Baby Massage for Colic Gas & Constipation

For new parents, half the battle of raising a healthy and happy baby is understanding “what’s normal?” and what isn’t.

When it comes to topics like baby constipation, gas, and colic, this can be lead to hours upon hours of googling and uncertainty and frustration from parents.

When your baby is uncomfortable due to digestion issues, it can lead to an increase in crying, a loss of sleep, and irregular appetite.

At Kahlmi, we are here to help you understand what is normal when it comes to baby digestion and show you how you can use the Kahlmi massage wand and your hands as a natural tool to help when your baby is irregular, baby massage.

Your Baby’s Digestion: Understanding What’s “Normal”

As a new parent, you’ll finding yourself asking the question, “How often should my baby poop?” at each new phase of development.

Here is a breakdown of regular frequency from the day your child is born, up until they are about 6 weeks old:

1 day old: 1 wet, 1 poopy in 24 hours

2 days old: 2 wets, 2 poopy diapers in 24 hours.

3 days old: 3 wets, 3 poopy diapers in 24 hours.

4 days to 6 weeks old: 6+ wets, 3-4+ poopy diapers in 24 hours.

After 6 weeks of age, you may start to ask yourself, “Is my little one constipated?”

After 6 weeks of age, poopy diapers can become more irregular and not happen daily, which is why many new parents begin to worry.

However, this is not a problem unless you are also seeing some of these other issues:

• Trouble or straining when your child is trying to have a bowel movement
• Any painful cramps
• A belly that is swollen from gas
• Hardened stool that looks like pebbles or that are wide and smushy

If you expect that your child is experiencing issues such as constipation, gas, or colic, then read on to hear about how you can help them in a natural and holistic way.

Baby Massage to Relieve Constipation, Gas & Colic in Babies

There are many different methods that parents try to help relieve their baby of any troubling digestive issues. However, baby massage is the most effective method to help relieve constipation and baby gas.

“After working with many parents and instructing them on baby massage, I have found a marked decrease in constipation and gas when the massage is performed regularly for 5-10 minutes per day,” says Elina Furman, certified infant massage instructor and founder of Kahlmi.

Engaging in baby massage for 5-10 minutes every day is a known way to help your baby get back to having pain-free and regular bowel movements.

When massaging your baby try to consistently massage in a clockwise motion as that will have the most aid for their digestive tract.

Here are some basic strokes you can try at home to help your baby:

Moon & Sun Stroke: Use your hands and the Kahlmi massage wand to make clockwise circles on baby’s belly. Go slow and alternate between hands and Acs-Touch massage head to help relieve the gas bubbles and relieve blockages in the upper and lower abdomen.

The Paddle Stroke: Paddling strokes are the best for babies experiencing colic. Use your hands to gently massage down from baby’s sternum to below their belly. Use medium pressure and watch baby’s reactions as you perform this stroke. You can use the Kahlmi massage wand and your hands to create this downward motion. And the end, lift their legs in froggy position and stretch their legs straight to release build up.

I Love You (ILU) Stroke: For this stroke, you will be tracing the letters “ILU” or (I love you) on your baby’s body.

Start on the left side of your baby’s belly and use the tips of your fingers to trace an “I” right under their rib. Repeat several times.

Next, move over to the right side of your baby’s belly, where you will trace an upside-down “L” on your baby’s tummy. Start on the far side of the right rib and work towards the center of your baby’s belly. When you reach the center, go straight down towards their belly button. Repeat several times.

Last, you will trace an upside-down “U” on your baby’s belly. Start near the baby’s right hip, and trace an upside-down “U” that goes up to their sternum and then back down towards the opposite hip.

Foot reflexology: A bit of foot reflexology is perfect for gassy or constipated babies that are also fussy. To perform reflexology on baby’s feet, use your thumbs to stroke and fan their feet. Make gentle circles in the middle of the foot using clockwise motion for 3-5 minutes. Most parents report that babies will poop minutes to an hour afterward. The Kahlmi massage wand Acu-Touch head is also perfect for this foot reflexology routine and will gently energize their digestive tract helping them to expel gas and poop.