Postpartum and newborn massage, often referred to as “malish” in India and neighboring countries, is a traditional practice deeply embedded in cultural beliefs and often passed down through generations. While it’s widely practiced, scientific analysis provides a more nuanced understanding of its benefits, risks, and necessary precautions.
Scientific Analysis and Data:
Research into the efficacy and safety of postpartum and newborn massage is growing, though more large-scale, randomized controlled trials are needed.
Newborn Massage:
 – Weight Gain: Several studies have indicated that massage can contribute to improved weight gain in preterm infants. A meta-analysis published in the journal Pediatrics (Field et al., 2000) found that massage therapy for preterm infants led to significant gains in weight.
 – Reduced Stress Hormones: Research suggests that infant massage can lower levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) and increase levels of serotonin and dopamine, which are associated with feelings of well-being and happiness.
 – Improved Sleep: Massaged infants often exhibit better sleep patterns, spending more time in deep sleep.
 – Enhanced Mother-Infant Bonding: The physical touch and interaction during massage can strengthen the emotional connection between mother and infant.
 – Reduced Jaundice: Some studies suggest that massage might help in reducing physiological jaundice in newborns by stimulating bowel movements, which aids in bilirubin excretion.
Postpartum Massage (for the mother):
 – Pain Relief and Muscle Relaxation: Postpartum massage can help alleviate muscle soreness and tension, particularly in the back, shoulders, and neck, which are common complaints due to childbirth and new childcare responsibilities.
 – Reduced Swelling: Massage can assist in reducing postpartum edema (swelling) by stimulating lymphatic drainage.
 – Improved Mood and Reduced Postpartum Depression Symptoms: Several studies indicate that massage therapy can reduce anxiety and symptoms of postpartum depression by promoting relaxation and decreasing stress hormones. A review in the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing highlighted the positive impact of massage on maternal mood.
 – Uterine Involution: While not a primary effect, some traditional beliefs suggest massage aids in uterine involution (the uterus returning to its pre-pregnancy size). Scientific evidence directly linking massage to significantly faster involution is limited but it can indirectly support recovery by reducing discomfort.
 – Lactation Support: Massage, particularly breast massage, has been shown to improve milk flow and relieve engorgement in lactating mothers.
Cons and Potential Risks:
1. Improper Technique: Vigorous or incorrect massage can be harmful, potentially causing injury to the delicate bones and skin of a newborn or causing discomfort to the healing postpartum mother.
2. Unsafe Oils/Substances: The use of certain oils or homemade concoctions can lead to skin rashes, allergies, or infections. Some traditional oils may not be derma to logically tested.
3. Infection Risk: If the massage is performed by someone with unhygienic practices, or if there are open wounds (e.g., episiotomy incision, umbilical stump), there’s a risk of infection.
4. Overheating: Over-massaging or using too much friction, or hot oil especially with heavy oils, can cause overheating in newborns, who have less efficient thermoregulation.
5. Delayed Medical Attention: Over-reliance on traditional massage for ailments that require medical attention can delay necessary interventions.
6. Lack of Regulation: In many traditional settings, there is no standardized training or regulation for massage practitioners, leading to variability in technique and safety.
Precautions to Keep in Mind:
1. Consult a Healthcare Professional: Always discuss with your pediatrician or obstetrician before starting any massage regimen for yourself or your baby, especially if there are any underlying health conditions or complications.
2. Choose a Qualified Practitioner (if applicable): If you opt for a professional masseuse, ensure they are trained in infant and postpartum massage and adhere to hygienic practices.
3. Gentle Touch is Key: For newborns, the massage should be extremely gentle, more of a stroking motion than deep tissue manipulation. Avoid extreme and unnatural movements of joints. Avoid jerky neck movements. Avoid applying pressure to the fontanelles (soft spots on the baby’s head) or directly on the umbilical stump until it has healed. It’s best to be done by the mother of the newborn for better bonding, stress relief of mom and psychological benefits for mom and baby.
4. Appropriate Oils:
     – Newborns: Use pure, edible-grade, cold-pressed oils like coconut oil, almond oil, or olive oil, provided the baby doesn’t have allergies. Perform a patch test first. Avoid essential oils, mineral oil, or highly perfumed oils, which can irritate delicate skin.
     – Mothers: Similar principles apply. Ensure oils are non-allergenic.
5. Hygiene: Ensure the masseuse’s hands are clean, and the environment is clean and warm.
6. Timing:
     – Newborns: Massage when the baby is awake, alert, and content, not when they are hungry, sleepy, or immediately after feeding. The baby should not be woken up from sleep just for doing massage.
     – Mothers: Wait until any C-section incisions or episiotomy wounds have healed significantly before direct massage over those areas.
7. Observe for Baby’s Cues: Pay attention to the baby’s reactions. If the baby shows signs of discomfort, crying, or fussiness, stop the massage.
8. Avoid Certain Areas: For mothers, avoid direct, strong pressure on the abdomen immediately postpartum, especially after a C-section or if there’s any pain.
9. No Massage on Sick Babies: Do not massage a baby who is unwell, has a fever, skin infections, or rashes.
10. Hydration: Ensure both mother and baby are well-hydrated, especially in warmer climates where massage might lead to increased sweating.
In conclusion, postpartum and newborn massage can offer numerous benefits when
performed correctly and safely. It’s a practice that combines cultural tradition
with potential physiological and psychological advantages. However, it’s crucial to approach it with an informed perspective, prioritizing safety, hygiene, and
seeking professional medical advice when necessary.
Warming the baby after the massage and bath:
Holding a baby above fumes from burning coal, a practice sometimes rooted in
traditional beliefs for warmth, purported medicinal benefits, or even to “harden” the baby, is extremely dangerous and completely devoid of scientific merit. The primary scientific concern is the inhalation of carbon monoxide (CO), an odorless, colorless gas produced by incomplete combustion, such as burning coal. CO binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells with much greater affinity than oxygen, effectively starving the body and brain of oxygen. Babies, with their smaller lung capacity and higher metabolic rates, are particularly vulnerable to CO poisoning, which can lead to severe neurological damage, respiratory
distress, coma, and even death. Beyond CO, burning coal also releases particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and other toxic gases that can irritate the baby’s delicate respiratory system, trigger asthma, cause lung damage, and increase the risk of respiratory infections. There are absolutely no health benefits, and the risks of serious harm or fatality are overwhelmingly high,
making this practice medically contraindicated and extremely hazardous.
Filling the anterior fontanelle with oil will cause its early closure is a myth
The myth that filling the anterior fontanelle with oil will cause its early closure is scientifically unfounded. The anterior fontanelle, a soft spot on a baby’s head, is an anatomical feature where the skull bones have not yet fused. Its closure is a complex biological process primarily driven by endochondral ossification—the natural growth and fusion of the surrounding skull bones. This process is influenced by factors like genetics, nutrition (particularly adequate calcium and Vitamin D intake), and normal brain growth, all of which occur
internally. Applying oil, or any external substance, to the surface of the fontanelle does not penetrate the tough membrane covering it and therefore has absolutely no physiological effect on the underlying bone growth or the timing of its closure. The fontanelle will close when the baby’s body is
developmentally ready, irrespective of any external application of oil. This usually happens at around 14-18 months.
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