Dear Friends:
    Infant massage is part of breastfeeding, as  Ransjo-Arvidson found in 
their lovely study of babies' behaviors after birth.  Babies massage the breast 
which raises oxytocin levels in the mother.
    Tiffany Fields PhD did research on premature  infants showing that 
premies massaged regularly (once a shift for 15  minutes) gained weight more 
quickly, and went home days earlier than  premies who were not massaged. Both groups 
of premies were have the same intakes  so it wasn't that the massaged group 
ate more!
   This review supports the findings but says they are of  low statistical 
significance. 
    What is needed is a HUGE study; another criticism  of the research is 
that the samples were small.
    Whatever the benefits, no harm is done.
    warmly,
 
Nikki Lee RN, MS, Mother of 2, IBCLC, CCE
Maternal-Child Adjunct  Faculty Union Institute and University
Film Reviews Editor, Journal of Human  Lactation
Support the WHO Code and the Mother-Friendly Childbirth  Initiative

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