Dear Friends:
     Barbara Whitehead's  post about ABM companies using inservices on infant
massage to promote their product makes me ill.
     Infant massage does have an important place in infant care. There are
studies that show premature infants gain weight more quickly when they are
massaged regularly; in the study, this led to a quicker hospital discharge.
Infant massage promotes maternal-infant connection, is a pleasurable way for
caregiver and baby to have a wonderful dialogue (a great way to get dads
involved), reduces colic and fussiness, raises mood in depressed mothers. It
is also a terrific way to get parents and babies in touch when both parents
are working as the 15 minutes it takes to give a massage is short, yet
powerful. In other words, quality as well as quantity time. When nurses model
this behavior, parents will copy.
     I often teach some elements of infant massage in my lactation visits.
     Warmly,
Nikki Lee RN, MSN, Mother of 2, IBCLC, CIMI, CCE, craniosacral therapy
Adjunct faculty, Union Institute and University, Maternal and Child Health:
Lactation Consulting
Supporting the WHO Code and the Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative

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