Health Benefits Of Olive Oil For Baby Massage

Touch is the best way of communicating with babies. An effective way of bonding with your baby by touch is via massages. In addition to that, a massage is a great means to stimulate the baby’s senses, enhance their growth and does wonders to their muscles and skin. How can this massaging experience be enhanced? The usual answer to that is, the use of coconut oil for baby skin as it is known to render the best of benefits. Ever thought about Olive Oil for Baby Massage? Read on to know everything about Health Benefits Of Olive Oil For Baby Massage.

Also read Best Massage Baby Oils In India

Types of olive oil

Olive oil is obtained either by pressing or processing the olives, whether it for cooking or for baby massage. How oil is being tapped from the olives is what decides the richness and variety of the oil. There are three such varieties- extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil and regular olive oil.

Virgin Olive Oil

It is extracted from olive fruit by means of cold pressing. The means of extraction is completely mechanical with no involvement of chemicals at any stage.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil(EVOO)

Health Benefits Of Olive Oil For Baby Massage has best results when you use extra virgin olive oil. It is the richest and purest form of virgin olive oil, obtained from the first cold press of olives. The ground olive paste is pressed without involving any heat/processing, filtered and the oil extracted is then bottled directly.

Regular Olive Oil

Also called as refined olive oil or pure olive oil or simply olive oil. It is obtained from virgin oils after processing/ refining them to increase their shelf life before bottling. It is treated with additives, which are sometimes other oils and preservatives.

Remembering to not make olive oil massages a regular thing for our babies, any of the three varieties can be used for massages. However, always choose EVOO for baby massages as it has a better balance of fatty acids and antioxidants. It is the safest and undoubtedly the best variety and every baby deserves the best!

Health Benefits Of Olive Oil For Baby Massage

Before we get the fruit, it is important to sow the seeds right. Right? So before we learn the benefits of olive oil, we should know how to prep it before application on our babies. Equal quantities of olive oil and lukewarm water are to be taken in a jar and mixed thoroughly. This can then be used to massage the baby. From here on in this segment, massage oil refers to this mixture. You may already be pondering over why water. That’s because water controls how much the skin permeates and helps retaining more moisture without drying out the skin too much. Lone use of olive oil on the other hand, opens out the pores too much and completely seeps into the skin.

With that known, lets head to the health benefits of olive oil massages for babies.

Olive oil as an all weather moisturizer

Olive oil has no restrictions with respect to the season of use. It can be used all through the year which makes it an easy option to choose. Massaging the baby with the massage oil makes the skin supple soft, healthy and adds a dash of lustre. Moreover, it also regenerates the skin by removing dead skin cells making way for new skin cells and hence healthier skin.

Olive oil as a relief from constipation

Rubbing warm massage oil on the baby’s stomach gently, in clockwise, circular motion eases constipation and also prevents gas formation. It should be kept in mind to not adopt this massage right after feeding the baby as obviously, he/she is going to vomit!

Olive oil as a cure for cradle cap

Cradle cap is a dandruff like formation of dry, flaky layers of skin on the baby’s scalp. It is a harmless skin condition in babies which can be eliminated, thanks to olive oil! Take the required amount of massage oil, apply it on the baby’s scalp with a little massaging and leave it on for 10 to 20 minutes. In case of a thick crust, the oil can be left overnight, before washing it off with lukewarm water and mild baby shampoo followed by gently combing off the loosened flakes.

Olive oil to avoid/ prevent diaper rashes

Massaging the baby’s diaper area(genitals and buttocks) with a little amount of the massage oil scares away all the diaper rashes and prevents them from appearing again.

Olive oil for baby hair

One of the key Health Benefits Of Olive Oil For Baby Massage is that it nourishes & improves hair texture. A good source of vitamin E, olive oil is great for healthy hair. Massaging the baby’s scalp with the massage oil strengthens their hair. It also softens rough or coarse hair.

Olive oil to promote sleep

If you ever find trouble putting your little one to sleep, massage his soles with a teeny bit of the massage oil. The relaxing properties of the oil combined with the great massages you deliver will sure help in putting him to sleep.

Olive oil to maintain skin tone

The skin regenerative properties of olive oil helps in maintaining the skin tone of the baby if not improve it. However, do not go overboard with the massaging and make it a regular practice.

Olive oil for nail health

Massaging the nails and cuticles with the massage oil makes them shinier apart from strengthening them.

Olive oil for weight gain in premature babies

This essential massage oil helps with lipid absorption through the skin. Research has said that olive oil combined with soy oil has a lipid profile similar to that of breast milk. After consulting your pediatrician and getting to know if it is safe, this massage can be adopted to increase the weight of preterm babies.

Also read Best Foods to Help Your Baby Gain Weight

Olive oil as a remedy for cough

Four teaspoons of warm massage oil with 2-3 drops of essential oils(eucalyptus, rosemary or peppermint) rubbed gently over the chest and back of the child in the nights relieves them from cough in a few days and promotes their sleep.

Also read How To Relieve Nasal Congestion In Babies

When not to use olive oil for your baby?

Though the composition of olive oil varies based on several factors like the time of harvest, method of extraction, etc., it is mainly composed of fatty acids, predominated by oleic fatty acids followed far behind by linoleic and palmitic acids.

Though it is largely safe to use olive oils for baby massages, it is out of option to use it for babies suffering eczema or having dry skin. Oleic acid has a natural tendency of enhancing the permeability of skin and opens out the pores. On using olive oil for dry skinned babies will hence dry out their skin further, which is not good. Futhermore, oleic acid is also known to aggravate eczema and break down the natural, protective barriers of skin.

For such babies, the massage oil can be substituted with other options like jojoba oil or virgin coconut oil(whichever suits them) and olive oil can be included in their diet for enjoying its benefits. However, olive oil inclusion is only suggested for babies older than six months. You should consult your pediatrician and make a call on that.

Best massage olive oil for babies in India

In no particular order, jotting down a list of the best olive oil brands available in India that can be used for massaging babies.

Figaro Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In addition to using this for massages, you can also use this oil for salad dressings. This oil is priced at INR 350 for 250mL.

Morpheme Remedies Organic Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Olive Oil

Rich in vitamins A, D, E and K, this oil nourishes the skin, hydrates the hair, strengthens hair, promotes hair growth, softens the cuticles and helps maintain healthy and shiny nails.  This oil is priced at INR 349 for 120mL.

Solasz Spanish Pure Olive Oil

100mL for INR 220 is a great bet considering the non sticky, fast absorbing and aromatic nature of this oil. It is mild on the baby’s skin and nourishes it with essential vitamins. Note that this is neither virgin nor extra virgin olive oil but regular olive oil.

Indus Valley Bio Organic Extra Virgin Olive Massage Oil

This one promises to stimulate hair growth apart from smoothening and strengthening hair, to strengthen muscles and bones when used as a massage oil and to improve and maintain nail health. It costs INR 199 for 100mL.

Kalp Cold Pressed, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

200mL for INR 743 is a little on the high end and yet should be considered for the  wondrous benefits it offers. It can be used for stretch mark removal as well as act as a natural lip balm other than for massaging the baby, his/her hair and nails.

CI Baby Olive Massage Oil

For 200mL, INR 318(on amazon) is pretty cheap. If at all that casts a doubt in your head, you must read read the reviews which will convince you otherwise.