By Nicole Meltzer, RMT, CHt
Preparation:
Place your finger in the middle of a damp facecloth, draping the cloth over your finger. Empty the entire contents of a tube of Boiron’s Camilia over your fingertip. Remove your finger from the cloth, tying with an elastic band to keep the shape. Place the cloth in a baggie & place in the freezer. You’ll also need a squeeze bottle filled with edible, non-nut oil (grape seed, olive or safflower). Don’t forget to ask permission from the child before beginning – never force massage on a child. If you do not make it through all techniques, don’t worry – there will be plenty of chances to try again!
Intra-oral massage:
Place finger in frozen cloth (elastic removed) & apply light, but firm pressure to area on gums where the tooth is erupting; repeat until child gives you the cue to stop
Using slow, firm pressure, make tiny circles along the gums. Be sure to massage top & bottom gums
Remove your finger from cloth & allow child to suck or chew on cloth while you massage their face & ears
Facial Massage:
Place a small amount of oil (less than the size of a dime) in your hands; rub your hands together to warm the oil
Massaging the jaw:
Cup hands under child’s head just behind the ears; then slowly glide the hands along the jaw towards the chin; repeat 3 times
Using 1 or 2 fingers (depends on size of child), make small circles from just below the right earlobe down to the chin; repeat on left side; massage each side 3-4 times
Using 1 or 2 fingers make small circles around the outline of the child’s lips; starting at the middle of the upper lip & working both sides simultaneously to meet at the middle of the lower lip
Massaging the sinuses (teething can place a lot of pressure on the sinuses):
Glide your forefingers down each side of the bridge of the nose, follow the cheekbone across & then end the stroke on the temples. You are essentially making a semi-circle under the eye. Repeat 3-4 times
Make small circles along the eyebrows, using 1 or 2 fingers, ending at the temples. Repeat 3-4 times.
Place fingertips at the middle of the hairline. Glide hands away from one another, ending at temples. Repeat, moving hands down forehead slightly, until last set of strokes are following eyebrow line.
Massaging ears (use extremely light pressure around ears!):
Using 1 finger, make small circles starting at the point where the top of the ear attaches to the head, massage around behind the ear, down to where the lobe meets the head, and around in front of the ear until you are back at the top of the ear. Repeat on other ear.
Finishing massage:
Glide fingertips from forehead down each side of the face, meeting at the chin
Finish with a kiss on the nose! “All Done!”
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Nicole Meltzer, RMT, CHt is co-founder of Balanced Body Mind Spirit. Through her specialization in fertility issues & prenatal care she helps parents conceive and achieve balance while on their journey into parenthood. Nicole offers pre/postnatal & pediatric Massage Therapy; Hypnotherapy for children, fertility and childbirth; Reflexology; & Reiki. She teaches a variety of classes including, Hypnosis for Childbirth, Tools for the Birthing Partner, Focused on Fertility, and Infant Massage. To learn more, visit www.balancedbodymindspirit.com
March 23rd, 2009 12:11 pm
Using pure, unscented vegetable oils without any additives is good advice. I would suggest fractionated coconut oil and sunflower oil as alternatives. That’s what I advise at http://www.massageforbabies.com.