INFANT MASSAGE AS AN ANTIDEPRESSANT
Depression in new mothers ( and fathers) is an ongoing, increasing incidence . Unfortunately it has a direct impact on the newborn baby with long term consequences, both physical and emotional, if there is no intervention done.
Mothers with depression are less physically and emotionally available to their babies and provide them with less facial and tactile stimulation. They are less sensitive to the newborn cues, less responsive, unstimulating, making the interaction with their baby very difficult.
When the mother’s depression is chronic, a reduced vagal tone is observed in newborns, contributing to sleep disturbances, colic , decreased adaptability, negative mood and increased sensory threshold , more crying, more distress, gaze aversion , less motor activity and imitation. In fact, researches show that infants and toddlers of depressed or angry mothers tend to respond more to a negative behavior .
“Later development consequences of having a depressed mother include having elevated cortisol and lower performance on IQ scales as a preschooler .Stressed children with elevated cortisol had a history of high maternal cortisol exposure in infancy.[…] Children of depressed mothers are also at increased risk for developing internalizing problems and cognitive deficits in part because of impared mother-infant interactions at 6 months post partum ( Milgron et al., 2004) ...” ( T. Field , The Amazing Infant)
Different type of interventions have been found to positively affect the interaction between the depressed mother and her infant, including massage, music and even the natural therapy of having a non depressed father around. ( T. Field)
Teaching mothers with depression how to massage their infants has been shown to be healing for both mother and the child . Through massage the infant receives the benefits of positive touch and the mothers ‘ depression decreases (T. Field) . “ After two weeks of fifteen minutes of daily massages …the infants were able to fall asleep faster , they slept longer and were less fussy, and the mothers played more easily with them.” ( T. Field , Touch)
Massage increases the level of Oxytocin , Serotonin and Dopamine , which are the “feel good” hormones . They are responsible for social bonding, reducing the feelings of fear and anxiety, balancing mood, sleep paterns, appetite etc . As her mood improves, the depressed mother becomes more physically and emotionally available for her baby, her facial expressions increase , she smiles more , becomes more responsive to the baby’s cues, leading to a healthy, proper interaction and communication with the baby, eliminating possible long term consequences of the depression. ( T. Field, Touch, The Amazing infant; Frances M. Carlson, Essential Touch)
This wonderful courses of Infant Massage , taken before the baby is born, educating on how to understand and communicate with your baby , increasing your confidence in your parenting competency may even help prevent the post partum depression. Amazing tool for you and your partner!