Baby Sneezes, Hiccups & Massages

Sneezes
Newborns tend to sneeze a lot for no apparent reason, generally when they are exposed to sudden light. This does not mean that they have a cold, but that their nasal conducts are expulsing unwanted substances.

Baby Hiccups
These generally show up after eating, because babies swallow air when they eat. Hiccups should not last more than ten minutes. To calm the baby you can “burp” the baby or change the position the baby is in.

Baby Massages
In order to give babies massages you will need to take off your rings, bracelets or any other object that could hurt the baby. Play soft music while you are giving your baby a massage, you can also hum or sing a melody so that your baby can identify this routine afterwards.

Start by massaging the baby’s head and end with the feet. Go from the chest towards the hands, in order to mature the neurological system. You should do circular movements, first in big circles that include all the body area and then localized points.

Place your baby face up and massage the head very carefully making sure to not press on the baby’s fontanels. Continue with the face, moving the tips of your fingers on the forehead, eyebrows, eyes, lips, cheeks, and neck. The movement should start at the center of the face and go down towards the sides. Continue with the trunk; rub the baby’s stomach moving your fingers from the center of the bellybutton outwards. Exercise the baby’s arms, by opening them and closing them several times, twist the forearms very gently and carefully, continue on with the arms, hands and fingers. Rub the baby’s thighs, legs, ankles and feet. Twist the extremities very carefully and softly in order to foment circulation, bend the baby’s legs upwards as if the baby were doing sit ups and squeeze the baby’s bottom. Rub the bottom of the baby’s foot in circles and add pressure with your fingertips. Turn the baby around rub the baby’s back following the line of the column. End the massage session by sliding your extended hands along the whole body. Start from the head and work down to the feet.

Check This Out
Thanks to intrauterine learning babies are capable of recognizing their mother’s voice when they are born, because they have heard it while inside the womb. After a week, they use their sense of smell to identify their mother. Once they come into the world, their senses go sharpening progressively in this order: hearing, touch, sight, smell and taste. By correctly stimulating their senses you will be favoring their physical, emotional, intellectual and social development in a harmonious and opportune way. Remember that this is a guide for your baby; your baby is the one who will indicate when he or she is ready to move onto the next stage.