How Can Mom Bond With Premature Baby?

Touch therapy research has demonstrated that nurturing touch for an infant is critical in establishing the foundation of their psychological well-being. When it comes to babies born prematurely, this can become even more important.

When a baby is born prematurely, parents and caregivers of babies in the NICU may face some serious challenges. One of the main challenges is likely, bonding. This can be difficult given the number of doctors' rounds, medical equipment, and requirements for minimal stimulation. When the baby does become stable enough for touch, what can a parent do to provide comfort to their child? One of the best approaches can be infant massage!

Due to their baby's health, for many families who have babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, there may be some delays in bonding. Delays in the bonding process may occur for a variety of reasons, and infant massage can be very beneficial in contributing to establishing the bond between parent and child. Massage contains all of the elements necessary to begin the process of bonding. Providing massage for a child can help develop a unique language and communication through touch, helping the parent and child to become attuned to each other. In addition to providing regular attentive care such as cuddling, holding and comforting, massage should be introduced slowly and with extra care. There are many physical and emotional elements of bonding.

During massage we use the elements of eye-to-eye contact, skin-to-skin contact, vocalization, scent and entrainment.

Using eye-to-eye contact during massage, caregivers learn to read their baby's cues. Research indicates that frequent eye contact indicates that a baby is gaining confidence. This eye-to-eye contact provides a method of communicating fully. A strong connection, this interaction can send a message to the brain to temporarily shut down the production of Cortisol (stress hormones).

During massage, touch, our very first sense is triggered. This is best when provided skin-to-skin. The skin is the primary sensory organ and during times when nurturing touch is felt, can communicate to the rest of the body, feelings of calm and relaxation. Oxytocin is released for both the giver and receiver of nurturing touch. This is one reason infant massage is so soothing for both caregiver and child.

Babies enjoy the sound of the human voice and appear to prefer the sound of their parent's voice over that of a stranger. During infant massage, it is important to speak to your baby. Make sounds, sing songs and lovingly speak to them, so they have all of their senses stimulated.

Infants are comforted by scents of their caregiver. Smell is one of the most powerful senses and infants have a strong scent memory. A caregiver's skin is one of the first smells they experience, so the imprint of that unique scent remains a reassuring, beloved fragrance throughout life.

Parent and baby respond to each other through various cues such as facial expressions, speech and other body movements. This is called entrainment. The development of this special "language" between them builds love, trust, and respect that can be carried from infancy through adulthood.

Infant Massage is a powerful tool to help parents of babies born prematurely, nurture their loving bond!


Copyright (c) 2011 Liddle Kidz Foundation Infant and Children's Pediatric Massage