you massage.
- Use very gentle strokes with your hands touching your baby’s skin.
- Only use your fingers gently when it comes to massaging your baby’s neck, face, and head.
- Turn your baby over and massage their back.
- If your baby gets upset or too wiggly, stop the massage. Leave the massage oil on after the massage and dress your baby. The oil will help moisturize and soothe your baby’s skin.
At the end it is another way to bond with your little one, and at the same time it also helps in keeping their skin healthy and hydrated. Make sure you use a cold pressed, extra virgin, food grade sweet almond oil, without any added fragrance, colours, mineral oil, or preservatives.