You, as a parent, are nurtured by this touch as well. The
skin to skin contact helps you to relax. Your own cortisol, or stress hormone
levels, will drop. You will feel like a better parent, because you will learn
what your baby enjoys and how to make him more comfortable. Massage has a
special benefit for mothers who are dealing with the baby blues or its more
intense version, post-partum depression (PPD). A mother struggling with PPD may
have difficulty creating a positive relationship with her infant. Being
involved in an infant massage class has been found as one of few effective,
drug free approaches for improving this dynamic. In one study, a group of
mothers with post-partum depression who attended 5 massage classes was compared
with a similar group who attended a support group. At the end of the test
period, the massage group had significantly less depression and very
significantly better interaction with their babies than the control group.
Fathers and Massage
Many new fathers find that massage is a perfect support for
their new relationship with baby. The Touch Research Institute (at the University
of Miami) conducted a study where fathers
gave their infants daily massages 15 minutes prior to bedtime for one month.
The fathers in the massage group showed more optimal interaction behavior with
their infants than fathers who were in a control group. One father who massaged
both children throughout their childhood shares his experience: “For me, it was
great to have physical contact. As our kids grew, it was also great to have
closeness besides roughhousing. Now that they’re teens, massage helps them
relax. It’s taught them that they can take of themselves.” As a parent who has
used massage with my children as babies, toddlers and schoolchildren, I highly
recommend the experience for everyone.