Another therapy that premature infants could benefit from is massage therapy. Babies who receive massage therapy usually gain weight faster than those who do not receive massage therapy. Massage therapy helps premature infants sleep better and they are less gassy. Premature infants usually have better body awareness when they are going through massage therapy. When massage therapy is done by the mother, the mother and child can create a stronger emotional bond. It is said that it is best to massage a baby twice a day. Doing this and having a set schedule for this will relieve that child from have colic and any pain he or she is feeling. Massage therapy encourages a stronger bond within the family as well. Because the infant sleeps more, family will be happier, that they are getting more sleep. Premature babies who have cerebral palsy benefit from massage therapy because the motor activities becoming more organized. If the mother is depressed then massage therapy can really help her too; he or she will become more aware of their babies needs and become less anxious and their stress levels decrease. Massage therapists are able to see the affects of massage therapy first hand. They say that there are two different types of affects to the baby: positive touch and negative touch. Negative touch is when the massage becomes too much for the baby to handle. Positive touch is any nurturing or soothing touch. To prevent long term problems with the child, it is better to have a mixture of both negative and positive touch (Shears, 2006). Using strength and carefulness is the best way to go. Massage therapy proves to be very beneficial to a premature infant.
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