Infant Spa: Is Baby Massage Safe?

Infant spa, also known as baby spas, have become very popular in recent times. All over the world, clinics specialized in baby spas are opening up, and the UAE is no stranger too them. Baby spas were not available, nor were they essential in the past.

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However, they have become more prominent and popular in recent times due to the many health benefits it brings to babies. The purpose of a baby spa is to not only help your child relax and have a good time, but it can go a long way in their development into healthy toddlers.

The questions you may probably be wondering are ‘is it necessary?’ and ‘is it safe?’. With that being said, let’s identify what baby spas do.

What is an Infant Spa?

An infant spa or baby spa is a form of treatment and therapy for babies from 6 months to over a year old. A typical visit to a baby spa consists of two separate components. The first is hydrotherapy. This is when a baby sits inside a pool for 20 minutes with a special doughnut-shaped flotation device placed around their necks to keep their heads above water at all times.

After that, a very light massage and pamper comes after. In theory, this treatment for babies is to help them boost growth, as well as benefit their physical and mental health. Below we will go through the pros and cons of the baby spa.

Pros of Baby Spa

1. Growth acceleration

Multiple studies have suggested that swimming at very young ages, including for babies, can accelerate the growth of bone and muscles. Swimming not only promotes babies to grow physically faster and stronger but is also a fun experience for them to play in the water.

2. Better coordination

Babies who swim will develop better hand-eye coordination and reflexes. Swimming encourages babies to move around using their bodies and grasping their motor abilities while also testing their minds.

3. Less stressed and happier babies

A baby spa will help your child to have fun while also calm their senses down and keep them feeling better. A gentle massage with moisturizing oils can help babies to feel well limbered to have a good night’s sleep, resulting in less crying and fussing during the night or day.

4. Swimming boosts cognitive development

Just like it does for adults, swimming is important for babies as they can develop their cognitive abilities from a young age. Swimming helps to develop a baby’s brain functioning and can even boost their abilities to learn, concentrate and understand better from a younger age.

Cons of Baby Spa

1. Massages damage babies’ sense of boundaries

During a pampering at a baby spa, your child is being pampered and massaged by strangers they don’t know, and in environments, they are unfamiliar with.

Not only is this very intimidating, but it can also negatively imprint in their thinking that being touched by a stranger is acceptable. Alternatively, doing this same treatment at home and with their parents, the child can have the same benefits in the comfort of their home.

2. Floating feels isolating

Floating a bath with your head being supported by a neck ring, means that babies are very restricted in looking around. This may cause babies to feel isolated or scared.

When this happens, reading a baby’s body language is important to know how they feel about the treatment and experience. However, body language becomes difficult to interpret as babies will have a loss of movement and feel restricted as they are unfamiliar being in the water.

3. Neck rings can put a strain on the babies neck

Wearing a neck ring can put a strain on a baby’s neck and shoulders as their head feels like it’s being pulled and stretched. Although wearing a neck ring every once in a while for a baby spa isn’t a direct threat to your baby, doing this too often can cause long term damage to their ligaments and muscles.

Is it Worth It?

Although baby spas have their fair share of pros and cons, at the end of the day it is up to you. Baby spas are a great thing to have for parents who have the time and money to for their kids, but if it’s outside of your budget and you don’t have the time and resources to let your child have it, then you aren’t missing out on too much.

The healthy growth of your child all depends on how you raise them yourself. Having a baby spa can be done every once in a while for your baby’s enjoyment or to keep them occupied while you work. If you are considering a baby spa but are unsure whether it’s suitable for your child, speak with your child’s doctor.

Head over to the Okadoc app to immediately book an appointment with your health practitioner.