Thanks for all your comments on my last post. There are four "steps" in total, but it's all an ongoing process, so there'll be updates too. I suspect Operation Fix My Baby will be a lengthy process.
Before I get into step 2, here's an update on step 1:
Chip took a big step towards becoming a new baby after our LC appointment. He was awake and happy for quite awhile! He settled easily, and put himself to sleep (admittedly after half an hour of legit refusing to shut his damn eyes while being rocked and shhed). It obviously wasn't the dairy thing yet, so maybe changing to one-sided feeding? Though that didn't quite make sense, either. No more over thinking, and onto Step 2, baby massage!
For our massage, we went to the therapist who'd given me a pregnancy massage, and had been recommended by a friend. It was AMAZING. I’d read books, watched youtube, and been taught a little in a big group, but this was a whole ‘nother story. One on one (well, two on one, but I was hands off the first time), in a little room with peaceful massage music and warm towels.
Chip was crankyish when we arrived, but lay on the towel happily enough. He grizzled for a second, then stopped when she covered his arms with the top towel.
We started with his tiny feet, watching his toes for cues: “I like that” , “no, move on please.” Unfortunately, I was on his “bad” side (we know it’s his bad side, as it’s the leg he tightens up the most.. we’re hoping Step 3 can also help this...), and it was pretty clear he wasn’t into it, so the therapist focussed on his “good” leg first, before moving to his bad leg and giving him a quad massage. She could tell from his slight fussiness that the quad massage was “bad, but good” and kept at it, until the fussiness moved to “nope, just plain bad, had enough”.
She then moved onto his belly, but he hated that (either because it hurt, or because his misguided mother tries to make him feel better by touching it), so he got a little very light touching over the towel (…oh wait, that’s what I do… maybe not so misguided? :) ) before she returned to his feet for some tum-focussed reflexology- just a light imitation of the shape of the colon for each foot.
Apparently, babies let you KNOW when they’re done being massaged, and it won’t surprise you at all to let you know that my loud mouthed, opinionated, son was no exception! However, unlike many baby meltdowns, this one was easily calmed. He was fed, settled and sleeping within an hour of our appointment- a massive record.
We haven't yet tried a proper massage, as Chip's missed two bathtimes (bad parents! but one was because he was blissfully asleep). However, yesterday when we were cuddling he poked his foot out, flexed his toes and looked at me, so I gave his heel a tiny rub, and he visibly relaxed. Then he curled his toes up again, and stuck his other foot out. It wasn't much, and it may have been a coincidence, but it was nice to feel like we were chatting a bit, instead of being locked in an epic battle of cry and shh. I can't wait until our next session, and I thoroughly recommend it, even if your baby is a dream!
Before I get into step 2, here's an update on step 1:
Chip took a big step towards becoming a new baby after our LC appointment. He was awake and happy for quite awhile! He settled easily, and put himself to sleep (admittedly after half an hour of legit refusing to shut his damn eyes while being rocked and shhed). It obviously wasn't the dairy thing yet, so maybe changing to one-sided feeding? Though that didn't quite make sense, either. No more over thinking, and onto Step 2, baby massage!
For our massage, we went to the therapist who'd given me a pregnancy massage, and had been recommended by a friend. It was AMAZING. I’d read books, watched youtube, and been taught a little in a big group, but this was a whole ‘nother story. One on one (well, two on one, but I was hands off the first time), in a little room with peaceful massage music and warm towels.
Chip was crankyish when we arrived, but lay on the towel happily enough. He grizzled for a second, then stopped when she covered his arms with the top towel.
We started with his tiny feet, watching his toes for cues: “I like that” , “no, move on please.” Unfortunately, I was on his “bad” side (we know it’s his bad side, as it’s the leg he tightens up the most.. we’re hoping Step 3 can also help this...), and it was pretty clear he wasn’t into it, so the therapist focussed on his “good” leg first, before moving to his bad leg and giving him a quad massage. She could tell from his slight fussiness that the quad massage was “bad, but good” and kept at it, until the fussiness moved to “nope, just plain bad, had enough”.
She then moved onto his belly, but he hated that (either because it hurt, or because his misguided mother tries to make him feel better by touching it), so he got a little very light touching over the towel (…oh wait, that’s what I do… maybe not so misguided? :) ) before she returned to his feet for some tum-focussed reflexology- just a light imitation of the shape of the colon for each foot.
Apparently, babies let you KNOW when they’re done being massaged, and it won’t surprise you at all to let you know that my loud mouthed, opinionated, son was no exception! However, unlike many baby meltdowns, this one was easily calmed. He was fed, settled and sleeping within an hour of our appointment- a massive record.
We haven't yet tried a proper massage, as Chip's missed two bathtimes (bad parents! but one was because he was blissfully asleep). However, yesterday when we were cuddling he poked his foot out, flexed his toes and looked at me, so I gave his heel a tiny rub, and he visibly relaxed. Then he curled his toes up again, and stuck his other foot out. It wasn't much, and it may have been a coincidence, but it was nice to feel like we were chatting a bit, instead of being locked in an epic battle of cry and shh. I can't wait until our next session, and I thoroughly recommend it, even if your baby is a dream!
1 comment:
i really want to try infant massage! thinking of taking a class . . . now all i need is the BABYYYY
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