Massaging a body is a way to stimulate muscles, relieve tension and help relax a person.
Baby oil is very slick and soft which makes it ideal for a body massage. However, keep in mind that regular baby oil is a petroleum-based mineral oil and may leave an unwanted film over the skin and the body may absorb the minerals. So when using baby oil to give a massage, it is best to use a natural baby oil such as coconut or sesame seed oil. No matter what kind of baby oil you're using, it is important that you use different techniques and motions to help the person receiving the massage to relax.
Instructions
1. Keep the massage room warm at a comfortable temperature to avoid tense muscles.
Heat up the room to a warm, comfortable temperature. Cold rooms will make the body tense which causes tight muscles. Tight muscles are the opposite of what you want before a massage.
2. Set towels down in a comfortable area like a soft mattress or massage table.
3. Tell the person receiving the massage to remove his clothes and lie face down on the work area. Cover the individual's lower body with a towel. If you are massaging a baby, remove his clothes but keep on the diaper. Place the baby on his belly if he can hold his head up.
4. Dim or turn off the lights, and light candles so that there is no light shining in the face of the person receiving the massage. If neither option is possible, consider giving the individual a clean eye-mask to block any incoming light.
5. Test a small amount of the baby oil on the person's skin to see if the skin becomes irritated. If the skin becomes irritated after two minutes, do not use the oil.
6. Place the bottle of baby oil into a bowl of warm to hot water (not boiling). Pour about a teaspoon of the oil onto your hands and rub it in between your palms to distribute evenly.
7. Massage the oil slowly and gently into the skin. Whether you're massaging an adult or a baby, you should always start with a "hello" stroke by rubbing from the bottom of their neck to their toes. Avoid the face and genital regions.
8. Varying the hand motions helps to stimulate different areas in different ways.
Use a gentle touch to rub the body in soft, slow motions. Vary your hand movements a little bit. For example, if you're rubbing up and down, switch to side-to-side and maybe some circular motions. If you're using your palm, try your fingertips or graze the body slightly with your knuckles.
9. Continue massaging until there are no longer any tense "knots" in the person's skin; these usually are not present in babies so 10 to 30 minutes is a decent amount of time for a massage.
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