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Infant thalassotherapy is a massage provided to a newborn during the first days of life. The massage takes place in a warm-water bath that is close to body temperature, and it can be continued after removal from the bath. In the water, the newborn regains the feeling of weightlessness experienced in their mother’s womb. The therapist cradles the newborn and performs a gentle massage.
Thalassotherapy for newborn is a comforting massage that promotes sleep and calm. The newborn experiences the same sensory cues in the water that they did in the environment of the womb where they spent the nine (9) months of pregnancy. Among other benefits, this massage reduces signs of the effects of stress in premature baby, prepares newborn for sleep, eases remaining tensions from birth, promotes circulation, relaxes the muscles, and relieves tension in the joints.
The bath water is kept at a temperature that is slightly higher than the temperature of the human body. There is a constantly flowing jet of warm water. The therapist will rock the newborn in the water to allow them to relive the sensations experienced in the mother’s womb. A gentle massage can be performed during or after the bath.
It is important for the therapist to ensure the health condition of the newborn before performing the treatment, as certain contraindications apply, such as:
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