Can infant massage help my baby learn?

Infant massage has had some recent popularity as a way to achieve a smarter baby. Initially, it was shown through research in the United States that it helped premature infants gain weight and stay in the hospital shorter periods. However, results with full term infants are not as well researched. Babies learn from their parents so anything pleasurable that increases interaction can stimulate the baby's senses and develop important neuralgic connections during this rapid period of brain development. Infant massage should be incorporated into your baby's routine because it enhances the natural bonding that occurs between parents and their new baby and not solely to produce a smarter baby. Some parents benefit from a structured routine of playing with and massaging their baby.

Donna Dixon, HES Extension, College of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia