Natural Way To Ease Infant Pain
Have you ever wondered if there is a natural way to help your little one reduce their pain? The answer may lie in their feet!
A Turkish study published in 2015, "The Effect of Foot Reflexology on Acute Pain in Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial", explored the pain-relieving effects of foot massage on babies 1 to 12 months old. The findings from the study show that babies who received reflexology on both feet, from toes to heel, for about 20-30 minutes before a vaccine shot, experienced only half of the pain that babies who did not receive their massage experienced. In addition, the babies in the foot reflexology group also exhibited lower heart rates, higher oxygen saturation, and shorter crying periods as compared to the babies in the control group. Sounds very promising, right?
If you'd like to try a simple foot reflexology technique to help your baby relax & potentially reduce pain, we have summarized a few simple steps for you to follow:
1) Start by holding both feet in your hands, making sure to hold the bottom-most part of the heel and around the sides, to help your baby feel more secure
2) If your babe wears their Newborn Jumpsuit or Newborn Pants, make sure to open up the fold-over cuffs to have full access to their feet
3) Turn your hands so that the palms of your hands are resting against the sole of your baby’s feet
4) Taking one foot at a time, while it is being supported with one hand, the other hand can start basic massage strokes from toes to heel. Massage gently for 10-15 minutes
5) Switch sides and repeat similar movements on the other foot for another 10-15 minutes
6) During the massage always check to see how your child responds before continuing. If they seem happy, comforted, or at peace, then continue. If they are kicking out, moving away, or continue crying then you should stop.
Reflexology is based on the theory that parts of the body can be stimulated by concentrating on specific points on the feet. While massaging the whole foot may induce beneficial effects for the whole body, if there is a specific area you would like to focus on we recommend following a reflexology map:
IMPORTANT: Before you start trying this natural pain relief for babies ensure that you have ruled out any medical issue that may need to be addressed first and always seek the advice of your GP or pediatrician.