January 08, 2020 46 Comments

Fussy, Tense Baby? YOU Are The One To Help Them Through 

By Brianne Taggart RN, IBCLC, CEIM

www.infantmassagewithbri.com

 

You have waited 9 long months, or possibly much longer, for your sweet baby but you had no way of knowing exactly what to expect. Now you are trying to balance rest and self-care for yourself, while still connecting and bonding with this new, sweet little person. Yes, this is 4th trimester. You didn’t know there was such a thing as the 4th trimester? It’s often the trickiest, yet least talked about, 3 months after giving birth that you are transitioning into being a parent. (Baptism by fire, anyone?) Here are 3 tips to help ease that transition:

1- Skin to Skin Contact

How can I not start with this? Skin to skin is one of the most simple, yet effective things you can do with your child. I like to say that 99% of issues with newborns can be improved with skin to skin contact. That simple skin to skin contact helps to:

• Maintain baby’s temperature (to both warm or cool)
• Promote breastfeeding
• Decrease moms stress
• Increase bonding 
• Decrease the length of NICU stays
• Decrease baby’s pain and crying
• Decrease moms chance of depressive symptoms

Think of yourself as a mama kangaroo. The more time that your newborn can spend touching you, the better!

2-  Ease the Transition

Remember that in this 4th trimester period, you are not only adapting to care for this new baby but your baby is also transitioning to life in the outside world. After 9 or so months in your belly, this is quite the change! Think of your body as your baby’s “home”. You are your baby’s happy place! A place of warmth, with familiar smells and familiar tastes, so keep your baby close. It is not uncommon for babies to be fussy and crying but there are some simple, natural tools that you can use to smooth those bumps in the road. 

3- Infant Massage:

Who doesn’t love a good full-body massage? It’s calming. It’s relaxing. Did you know those same calming and relaxing effects are especially helpful with babies? I like to think of Infant Massage as a built-in skin to skin plan. Some of the benefits of massaging your little ones include:

• Better sleep
• Less gas, constipation, and colic
• Better weight gain in premature babies. 
• Less teething pain
• Boosts muscle development
• Bonds parent and child

If you are a naturally minded mama like me, then you will also love how massage decreases the  need for medications and harsh interventions. Infant Massage empowers parents because YOU are the one helping your baby. What a sense of accomplishment you will feel as your little one is in massage heaven. 

Learn how to massage through Bri’s online course at www.infantmassagewithbri.com. She’s a Certified Educator of Infant Massage and has seen these techniques improve the overall well being of families all over. 

For more tips, tricks and support, follow Bri on Insta @bri.withlactationlink.

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