What is infant massage?

Infant massage is done by parents and can be done either in a crib or even in an incubator. Infant massage consists of simple (moderately pressured) stroking and passive limb movements for usually several 15 minute periods a day (touch in labor and infancy) (Educational Design).

In a study by Field et al. (1986), premature infants who were massaged 45 min/day for two weeks, gained weight 47% faster than non-massaged controls even though both groups had the same caloric intake (Field 1999).

Vagal stimulation by massage therapy could be responsible for a release of gastrointestinal food absorption hormones (Field 1999). The parasympathetic nervous system, which may be stimulated by massage therapy (definite results pending further research), leads to pepsin and acid production and gastrin release in the digestive tract, which all aid in digestion and food absorbtion (Guyton 1991).

In a follow-up study, Scafidi et al.(1990) found a 21% greater daily weight gain as well as an increase in catecholamines (e.g. dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine), which are stress indicators in adults, however in full-term infants there is a normal increase after birth, so in preterm infants it is assumed that the increase is a positive one (Field 1999). In contrast, cortisol, a stress indicator for both infants and adults was lower after infants who were massaged (Field 1999). Almost any stress leads to a great increase in the secretion of cortisol by the adrenocortex (Guyton 1991).

In yet another study Field and her colleagues (1995) studied the effects of three infant massages a day on HIV exposed premature infants. They found that the infants had a better daily weight gain, as well as better performance on autonomic and habitutation stress behavior scales (Field 1999).

The Brazelton Neonaltal Behavioral Assesment Scale is used to assess several different aspects of the infants developmental capabilities: autonomic regulation (maintaining stable respiration and heart rate, in response to external stimuli), motor control (minimizing useless movements in response to stimuli), state regulation (easiliy transitioning between sleep stages and wake stages including crying), and social factors (how infants respond to faces, interaction with humans). For example, researchers shine a light in the sleeping infants face and see how the infant responds. At first the infant may squirm and blink in irritation, but after several repeats the infant should be able to tune out the stimulation and go back to sleep (Children's Hosptial of Boston 2001).

Premature infants have an especially hard time tuning out external stimuli, thus any therapy, such as infant massage, which helps them react in a less stressful, more stable manner is a great help to them (Goldson 1999).