Use more oil, as you need to.
| 1. |
Gently move your hands up from your baby's thighs, towards their baby's stomach (or belly). If your baby is lying down in front of you, massage their lower stomach (below their belly button) by using long, gentle strokes with your index and middle fingers, from your left to your right (or your babies right to left). Do not massage above your baby's belly button, as this can place pressure on their diaphragm. Always be gentle with their belly, so you don't injure their internal organs.
Another way of massage the belly is to use your index and middle fingers and make the shape of a lower case 'n' moving from your baby's right to left with gentle pressure. |
 Image 12-67 illustrates massaging the baby's stomach from their right to left.
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| 2. |
Then massage 'hand over hand' using a stroking action from your baby's lower ribs, down to their hip on the left side, then continue downwards and across to just below the navel. Repeat 4 to 5 times on each side. |
Image 12-68 illustrates the 'hand over hand' action from their lower rib to the hip.
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| 3. |
Progress this massage back up your baby's body to their chest and shoulders. Gently place your thumbs in the middle of your baby's chest (with your fingers and palm resting gently around their rib cage and on their sides). Using your thumb and a stroking action, gently massage downwards and outwards, around their lower rib cage, and return your hands to the centre. Repeat this 4 to 5 times. |
Image 12-69 illustrates the downward and outward massage around the lower rib cage.
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| 4. |
Place your hands on the centre of your baby's chest, and massage upwards and outwards over their shoulders, returning back to the centre again (following the same line back). Use a long, gentle rubbing action with the palm of your open hand. Repeat this 4 to 5 times. |