But when she has the time, she also gives the babies her comforting welcome to the world. Research has demonstrated that massage can improve the health of infants, says Martin. A recent study conducted by Tiffany Field at the University of Miami School of Medicine Touch Research Institute, for example, found that premature infants who were massaged gained more weight than those who were not. Field, a professor of pediatrics, psychiatry, and psychology, also found that massage improved weight gain and motor skills in premature infants who had been exposed to cocaine in the womb. Martin, who is certified in infant and relaxation massage, believes these benefits are tied to the fact that massage helps infants relax.
Massage also provides range of motion and keeps the circulation moving.
Massage also gives the parents of premature babies a structured way of touching their infants, says Martin, who teaches the technique to adults. Many parents of preemies are afraid to touch their fragile newborns, who can be as small as an adult's hand. Martin once cared for an infant who had been declared brain dead and was being kept on life support. She didn't move, so we had to get her circulation moving, to keep her from getting bedsores. The parents finally decided to remove their child from life support.