Infant Massage Helps Babies Learn to Talk

We have always said that infant massage helps babies learn to talk, and new research backs this up.

According to an article by Associated Press, “Florida scientists discovered that starting around age 6 months, babies began shifting from the intent eye gaze of early infancy to studying mouths when people talk to them.” 

At this point, the eye-to-eye contact that is encouraged in Vimala’s infant massage process really pays off: “ ‘The baby, in order to imitate you has to figure out how to shape their lips to make that particular sound they’re hearing,’ explains developmental psychologist David Lewkowicz of Florida Atlantic University, who led the study being published on Monday [January 23rd]. ‘It’s an incredibly complex process.’ ”

Make sure when you sit down to massage your baby that you position you and your baby to maximize eye contact. You may want to center your infant on a bed pillow to tilt them towards you, and put a firm pillow under your own seat to help tip you towards your baby. And pull your baby close to you, with their feet in your lap. Infants need your face to be within two feet of theirs. Older babies can see further, but keep them close so they can read your lips and facial expressions. Talk about the parts of the body you are massaging, use nursery rhymes and poems, and sing them a song. The loving touch of your hands makes learning so much easier!

Read more about this at the Boston Globe.