Tummy massage for colic: features, effectiveness

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

With babies, various problems constantly arise, among which one of the most common is bloating and colic. At the same time, many young parents do not know how to help the baby and make him feel better. The best way is to massage the abdominal area. With its help, you can cope with the problem without the use of medications that are contraindicated for young children. But this method of therapy has certain nuances that should be considered. Let's figure out how to massage the tummy of a newborn with colic, and also find out in which cases it should be used, and when it is better to refrain from it. We will also consider the main methods for performing the procedure that are most effective.

Causes of bloating

This aspect is worth familiarizing yourself with at the very firstturn. Before we figure out how to massage the tummy with colic, let's first understand the origin of the problem itself. According to qualified specialists, there can be quite a few reasons for bloating, but the main ones are:

• hormonal changes;
• malnutrition of breastfeeding mother;
• consequence of allergic reactions to any products;
• air entering the esophagus when breathing;
• incorrect attachment of baby to breast or bottle;
• inability for baby to burp air after eating;
• baby lays on back too much time;
• constant overfeeding.

Regardless of the cause, tummy massage is the best solution for colic. With it, you can have a stimulating effect on the digestive system and promote the release of accumulated gases.

Main symptoms

What should I pay attention to first of all? Massage of the tummy with colic is perhaps the only effective and safe way to help the baby. But how to understand that the baby is suffering from bloating, and he does not have any diseases of the gastrointestinal tract? The following symptoms will help you with this:

• unexpected screams while eating;
• capriciousness, crying and shuddering, manifested mainly in the evening;
• baby's desire to keep the legs bent and pressed to the tummy;
• changestool characteristics and frequency;
• increased gas formation;
• when you feel the tummy, you can feel how gases move inside.

All these symptoms come on suddenly and for no apparent reason, and just like that they disappear. At the same time, the baby feels pain and discomfort, therefore it is very naughty and constantly cries. You can ease his well-being with a tummy massage. With colic and constipation, it helps much better than any medication. You can find out how to do it correctly below.

Indications for the procedure

This aspect should be given special attention. Massage of the tummy with colic in a newborn (you can see a photo of the procedure later in this article) is good due to its versatility. It is effective for bloating, but it also has a number of contraindications. It is not recommended to massage young children with the following problems:

• abdominal muscle tone disorder;
• umbilical hernia;
• asymmetrical protrusion of the abdomen;
• failure of the functioning of the digestive system;
• increased flatulence during digestion of food;
• regular constipation;
• blood clots in feces;
• fever or chills;
• acrogeria family.

In the presence of any of the above problems, massage of the tummy from colic is strictly prohibited. If your baby is constantly suffering from bloating, then in this case it is worth consulting with a doctor.

What gives massage

So what do you need to know about this? Howalready noted earlier, with its help you can save the baby from pain and improve the release of gases. However, it helps not only from colic massage of the tummy to the baby. It enables:

• warm up the internal organs and improve their blood circulation;
• wake up the baby's appetite if he eats little and gains weight poorly;
• calm the baby before the upcoming breastfeeding so that he does not twitch and do not make unnecessary movements;
• reduce cramping.

Thus, a seemingly ordinary massage can play a significant role for you and help you cope with bloating in your baby at home.

Preparing for the procedure

That's actually we came to the topic of concern to all. In order for the massage of the tummy with colic to be most effective, the baby must first be prepared for it. You need to do the following:

1. Ventilate the room.
2. Remove rings, chains and watches from your hands so as not to scratch the skin of the child and cause him pain. It is also advisable to trim your nails.
3. Place a heating pad filled with warm but not hot water on your tummy to warm it up a bit. This will increase the effectiveness of the massage.
4. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm them.

Through these simple actions, the child will better endure the massage and will behave more calmly during it. It is also worth noting that it is not recommended to feed the child before the procedure, as well as to use any oils. If he has already eaten, then wait an hour so that the foodassimilated, and only then massage his tummy.

Step by step action plan

Let's take a closer look at this. So, how to massage the tummy with colic? The process itself is not very complicated if you know the correct algorithm of actions. Just follow the instructions below:

1. Stroke your tummy with light strokes from top to bottom.
2. Next, change the straight direction from straight to circular.
3. Calm the baby by stroking from the ribs to the lower abdomen.
4. Perform horizontal movements along the tummy along the torso, alternately changing hands.
5. Then repeat the steps in the second paragraph.
6. Massage with light movements of the palm in the direction from the back to the stomach.
7. Stroke the peritoneum simultaneously with both hands towards each other.

According to this principle, massage is done for bloating in infants. As you can see, there is nothing complicated about this. The main thing is to correctly calculate the force and not create strong pressure.

What to do after the procedure

Proper massage of the tummy of a newborn with colic is possible only if you finish it in accordance with the methodology. At the end of the procedure, do the following:

1. Bend your baby's legs and press them lightly against your stomach to help expel any accumulated gas.
2. Let the baby lie on his back for a few minutes.
3. During this time constantlypet your tummy.
4. Do this two or three times.

Thanks to this, bloating and colic will disappear, and the baby himself will be able to sleep normally all night until the morning.

Acupressure technique

So what is she like? This is another common technique that is simpler than the one above. Its essence lies in the fact that it is necessary not to press too hard on certain points. This type of massage will be useless in the case of adults, but since the skin of children in the first months of life is very thin, its effectiveness is quite high.

When exposed to points, muscle tissue and some receptors are activated, which helps to remove gases from the intestines. It is very important that the movements are light and vibrating. Massage should begin from a point located three fingers below the navel. Then the area around it is massaged with circular stroking movements in a clockwise direction. At the end, the points that are located in the direction from the navel to the back are massaged.

Gymnastics

A good alternative to massage for a newborn's tummy from colic will be special exercises aimed not only at stimulating the release of gases, but also at strengthening and physical development of the body. In addition, the baby will constantly be in contact with his mother and learn about the world around him. You can start doing gymnastics as early as a few weeks old. However, it also has some contraindications. Yes, from her.should be discarded for the following he alth problems:

• fever;
• umbilical hernia;
• rickets;
• pyoderma.

It is better to start gymnastics in the morning a few hours after the baby wakes up, when he is still in a good mood. Exercises should be done on a hard surface, such as a table. In this case, do not overexert the child too much. The best option would be two sets of ten minutes each. Gymnastics means the following:

1. Lay the baby on his stomach and take his feet in his hands, putting a little pressure on the feet so that the baby makes a small leap forward.
2. In the same position, bend one leg at the knee, then bring it behind the other, then lightly press it to the tummy. A similar procedure is done alternately with both limbs.
3. Lay the baby on his back and gently pull him towards you by the handles. After that, take his right hand and turn him from his back to his stomach.

Physical activity is good for gas removal, so you can quickly solve the problem of bloating.

Fitball exercises

If you are afraid to massage the tummy against colic on your own, so as not to hurt the child, then there is one good way out. You can exercise with your baby on a rubber fitness ball. There are several effective exercises that help relieve spasms. Here are some of them:

1. Place the baby with the belly on the ball, holding it, then bring the legs together andpush down as far as possible.
2. Turn the little one on his back and roll on the projectile, holding his chest with his hand.
3. Put your baby on your tummy. Grasp his legs with one hand, and massage his back with springy movements with the other.

The duration of each exercise should be no more than ten minutes. During their implementation, you do not need to apply too much force so as not to hurt the child. It is worth noting that it is better to refrain from practicing on a fitball when:

• acute respiratory viral infections;
• inflammation of the epidermis;
• hernia;
• underweight;
• congenital heart disease.

If you have any of these problems, you must first consult with your doctor and agree on methods of dealing with bloating in infants.

What Dr. Komarovsky says

A well-known pediatrician speaks positively about tummy massage for colic, but he claims that this is not the only way to solve the problem. The following tips will help save your baby from pain:

• teach your baby to the nipple;
• always feed the same portions at the same time;
• keep the room temperature at the same level;
• give up tea, coffee and dairy products for lactation;
• try a different infant formula.

In the most severe cases, you can use a gas tube, but do not give the baby medication,designed to combat high gas production. In the case of young children, any medication will do more harm than good.

Conclusion

This article described in detail the technique for performing massage for babies with flatulence and colic. According to experts, it allows you to improve the well-being of the baby and relieve him of pain. In addition, the described exercises have a positive effect on the functioning of the digestive system and the internal organs of the abdominal region. But in order to stabilize the effect, it is necessary to massage every day until the baby grows up. Bloating and colic is not a problem of one day or even a month, so you must be patient and continue to work with your child.