Infant massage is a traditional practice in India.

A new study published in BMC Pediatrics aimed to analyze the prevalence and perceptions of infant massage practices in two states in India.

This was a cross-sectional study, wherein 1497 caretakers of children under 18 months, were interviewed at immunisation units of medical schools, as well as through home visits in Maharashtra (MH) and Madhya Pradesh (MP) states, in the year 2018.

The findings revealed that infant massage was a prevalent practice in both, these states and the prevalence did not vary with gender. Massage was mostly initiated in the first week of life in 82% of the cases. It was common practice to massage the baby once daily (77%), before bathing (77%), and after feeding (57%). Massage was mostly done with oils for 97% children. In MH, preferred oils were a sesame oil-based proprietary traditional medicine oil (36%) and coconut oil (18%), whereas olive (29%) and mustard (20%) oils were most popular in MP. Commonly reported application techniques included gentle massage with minimal pressure, pressing (30%) and manually stretching certain joints (60%). Commonly reported perceived benefits of infant massage included increased bone strength, better sleep and growth, while no harm was perceived (95%).

It was inferred that infant oil massage is a highly prevalent traditional practice in MH and MP. Physicians must clearly guide towards the use of massage, choice of oil and application techniques to optimize benefits and minimize risks of this traditional practice. 

Source: BMC Pediatrics. 2020 Nov 9;20(1):512. doi: 10.1186/s12887-020-02416-y.