Newborn child care
In 1988, Dr. Tiffany Fields at the University of Miami, showed that newborns in intensive care who are massaged daily in the hospital following delivery regain their birth weight and leave the hospital stronger than those who weren't massaged. A few years before this research appeared, our center had implemented a program for postpartum mothers and babies as prescribed by Ayurveda, the health science of the Vedic civilization and the forefather of modern medicine. Trained technicians follow the guidelines of the ancient texts, going daily for six weeks to the homes of new parents to give the baby and the recovering mother a warm sesame oil massage.
The advantages for the mother are more rapid recovery from the trauma of pregnancy and delivery including improved elasticity of the abdominal skin and muscles and prevention of stretch marks, a quicker return to ideal weight, improvement of low back pain, prevention of postpartum blues and improved energy.
For the baby the advantage is gentle stimulation of his largest organ, the skin, together with its thousands of nerve receptors per square inch. The skin at this point in the baby's tender life is also the most sensitive sense organ. Since the skin is the interface between our sterile interior and the hostile world of microbes, it is also the baby's largest immune organ. Massage is also a potent stimulator of the immune system, a phenomenon mediated in part by the stimulation of immune cells through hormones regulated by the nervous system. No wonder the ancient physicians gave mother-baby massage so much importance!
Science aside, the results have been evident to all involved: a smoother, gentler period of transition. This brings up another purpose of these six weeks. For the mother it is a time to rest and be cared for in order to heal quickly and have energy to nurse and care for others. The job of close family and friends is to see that the mother never feels overwhelmed.
For the newborn it is a time to habituate his tender nervous system to a new world of sounds, colors, shapes and smells - a radical change from life in the womb. Ayurveda holds that these first six weeks are the time for the baby to culture a settled, focused nervous system that won't be unduly excitable or distractible. The Ayurvedic way is for the baby to spend these six weeks indoors in a quiet environment free from bright lights and many strangers. This also helps insure he won't pick up a cold during this delicate time. I've often wondered on seeing a five day old infant in a sling around her mother's neck amid the chaos of a supermarket checkout line, whether this un-Ayurvedic practice might help initiate a nervous system imbalance underlying the epidemic in our schools of problems with attention, behavior and stress.
Sesame oil massage is easy and enjoyable. The mother's is best done by another woman or by the father, but if that is impossible, do it yourself. Bring 2-4 ounces of clear, cold-pressed sesame oil to about 104 degrees by heating it in a saucepan on the stove - it only takes a few seconds. Massage the baby first because she will usually sleep during the mother's massage. Pick a warm room and put the baby on a cotton towel so she won't slide off the table. Avoid getting sesame oil in the eyes - it is harmless but can irritate for a few minutes. Use long strokes on the long bones and circular motions on the joints. There need not be much pressure. The baby's massage can last 5-10 minutes. Use very light pressure in a clockwise direction on the abdomen to help expel gas.
Use a similar technique for the mother, avoiding the usual temptation of both the mother and the person treating her to apply more pressure. It is a lighter massage than a therapeutic massage used for muscle pains. This is not a time for deep body work; think of it as a technique for soothing and pampering the nervous system. Spend extra time on the feet, the abdomen and the ears. And don't forget the breasts. Sesame oil has natural antimicrobial properties that help prevent mastitis and it also soothes the nipples. If the nipples are chapped and tender, apply clarified butter (ghee). Babies love the taste of clarified butter and don't mind the sesame oil.
Plan before the delivery to create a restful, silent environment for yourselves and your baby. Well begun is half done.
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This information on "Newborn child care" is in the "Treating Specific Disorders" section of AyurvedaMed.com website. To return to the index page of this section, please click here.
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