Introduction: Over the past decade, infant massage has become an increasingly popular activity in Slovenia that parents perform with their infants. International Association of Infant Massage IAIM reports numerous positive effects of infant massage, such as better interaction between the infant and its parents, the release of physical and emotional tension, stimulation of organ systems and many others. Purpose: The aim of this diploma work is to research whether parents who massage their infants notice any changes in their child's behavior, identify the advantages or disadvantages of massage, according to its effects, as determined from the review of scientific and professional literature. Methods: A descriptive and causal non-experimental method was used, with the help of a structured authorial online questionnaire on the advantages of infant massage. The questionnaire was distributed to 95 parents who attended the infant massage course with 31 completing the survey. Participation in the survey was voluntary and anonymous. Data was edited in Microsoft Excel 2010 and statistically analysed in SPSS Statistics 23.0. Results: 65% of parents think that the massage has a positive effect on the infant's sleep, 84% think that it has a beneficial effect on digestion, the same proportion of parents noticed that their child was more relaxed after the massage, 19% noticed that the infant cried less. 97% of parents report that the massage helps them bond and get to know their infant, and 90% say they are more confident in taking care of their child after attending an infant massage course. 58% of parents see the positive impact of massage only on the infant, and 35% of respondents believe that massage has a beneficial effect on the whole family. Discussion and conclusion: The massage helped the infants to fall asleep more easily or to have a better quality sleep and to be more relaxed. It was easier for children to digest, they were less bloated and had less abdominal cramps during the first months of life. The massage also helped parents attach safely to their infants. There were no side effects. Considering this, massage can be recommended as a routine activity in the first postnatal year.
|