Licking and Loving: Labor as baby's first massage

One of the most memorable books I read in massage school was called "Touching" by Ashley Montague. I highly recommend it to all parents and parents-to-be. There are a number of case studies regarding touch and quite a few relate to breastfeeding,pregnancy and childbirth. The author points out how all mammals, aside from humans, lick their babies after birth. They are not just "cleaning" their babies, they are greatly increasing their chances for survival. The licking serves to wake up their body's systems and without it some will die. Interestingly, it is believed by the author that a human baby's systems are WOKEN UP DURING LABOR. Systems like the respiratory system, the circulatory system, the digestive system and especially the nervous system are greatly stimulated by labor. All of that squeezing and downward movement during labor does more than just encourage the baby out of the mother's body. Essentially, it is a baby's first massage and is very important. I always encourage moms who have had a cesarean without labor to take this into consideration and be sure and massage their newborns! Spa Materna has books in our boutique and our lending library that teach parents how to correctly massage their babies. We also sell the sweet almond oil recommended for infant massage. Infant massage is a wonderful way to calm and connect with your baby no matter how your baby came into the world.