Shantala massage is a type of Indian massage that has benefits for the baby’s health, such as calming, relaxing, developing body awareness and increasing the emotional bond between mother/father and baby, for example.
This massage generates tactile, cerebral and motor stimuli in the baby, which can improve their digestive, respiratory and circulatory health, in addition to allowing greater interaction between the caregiver and the baby, and can be performed immediately after bathing, daily, even with the baby naked but completely comfortable.
Shantala massage can be done from the 1st month of life, however, it is not recommended to do the massage right after breastfeeding the baby or when the baby is hungry, dirty or uncomfortable. Furthermore, this massage is not recommended if the baby has a fever.
9 benefits of Shantala massage
The main benefits of Shantala massage are:
1. Calm the baby
Shantala massage helps to calm and keep the baby calmer in their daily lives, since skin-to-skin contact between the mother/father and the baby promotes the release of oxytocin, which is a hormone that reduces stress and anxiety.
Thus, this massage also helps to reduce the baby’s irritability, crying and agitation. See other ways to calm a crying baby.
2. Improve blood circulation
Shantala massage helps to improve blood circulation and increase blood flow in the body, which helps to relax and relieve pain.
Furthermore, the massage movements applied with the hands by the therapist before placing the stones on the skin also stimulate blood circulation, improving the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
3. Increase the bond with parents
Shantala massage helps to increase the interaction and emotional bond between the baby and the parents, making them closer and strengthening the emotional and trusting bond between them.
Furthermore, this massage promotes a positive interaction between parents and baby, increasing eye contact, helping to make the baby safer and allowing parents to know and learn the baby’s signals, reactions and body language.
4. Promote relaxation
Shantala massage helps promote baby’s relaxation, as it reduces the production of stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline.
Furthermore, this massage increases the production of oxytocin and serotonin, promoting a feeling of well-being.
5. Facilitate or be
Shantala massage, by promoting relaxation and reducing stress, helps facilitate baby’s sleep and improve sleep quality, making it more peaceful and with fewer nighttime awakenings. Check out other tips to make your baby sleep through the night.
6. Relieve cramps
Shantala massage helps to relieve the baby’s intestinal colic and excess intestinal gas, and to improve digestion, as it stimulates the intestines.
7. Develop body awareness
With Shantala massage, the baby learns to be more aware of his or her own body, and to improve motor, emotional, sensory and nervous system development, and learning capacity.
8. Strengthen the immune system
Shantala massage helps to strengthen the baby’s immune system, as it stimulates blood and lymphatic circulation, and increases the elimination of toxins from the body.
9. Stimulate breathing
Shantala massage also helps to stimulate breathing, improving the baby’s breathing capacity.
How to do Shantala massage (step by step)
Before starting the massage, you should put a little massage oil in the palm of your hands, which can be sweet almond or grape seed, and rub your hands together to warm them slightly.
Then, you must follow the step-by-step guide for the Shantala massage:
- Face: place the baby facing you and draw small horizontal lines on the face with your thumbs, massaging the cheeks and making circular movements near the corners of the eyes;
- Chest: slide your hands from the middle of the baby’s chest towards the armpits;
- Stem: with a gentle touch, slide your hands from the belly towards the shoulders, forming an X over the baby’s abdomen;
- Arms: slide your hands from the middle of the baby’s chest towards the armpits. Massage one arm at a time;
- Hands: rub your thumbs from the baby’s palm to the little fingers. One by one, gently, trying to keep the movement constant;
- Stomach: using the sides of your hands, slide your hands over the baby’s abdomen, from the end of the ribs, through the navel to the genital area;
- Legs: with your hand in the shape of a bracelet, slide your hand from your thigh to your feet and then, with both hands, make a rotating, back-and-forth movement, from your groin to your ankle. Do one leg at a time;
- Feet: slide your thumbs on the sole of the baby’s foot, finally giving a gentle massage to each toe;
- Back and butt: turn the baby face down and slide your hands from the back to the bottom;
- Stretches: cross the baby’s arms over her tummy and then open her arms. Then, cross the baby’s legs over the abdomen and then stretch the legs.
Each Shantala massage movement should be repeated about 3 to 4 times, done gently.
Tips for getting a good massage
When doing this massage, try to always look into the baby’s eyes and talk to him at all times and appreciate every moment.
This massage lasts an average of 10 minutes and can be done every day, best results are observed when it is performed right after a shower.
It is not necessary to use a large amount of oil during the massage, just enough for the hands to glide, but if you overdo the dose at some point, you can remove the excess oil from the baby’s body with a clean, dry towel or paper towel that should be used by lightly pressing the area, without rubbing the skin.
Some parents prefer to do the massage first, and bathe the baby afterwards, and in this case, the immersion bath in the Shantala bathtub, which is shaped like a uterus, keeping only the baby’s head out of the water, is a great option. relaxing way to end this moment.
Contraindications
Shantala massage can be done from the 1st month of life until whenever the parents and baby wish.
However, it is contraindicated in cases of fever, cold, diarrhea or skin sensitivity.
Furthermore, Shantala should not be done when the baby has a full stomach after breastfeeding or on an empty stomach.
