What are the benefits of baby massage?
The proven benefits are modest. For premature babies, trials link massage to faster weight gain and shorter hospital stays, though many studies were weak. For healthy full-term babies, a 2022 Cochrane review found early benefits for sleep, crying and growth faded in better studies. The honest benefit is a calm, close ritual you can both enjoy, and that's reason enough.
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The honest answer
Baby massage is often sold as a way to improve sleep, digestion, bonding and even brain development. The research is more modest. For premature babies there's some real evidence. For healthy full-term babies, the best review found the benefits mostly disappeared when the weaker studies were set aside.
That doesn't make massage pointless. Touch is one of the main ways babies feel safe. Holding, cuddling, carrying, skin-to-skin and gentle play are part of how a baby learns the world is a good place. Massage is one more lovely way to give that touch, as long as you keep your expectations honest.
Step by step
- Choose a calm momentPick a warm, quiet time, such as after a bath, not right after a feed or when your baby is tired.
- Set up safelyLay your baby on a towel on the floor or bed, facing you, and stay with them the whole time.
- Warm your handsUse nothing, or a little plain, unscented oil. Skip essential oils.
- Stroke slowlyUse a flat, gentle-but-firm hand: legs from thigh to foot, then arms, tummy in clockwise circles, then back.
- Talk and watchName each body part and sing. Stop and cuddle if your baby turns away, stiffens or fusses.
What the research shows
| Babies | Evidence | What it found |
|---|---|---|
| Premature babies | Cochrane review of 14 randomized trials | About 5 grams more weight gain a day and hospital stays about 4.5 days shorter. Many studies had serious design problems, and evidence for developmental benefits was weak. |
| Healthy full-term babies | 2022 Cochrane review of 34 studies | Some positive results for sleep, crying and growth, but the benefits disappeared when the weaker studies were removed or at later follow-up. The authors concluded the evidence doesn't support massage as a health program for low-risk families. |
One detail most parents never hear: in the preterm trials, babies who got gentle, still touch (a hand resting on them) gained no extra weight. The benefit showed up with massage, meaning moving strokes. Babies seem to respond to touch that moves.
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Skin-to-skin has stronger evidence
If your baby was born early, skin-to-skin "kangaroo care" has stronger evidence than massage. In a WHO trial of 3,211 small babies, starting skin-to-skin right away cut deaths in the first 28 days from 15.7% to 12.0%. Long-term follow-ups, to age 10 in Israel (a matched, non-randomized study) and age 20 in a Colombian trial, linked kangaroo care to better self-regulation and thinking skills in premature babies. If your baby is in the NICU, ask the nurses about kangaroo care first, and whether and when massage makes sense. For healthy newborns, see skin-to-skin after birth.
A simple 5-minute massage
Massage won't build a better brain, as far as the evidence shows. It's a calm, close ritual, and that's a fine reason to do it. Here's how:
- Pick a calm, warm moment, such as after a bath. Not right after a feed, and not when your baby is tired or fussy.
- Lay your baby on a towel on the floor or bed, facing you.
- Warm your hands. Use nothing, or a little plain, unscented oil. Skip essential oils.
- Stroke slowly with a flat, gentle-but-firm hand: legs from thigh to foot, then arms, then tummy in slow clockwise circles, then back.
- Talk or sing while you do it, and watch your baby's face.
Check with your pediatrician first if your baby has eczema or sensitive skin.
Read your baby's signals
The most important skill in baby massage is stopping at the right time. A baby who is enjoying it has relaxed, smooth movements, looks at your face and may coo. A baby who has had enough turns away, stiffens or fusses. Other "I need a break" signals include arching the back, jerky arm and leg movements, hiccups or yawning, and spreading the fingers wide. When you see them, stop and just cuddle. More on these cues in signs your baby is overstimulated.
Some days your baby won't want it. That's fine. A cuddle or a song gives the same closeness.
Other touch that counts
Massage is only one way to give your baby touch. Everyday holding, cuddling and carrying count too. A sling, wrap or soft carrier keeps your baby close to your voice, face, smell and movement, and frees your hands so you can talk about what you're doing.
Carry safely: keep your baby's face visible with nothing covering their nose or mouth, make sure their chin isn't pressed onto their chest, and hold them upright and snug, close enough to kiss the top of their head. Carriers aren't for routine sleep, especially under 4 months, so move a sleeping baby to their own flat, firm sleep space, on their back. If your baby was born early or small, or has a cold or breathing trouble, ask your pediatrician before using a sling.
Make it a conversation
The part of massage most likely to help your baby's brain is the part that isn't massage: your face, your voice and the back-and-forth between you. Name each body part as you go ("Here's your foot. Wiggly toes!"), then pause and wait for a sound, a kick or a smile before you answer. That's serve and return, and it's linked to stronger language. Learn the steps in what serve and return is.
A partner can take this ritual too. It's a good way for a dad or second parent to have regular, calm one-on-one time, especially if the other parent does most of the feeds. Keep it in a warm room, on a safe surface, and never leave your baby alone on a bed or changing table.
Do this
- Try a 5-minute massage after a bath, using moving strokes rather than still touch.
- Use plain, unscented oil or none at all, and skip essential oils.
- Name each body part out loud and pause for your baby's reply.
- Stop and cuddle the moment your baby turns away, stiffens or fusses.
When to ask your doctor
Check with your doctor or midwife first if…
- your baby has eczema or sensitive skin
- your baby was born early or is in the NICU
- you want to use any oil other than a little plain, unscented oil
Call your doctor now if…
- your baby under 3 months has a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
- your baby has trouble breathing, or is floppy or hard to wake
- your baby has hives spreading over the body, or swelling of the lips, tongue or face (call 911)
This page is general information, not medical advice. Every pregnancy and every child is different. Ask your doctor, midwife or pediatrician before changing supplements, diet or care.
Grow a Genius
In the book: Chapter 19: Movement and the Senses
Chapter 19 places massage alongside touch, tummy time, the outdoors and flavor learning, with the honest evidence for each and a 1-minute self-check for the first year.
- The 7 Genius Builders, stage by stage
- 16 printable guides, including the Prenatal Label Decoder
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People also ask
Does baby massage help babies sleep?
Some studies of healthy full-term babies found positive results for sleep, but a 2022 Cochrane review of 34 studies found those benefits disappeared when the weaker studies were removed or at later follow-up. A calm massage can still be a pleasant part of a bedtime routine if your baby enjoys it.
When can I start massaging my baby?
There's no fixed start date in the research. Pick a calm, warm moment when your baby is alert and content, such as after a bath, not right after a feed. If your baby was born early or has eczema or sensitive skin, check with your pediatrician first.
What oil is safe for baby massage?
Use nothing, or a little plain, unscented oil. Skip essential oils. If your baby has eczema or sensitive skin, ask your pediatrician first. Warm your hands before you start, and keep the room warm.
Is baby massage good for brain development?
Not as far as the evidence shows. Reviews found no reliable developmental benefit for full-term babies, and weak evidence in premature babies. What does support the developing brain is the closeness, touch and back-and-forth talk that can happen during a massage.