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Nutrition and Health
The Baby Massage Primer
At the core, parenting is all about creating a soothing and healthy environment in which your newborn knows how loved they are. While touching and caressing your baby may come naturally to you, learning the art of baby massage may seem daunting at first. Yet, it’s one of the most important and natural things we can do to build a strong loving foundation and help our children develop both physically and emotionally.
In India and other Eastern countries, baby massage is considered one of the most important aspects of baby rearing with many families hiring “Ammas,” women who come to the house to perform massage, on a daily basis.
As nice as it would be to book a daily massage for baby, learning baby massage is not as complicated as many parents fear. Simple baby massage techniques will help your baby relax and will have innumerable benefits for both baby and caretaker.
Science Backed Benefits
If you’re looking for a simple technique to introduce into your routine to help your baby calm down, relax, and sleep better— look no further than baby massage. When a baby is massaged, you are actually stimulating their central nervous system, building muscle tone, and allowing them to release serotonin that helps form vital connections with you, themselves and the world around them.
Research conducted by Dr. Tiffany Fields, Director of Touch Research Institute, showed that infant massage can have these benefits among many others.
- Lower heart rate
- Lower blood pressure
- Increases in positive hormones
- Improved immunity
- Physical growth in babies
- Psychosocial development
- Encourages attachment and bonding with parents
- Growth and weight gain
- Improves sleep
Prepping for the Massage
When it comes to baby massage, the prep is just as important as the basic strokes.
You will want to massage your newborn at a time when they are alert but aren’t irritable or fussy. If your baby is hungry, crying, or fussy for any reason, massaging them will not actually calm them down. It may overstimulate them, causing them to be more distressed.
In addition, make sure that you yourself are calm. If you are feeling particularly stressed or frazzled, take a deep breath and try to calm yourself prior to the massage.
If you are both feeling calm and alert, then you can take the next steps:
- Remove any jewelry and wash your hands
- Dim the lights and put on soft music
- Place your baby on a blanket on the floor, bed, or on their changing station.
- Verbally engage with your newborn and ask their permission. If they are smiling and making eye contact, the answer is “Yes.” If they are scrunching their face and arching back, you may want to find another time for massage.
- Have an edible oil on hand, such as coconut or grapeseed oil.
Basic Massage Strokes
When it comes to massaging your newborn, be sure that you are using gentle strokes and not applying too much pressure. But don’t make the mistake of having too light of a touch as that can make baby feel ticklish. A nice medium pressure should work fine.
Arms and Leg Massage: For your newborn’s arms, stabilize your baby with one hand, and then use the opposite hand to lightly glide from shoulder to hand. Do this 3 times, and then switch arms. You will do the same steps for the legs, going from thigh to feet. Always massage in the direction away from the heart as this stroke is less stimulating for baby.
Belly Massage: Place your hand flat against the baby’s bellybutton. Rub their belly in small clockwise circles, applying gentle but firm pressure. Try to stay away from the belly button area, especially in babies under 1 month.
Back Massage: After massaging the arms, legs, and belly, you can turn your newborn around onto their bellies. This is a great opportunity for tummy time. You can gently rub their back using the same circular motion as you did for their bellies.
Face Massage: After you have massaged their back, place your newborn gently back onto their back. You can then place both hands on your child’s forehead and trace down to their chin. Repeat several times.
Be sure to remain calm throughout the massage and use songs and conversation to connect with your newborn.
Baby Massage Takeaways
Now that you know the best methods for baby massage, you’ll want to practice once a day and work up to two massages per day. Even 5-10 minutes a day is a wonderful way to release tension for both you and baby and to enhance your bond. It will also help soothe and relax baby so that they improve their sleep and maintain optimal health.
As you can see, infant massage unlocks a wonderfully loving environment for the baby and will help you to enjoy those precious moments with them while they are a newborn.
Elina Furman is a mom of two boys Julian, 12, and Dylan, 8 soon to be moving to Connecticut. As a certified infant massage instructor and baby product expert, she is excited to bring awareness to the scientific evidence-based practice of baby/child massage practiced around the world. To help spread the word about the benefits of baby/child massage, she is developing the first handheld massager for babies and children, Kahlmi. Sign up for their email at Kahlmi.com and follow along on IG @getkahlmi. Oh, and if you need some baby tips and advice, follow her on TikTok at @kahlmi.
Event Announcement: Be Kind To Yourself, Mama
Join Gugu Guru and Modern Muze on Gugu Guru’s Instagram for a 5-day virtual health & wellness event focused on mom. From February 22nd to the 26th, we’ll be covering all facets of a well mama from mental health to nutrition to physical wellness and, most importantly, filling up our baby registries with the must-have products for a well mama in 2021.
Don’t forget! Grab your spot now (it’s free) for a digital goodie bag filled with health & wellness samples, discounts and more!
Be sure to join us on Gugu Guru’s Instagram starting February 22nd at 9:30AM PT / 12:30PM ET to kick-off this spectacular event with our keynote speaker – influencer and entrepreneur Chriselle Lim. Our founder, Monica Banks, will be speaking with Chriselle about making me time for mom and how self-care is a whole lot more than a trip alone to Target.
Event Schedule:
Monday, February 22
12:30 pm EST
Opening Keynote: Making Me Time for Mom: How self-care is much more than a grocery run by yourself
Hosted by Chriselle Lim and Monica Banks
Sponsored by Kindred Bravely
3:00 pm EST
Simple prenatal/postpartum fitness routine
Hosted by Rachel Nicks
8:00 pm EST
Single Motherhood and Parenting through Divorce
Hosted by Julie Skon & Erin Ziering
Tuesday, February 23
12:00 pm EST
5 Tips to Making a Peaceful Postpartum Retreat: Creating a sense of calm for mom & baby in the home during the fourth trimester
Hosted by Brandi Jordan and Monica Banks
Sponsored by Kindred Bravely
2:00 pm EST
Infant Massage
Hosted by Elina Furman
Sponsored by Kahlmi
7:30 pm EST
Importance of mom sleep with celeb mama-to-be Zulay Henao and “The Sleep Lady”
Hosted by Zulay Henao and Kim West
Sponsored by bbhugme
Wednesday, February 24
9:00 am EST
Meditation session pre-recorded IGTV
Carina Devi
Sponsored by Mindful Mamas
1:00 pm EST
Total Mama Wellness
Hosted by Kayla Lochte and Monica Banks
3:00 pm EST
Diastasis recti pre-recorded IGTV
Hosted by Rachel Nicks
5:30 pm EST
What is a doula exactly?
Hosted by Zulay Henao and YaYa Dacosta
9:00 PM EST
Fresh Air – the benefits of getting outside with your babes
Hosted by Jessica Hall and Deanna Stag
Sponsored by Thinkbaby
Thursday, February 25
12:00 pm EST
Conscious Connection and Giving Back pre-recorded IGTV
Hosted by Scheana Shay and Steph Weber
3:00 pm EST
Mindful Multi-tasking
Hosted by Nat Diaz and Monica Banks
Sponsored by Twiniversity
5:00 pm EST
Sexual Wellness
Hosted by Kiana Reeves
7:30 pm EST
All Things Fertility Q&A
Hosted by Elisabeth Rohm and Monica Banks
Friday, February 26
11:30 am EST
5 minute mini-meditation for mama pre-recorded IGTV
Hosted by Julie Skon
Sponsored by Modern Muze
3:00 pm EST
Pelvic floor pre-recorded IGTV
Hosted by Rachel Nicks
7:00 pm EST
Don’t Call me Mommy Comedic Break
Hosted by Don’t Call Me Mommy
Thank you to our wonderful sponsors, without whom this event could not be possible!
Bathtime: Top Tips and Christmas Gift Ideas!
Here at Gugu Guru we are all about celebrating all types of families, so when we came across the blog Coraline and Us, we knew we wanted to have Liz, the mama behind the blog, come and share her story. Liz started her blog upon the birth of her adorable little Coraline, when it was “discovered unexpectedly within hours, that she has Down’s Syndrome and two holes in the heart. We did not know anything about Down’s Syndrome when she was born. This blog is about our journey of growth.” Read on for more about Coraline and Liz’s bathtime tips and gift ideas!
You can find Liz on her blog, Facebook, and Instagram.
Here’s a roundup of our bathtime favorites. Coraline used to hate the bath; she would try to climb out repeatedly as soon as she got in. You can read more about how that began to shift when she was about two and a half, with a couple of surprising discoveries in the post Bathtime.
Now, age three, she is happy to sit in the bath and play with all her toys in it. I’ll say what a mum said to me (who has an older child with Down’s syndrome): “this too shall pass”. That’s a phrase that’s come up for us a bit recently. Suddenly, things just begin to settle and click. The bath aversion doesn’t last forever. Be patient. And, as my husband Kevin said, “what are we going to do; not give her a bath?” For us, it was just a case of repetition and patience, and “this too shall pass”.
Here are our favorite bathtime things:
1. We love the Cuddledry Handsfree Bath Towel. Friends gave us this when Coraline was born and it stands out as something we love. It’s the fact it ties around your neck with a popper so it’s easy to bring Coraline to the bath in it, to have it on whilst she’s in the bath, lift her out into it and lay her down onto it, really smoothly! That was especially great when Coraline wasn’t so fond of the bath. It’s little things like this that make a real difference. Plus it’s lovely, soft and big and, in the words of Marie Kondo, it “sparks joy”.
2. A friend in our Antenatal group recommended this Angelcare Soft-Touch Bath Support Chair to us, and we used it until Coraline was about 18 months old, when we moved to a non-slip bath mat. It’s so light and easy to put in and out of the bath, as the water drains through. The “grippy” material also meant Coraline was safely seated when she was in it and its angle was good for washing her hair, and for her to look at us. For us, it was important to have something supportive when Coraline was sitting in the bath due to her hypotonia (low muscle tone) which is a characteristic of Down’s syndrome. She can also splash freely with her legs when she’s in it which she began to do as she got older.
3. Coraline’s therapists say the bath is a great place for learning and having fun! A friend gave Coraline these bathtime funny mix sponge animals, as her nephew had loved the fun of matching the bodies and heads. Coraline learns visually and through repetition. We see these animals on the side of the bath each bathtime and say their name and make their sound. She loves them. We just have to make sure she doesn’t chew them!
4. We have ordered Coraline the bath foam letters and numbers for Christmas 2020, to add to her bath toys, as recommended by the same mum I mentioned above! They will work well as we are working on letter sounds at the moment e.g. “p” and “b” and we are also working at familiarising her with the numbers 1-6.
5. Basketball hoop also recommended by the same mum I previously mentioned. I ordered for Christmas. It will be great for gross motor skills and also Coraline can recognize the word “ball” so it will give more practice and repetition of that sound. And, most importantly, be fun!
ChildLife Essentials: Only the Best Supplements
It is not always easy for parents to get their babies and toddlers to eat properly. As they discover foods they enjoy, they also avoid trying certain foods, and this includes foods with the vitamins and minerals they need. Luckily, parents can help their children get their daily nutrients with ChildLife Essentials vitamin supplements.
Provides Babies and Toddlers With Nutrients
The ChildLife Essentials supplements provide babies and toddlers with the nutrients they need but are not getting because of picky eating. For example, the ChildLife Essentials Organic Vitamin D3 drops contain vitamin D for a healthy immune system and healthy bones. The Organic Vitamin K2 drops contain vitamin K2 which helps to boost bone mass and development.
Healthy Choice For Babies and Toddlers
ChildLife Essentials supplements contain the nutrients babies and toddlers need. But, it is understandable for parents to want to ensure their children’s supplements do not contain unwanted ingredients. Luckily, ChildLife Essentials supplements only use the best ingredients and do not contain any artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners, plus they are non-GMO, gluten-free products.
Makes Life Easier For Parents
ChildLife Essentials vitamins are easy for parents to administer because there is no struggling with children to take them. All parents have to do is use the dropper to mix the supplements into their favorite juice, or they can allow their children to take the drops directly. The vitamins also come in a natural berry flavor that will appeal to children.
Parenting is hard enough without worrying if children who avoid certain foods are getting the nutrients they need. With the source of nutrients, appealing flavor, and convenient dropper, these supplements can make parenting a little easier, especially when balancing parenting with errands, appointments, and working.
With ChildLife Essentials supplements, parents can rest assured that their children are getting the nutrients they need to grow up healthy and strong.
Use code WORKINGMOTHER2020 for 10% off ChildLife Essentials. Order only on
https://www.iherb.com/c/childlife – Expires 12/31/2020, for US & Canada residents only.
Thank you to ChildLife Essentials for making this sponsored post possible.
Crane’s 4-in-1 Humidifier Gives The Gift of Comfort and Health
It is no secret that babies need rest to stay healthy and grow strong, especially when the cold, flu and allergies come into play. Rest is also important for parents, as they need to be at their best to care for their little one. This is why many are turning to the Crane 4-in-1 Top Fill Drop Cool Mist Humidifier with Sound Machine for gift-giving occasions, as it can lead to the following benefits.
Easier On Parents
There are several features of the new Crane 4-in-1 Humidifier that can make life easier for parents. The top-fill feature makes it easier to fill and clean the humidifier, especially when parents need to prepare it quickly for their baby’s room, while the aroma tray keeps the vapor pads in one convenient spot. With a color-changing nightlight and sound machine, parents can take comfort in knowing their baby is getting a night of restful sleep.
Comfortable For Baby
This product was also designed with babies’ health and comfort in mind. Cold and flu season, as well as allergies, can be a stressful time, but the Crane 4-in-1 Humidifier and Sound Machine can relieve their symptoms and help them to breathe better. In addition, the color-changing nightlight and three-mode sound machine create a peaceful environment for babies, allowing them to sleep throughout the night.
Great Gift Idea
With baby showers and holidays, many families want to find the perfect gift for the occasion. A product that is beneficial to parents and their baby is always a great gift idea. As babies sleep peacefully throughout the night or during naptime, parents are also able to get the rest they need.
With the holidays just around the corner, many families are going to find that the Crane 4-in-1 Top Fill Drop Cool Mist Humidifier with Sound Machine is a great choice for parents and their little ones.
Thank you to Crane for making this sponsored post possible!
11 Things to Do When You Find Out You’re Pregnant
Just found out you’re pregnant? Here are eleven things to kick-off your to-do list for a safe and healthy pregnancy from our friends at Natalist.
So you POAS (pee on a stick) and get a BFP (big fat positive). This is life-changing news, and you may feel a bevy of emotions—excited, scared, anxious, surprised. What now? Here are eleven things to do to kick-off a safe and healthy pregnancy.
- Begin taking a prenatal if you’re not already. Look for which brands contain folate, iron, calcium, vitamin D, DHA, and iodine. Read this article by Dr. Liz Kane on what to look for in a prenatal and check out our Prenatal Multi Duo.
- Call your OBGYN! Most like to see patients at six to eight weeks after your last period (earlier if you are at risk for ectopic pregnancy or have unique concerns), but it’s time to get that first appointment scheduled. Your first prenatal visit will cover an assessment, routine labs, genetic testing, and more. If you don’t yet have an OB, call your insurance company to find one who is covered under your plan.
- Stop using products that contain toxic chemicals. Especially look out for BPA and phthalates, which are chemicals often found in food, food packaging, drink cans, cosmetics, perfume, air fresheners, and soft plastics (e.g. shower curtains or children’s toys). Research shows that these types of chemicals found in plastics and other man-made goods are linked to health risks in fetuses and infants.
- Calculate your due date. March of Dimes has a free and easy calculator to help you know how far along you are and estimate your expected due date. Of course, every pregnancy is unique, and most babies arrive sooner or later than expected. Always talk to your doctor about your due date.
- Rethink your diet. Now is the time to cut down on caffeine, cut out booze altogether, and start nourishing yourself with what your body really needs. Read What To Eat When You’re Pregnant to get weekly descriptions of what’s happening in your body and learn how certain foods contribute to the development of a healthy and happy baby.
- Get moving! The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends at least two and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week during pregnancy. Moderate intensity means you are moving enough to raise your heart rate and start sweating. Try brisk walking, gardening, yoga, or swimming. Your doctor may recommend avoiding hot yoga, contact sports, downhill snow skiing, water skiing, and/or scuba diving.
- Get your flu shot. The flu shot is even more important for you now that you are getting immunized for two! According to the CDC, the flu is more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant women because changes in the immune system, heart, and lungs during pregnancy make pregnant women (and women up to two weeks postpartum) more prone to severe illness from flu, including illness resulting in hospitalization, such as pneumonia. These complications can be life-threatening.
- Track baby’s growth and development. Perhaps one of the coolest things the female body can do is grow a human! The American Pregnancy Association (APA) has a week-by-week guide to development so you can follow along.
- Read Parent Plans. Covering topics from pregnancy to parenting philosophies, this workbook is especially designed for couples planning for a baby. Expect to think and talk about everything from baby names to values and finances to fertility.
- Enjoy this special time. Document your journey with photos, videos, or write in a diary. Document the good moments, the awkward things your body may do, times of anxiety, questions you have, your hopes for the baby, etc. The process can be therapeutic and wonderful to look back at in the future.
- Start your registry: Sign up to create a personalized baby registry on Gugu Guru! It’s free to get started and the products are all customized for your lifestyle.
The Ultimate Target Baby Registry
Today we are bringing you the ultimate Target baby registry. We searched Target for our favorite baby products and collected them for you. The best part of the Target baby registry is the fabulous welcome kit full of goodies for mom and baby that you can pick up at Target Guest Services when you create a registry in-store or online. Target also has an awesome 15% completion discount on everything left on your registry (the only kicker is it’s only good until eight weeks before baby’s expected arrival).
Let’s start with the nursery. Likely a room you will be spending a lot of time in as baby grows, it’s important to make sure this is a functional, comfortable place.
- Diaper Genie
- Munchkin Changing Pad
- Changing Pad Cover
- Hatch Rest
- Baby Monitor
- Bedding Set
- Crib Mattress
- Crib
- Dresser
- Glider with Ottoman
Next up is feeding. Whether you’re breastfeeding, bottle feeding, pumping, or a combination of the 3, Target has what you need.
We love to keep it simple for Health & Wellness: a bath tub, bathing essentials, a grooming kit, and simple diaper needs.
Baby Gear is a category that is worth the splurge! These items will help you manage the chaos of life with a newborn, making life simpler and easier.
Clothing is the most fun baby product category and one of our favorites! Target is full of amazing options to fit every stage of babyhood.
So many options for baby Play, it can be hard to narrow it down. We picked some of our favorites, but Target has many more great baby toys.
We can’t forget about the Parents! Target has your needs covered too!
- Diaper Bag
- Baby Carrier
- Milk Storage Bags
- Nursing Pads
- Nursing/Pumping Bra
- Postpartum Recovery Kit
- Mama Sweatshirt
In the baby world, there are many “nice to have” items that aren’t a necessity but can make your life easier. These are some of our favs.
Did we miss anything? What are your favorite registry items from Target? Let us know!
More Gugu Picks:
Home Care and Organization Picks
Summer Travel Must Haves
Best Nursing Pillows: Gugu Picks
This post contains affiliate links.
Colic Relief Naturally: GranolaMoms’ Mommy2Me
The following is a guest review on Mommy2Me colic relief drink from a Gugu Village member, Amandine. Amandine received a pack of Mommy2Me in exchange for an honest review of the product. All opinions are her own.
I have a 6 month old daughter who has struggled with acid reflux/colic since the very beginning. She’s breastfed (I exclusively pump) and as a result, I’ve cut nearly everything out of my diet that could possibly bother her (dairy, caffeine, anything spicy) to provide colic relief. Nada.
She is on medication for acid reflux and while it helps, it doesn’t take her reflux away fully. She had a hard time napping and sleeping at night. In the past, the remedy would have been to have her sleep slightly inclined. However, with all of the recent recalls there isn’t a way to do this safely. Our only option was mildly propping her crib mattress up with a doctor-approved crib wedge. Even then, it wasn’t approved for long-term use. I was one exhausted and drained mama.
My older daughter slept through the night from day one and I was woefully underprepared for life with a colicky baby. I was shocked to learn that 50-60% of all babies struggle with some severity of acid reflux and colic.
Granola Moms was kind enough to send me a case of Mommy2Me natural colic remedy to test and it really helped. This is a drink for adults, not for baby. Thankfully, my daughter’s acid reflux became considerably better around 4 months old. She is now sleeping mostly through the night. It’s a massive challenge to work and live with very little sleep as a mom, but I also really worried about my daughter getting enough rest to develop properly. It was heartbreaking watching her be in so much pain and struggling throughout the night to get the rest she so desperately needs.
As for the Mommy2Me colic remedy drink itself, it is tangy and tastes lime-ish. I’m not typically a huge fan of lime flavor so it was a bit strong for my liking. However, if I mixed it with a little seltzer and drank it cold, it was delightful. It does stand to be noted that it could taste like NYC hot dog water and I would have drunk it if it meant it would help my daughter and I could get some sleep, haha! The bottle was small, which I liked. I could see where it would be easy to throw into a diaper bag or a purse to take on the go. It is made with all-natural, organic, and plant-based ingredients.
Thank you GranolaMoms for creating this one-of-a-kind colic remedy beverage that naturally supports colic relief through breast milk.
Learn more about GranolaMoms Mommy2Me and order here.
What’s New on Gugu: January 15, 2020
We have officially come out of hibernation from the holiday season and end of year treats! We are back with our first WNOG for the year with some fun finds for you. Did anyone receive great holiday baby gifts? If so, let us know down below!
For a number of our other favorites, please check out our Explore page!
LeSportsac x Giggle Diaper Bag: Giggle, one of our favorite retailers for everything ‘baby’ has partnered with LeSportsac to launch their Diaper Bag Tote. Complete with multiple storage pockets, it even comes with an adorable rainbow pouch insert. Plus we love the minimalist style and the fact that it’s made of nylon, which is so easy to clean!
Hugaboo: Invented by a very creative Mom, the Hugaboo Baby Floor Seat is safe to use for baby once s/he has strong neck control. Great for at home or on the go, this seat helps keep your little one involved with everything going on. The entire thing is machine washable, which helps with all of life’s messes!
Animal Island Learning Adventure (AILA): While recommendations on screen time for little ones seem to change depending on who you talk to, sometimes we know that there are limited ways to keep your little ones distracted! As a team of Work From Home moms, we are all too familiar with putting on the occasional video or game for our little ones. Finally an answer to our need for educational screen time with AILA. Created with a preschool curriculum in mind, there is truly no monitoring needed when your little one has this screen!
YuriBib: Created with Baby Led Weaning in mind (but great for all parents), the YuriBib is your answer to feeding messes! Not only does it keep your little one clean, but it keeps your high chair clean! Gone are the days of scrubbing caked on messes and crumbs! Pair with the Yuri Mat to keep your floor clean as well!
LoveBub: A new brand from our friends at WavHello, the LoveBub is both a lovey and sound machine in one. A true soother for fussy little ones! This is a great gift for toddlers or little ones who may be starting to develop a fear of the dark. LoveBub is machine washable and has easy to use timer settings. Plus it’s super soft and cuddly!
Please note that these opinions are 100% my own and I have not received any products in exchange for placement in What’s New on Gugu! As an Amazon Associate Gugu Guru earns from qualifying purchases.
Like what you see? Check out some other What’s New on Gugu posts:
What’s New on Gugu: November 6, 2019
What’s New on Gugu: November 14, 2019
What’s New on Gugu: December 4, 2019
