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Loving Touch Times Two
Massage for Multiples
By Lyn Mettler
Massaging their babies can also help parents gain confidence in their ability to handle their children, especially if they're premature. Fathers often have a difficult time developing that confidence. "One of the things I hear a lot with fathers is 'My hands are so big, and I'm afraid I'm going to hurt the baby,'" says Carla Steptoe, a neonatal nurse practitioner and certified infant massage instructor from Ocean Springs, Miss. "When they start massaging, they feel more confident and feel more comfortable initiating touch with the baby."
A professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis is even conducting a study to see if infant massage helps curb child abuse.
So when should you begin massaging your babies? According to Toporek, massage should start right away. He began massaging his now 14-year-old son minutes after he was born. "He got to know right away that his father was there, which was very powerful," he says. Many hospitals offer classes in infant massage for expecting and new parents. "I found that parents wish they had learned it earlier," says Catherine O'Grady, a certified infant massage instructor and social worker from Charlotte, N.C. "It's harder for parents of twins to get to a class."
If your hospital doesn't offer a class, you can find a local instructor by logging on to the American Massage Therapy Association's Web site at www.amtamassage.org. Classes typically range from $25 to $200. There are also plenty of books and videos on infant massage available at your library or bookstore.
Before you perform any massage on your babies, however, you'll want to speak with hospital staff to find out what kinds of touch are appropriate and if your babies are ready, particularly if they are premature. If they're not ready yet, O'Grady suggests asking about kangaroo care
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