Infant Massage

I remember getting the little notes from childbirth class that talked about infant massage, but I never really took the time to do it. I was always so sleep deprived I forgot about it. My oldest son does not like massage. I tried to rub his back the last time and he was sick and he said it hurt. My youngest son is a little snuggler though and he likes hugs and kisses. He will sit on my lap while he watches T.V. He probably would have enjoyed infant massage.

Did you use infant massage with your kids?

FROM CNN: The hospital can be a scary place, especially if you're a child being poked and prodded by people you don't know. But now more and more parents are turning to massage therapy to calm their children's fears.

MASSAGE THERAPIST WENDY SMITH ROAMS THE HALLS OF CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER IN DALLAS.. SHE DOESN'T WEAR A WHITE COAT OR SCRUBS FOR A GOOD REASON. "I'm back." TWO AND A HALF YEAR OLD JACOB IBARRA DOESN'T LIKE IT. HE'S UNDERGONE THREE SURGERIES TO REPAIR SPINAL LEAKAGE. HE'S BEEN POKED AND PRODDED ENOUGH TO LAST A LIFETIME.

"He had been through so much pain with the surgeries and the picking for the IV's and blood drawings, he was pretty much scared of everybody at that point." "Up your arm and down your side."

AND THAT IS WHERE MASSAGE THERAPIST WENDY HAS HAD THE MIDAS TOUCH.. SHE USES JACOB'S TOYS TO OVERCOME HIS AVERSION TO BEING TOUCHED. SHE'S ALSO INCORPORATED MUSIC PLAYED FROM JACOBS FAVORITE TEDDY BEAR. "Wild thing." THE MUSIC..THE TOUCHING AND RUBBING ALLOWS JACOB TO TRUST AGAIN..

"And what happens with massage, as soon as we touch the skin, that sends a signal to our brain and our brain has to go, hmm, do I like this? Do I not like this?" AFTER A SLOW START, JACOB NOW LOVES IT, AND RETURNS THE FAVOR.

"I do you chin, you do my chin." "He's more trusting, especially with Wendy, because of the type of play that she incorporated with the massaging, he's having a lot of fun pretty much." BUT IT WASN'T ALWAYS THAT WAY..AFTER HIS SURGERIES HE WAS STIFF AND SORE.

"You know, he had been on his back for so long and you know she just pretty much slipped her hands behind his back and just kind of did a gentle rub and it wasn't very painful at all." JACOB IS NOW MORE COMFORTABLE IN A ROOM FULL OF DOCTORS AND NURSES..ESPECIALLY WHEN WENDY IS THERE, HE KNOWS HE'S IN GOOD HANDS. "And the nurse said to Jacob, so who is this? And Jacob looked at me and said nice!" I love you, big kiss, muwah.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen