Baby Massage Oils

Parents are advised to use pure cold pressed seed, nut, vegetable or fruit oils as a baby massage oil. The best infant massage oil will also be an organic baby oil, free of pesticides.

Compared to mineral oils, which have a tendency to create a greasy film on the skin"s surface, pure cold-pressed oil is much more readily absorbed by the baby's skin.

One thing to keep in mind is that infants frequently put their hands or feet in their mouths when receiving massages. To that end, it is crucial that parents use a massage oil that is suitable to be ingested by their child during the massage.

However, just because the oil must be suitable for potential ingestion, does not mean that the opposite is automatically true. Many edible oils will not be appropriate for use in a baby massage, including popular and otherwise healthy cooking oils such as olive oil, sunflower seed oil, peanut oil or grapeseed oil. This is because cooking oils are likely to be too thick in texture and viscosity, meaning that they will not be adequately absorbed by the baby's skin during the massage.

Because of this property of cold pressed oils, it is crucial that they are free of pesticides, as there is a risk that the oil could act as a carrier that introduces pesticides into the body's systems. Ideally, you are using organic baby oil as your massage oil.

When a baby massage oil is said to have been "cold pressed", this means that no heat was applied during the extraction process. Instead, the oil was released from the source by pressure alone.

Cold-pressing is important for preserving the health value of an organic baby massage oil. Heat expands the molecules in heat-extracted oil, which results in a product that is more challenging for the skin to absorb.

The best baby massage oil will be a pure, cold pressed, organic baby oil, with anti-inflammatory properties as well as a nourishing fatty acid base to protect the delicate skin barrier.

A mineral oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons that have been refined from paraffin oil. Paraffin oil is a waxy, colourless and odourless material that is distilled from petroleum.

Although refined paraffin oil is frequently included in skin care products, it has not been established that using it on infants and young children can be deemed safe. According to some medical professionals, it can obstruct newborns" pores and result in rashes and other issues, so parents are advised to avoid the risk. IMIS does not recommend using mineral baby oil in infant massage.

There is also a risk that the application of a mineral baby oil could irritate the baby's skin, in which case parents are advised to use soap and water to wash the affected areas.

However, delicate skin is not the only consideration.

If a mineral baby oil enters the baby's eyes during an infant massage, parents should immediately apply first aid techniques such as washing out the eyes with running water for 15 minutes. If irritation occurs, this may require medical help.

If the baby ingests some of the mineral baby oil, parents should speak with a doctor right away.

With all of the various risks associated with the use of a mineral baby oil for the massage, IMIS recommends using safer oils such as seed, nut, vegetable or fruit oils that are certified organic, cold pressed and full of natural ingredients.

The use of essential oils during newborn massage is not advised. Essential oils may be too strong or excessive for baby skin, even if they are plant oils such as a flower oil.

Some essential oils could cause skin irritation, while others may simply be too overpowering in their scent. Smell is important because bonding between parent and child is a significant advantage of a baby massage, and an overpowering scent could detract from this experience.

It is advised that any massage oil is chosen to smell as neutral as possible. This means that the newborn has the chance to smell the parent"s skin or "signature aroma" during massage time, rather than essential oils.

There is a high chance that a baby will accidentally ingest some of the baby massage oil during the massage. Essential oils are typically not advised for consumption, especially not by young children. The worst case scenario would be ingestion leading to symptoms developing that call for medical attention. The best approach is simply to avoid the use of essential oils in an infant massage.

Before massaging a baby (or children of any age), it is advised to test their skin, to see if they are sensitive to the organic baby massage oil.

For all babies, but especially those with very dry skin or those with eczema, it is much safer to conduct a simple patch test rather than deal with the consequences of coating a baby head to toe in an oil they may turn out to be allergic to.

Even if it is labeled as an organic baby oil, it is best to avoid any oils with a synthetic fragrance that may irritate the delicate skin barrier of your child.

For a patch test, a small amount of natural baby massage oil is applied to the inner crease of the baby"s elbow. Just a few drops should suffice. Use the anterior surface for the patch test.

Gently massage the baby massage oil in the morning, and leave it on while the child is being watched throughout the day. Any redness on the application site may be a sign of sensitive skin or an allergic reaction. If any irritations or complications arise, the area should be cleaned with warm, soapy water to get rid of the oil.

Keep in mind that babies' skin is not a blank slate. Instead, they are covered in their skin's natural oil.

If you"d like to learn more about what oils to use, when and how to massage, you can join a baby massage class or request private tuition with a Certified Infant Massage Instructor or Paediatric Massage Consultant. Or if you like the idea of helping parents why not become an instructor yourself? Learn more today from the Infant Massage Information Service