Infant Massage Promotes Growth in Full-term Infants
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37506/ijphrd.v11i3.1415Keywords:
Baby massage, infant growth, length, weight, chest circumference, head circumference.Abstract
The achievement of optimal growth is the result of the interaction of various factors, such as genetic factor,
environment, behavior and stimulation. There are several other factors that influence the increase in the
infant’s weight including drugs, congenital abnormalities or chronic diseases of the infant, the sex of the
infant, family socioeconomic conditions, nutrition and provision of baby massage stimulation. The study
aims to assess the effectiveness of baby massage in promoting baby growth, i.e. weight, length, chest
circumference and head circumference.
The study uses a quasi-experiment with pretest-posttest control group design. Subjects were recruited
from visitors in integrated service post (in Indonesian: Posyandu), independent midwifery practices and
community health sub-centers. We collected data of baby growths in Malang regency where the residents
are a homogeneous group. 30 infants were included in the study. They, subsequently, were randomly divided
into experimental and control group. The experimental group babies aged 3-6 months participated in the
baby massage for four weeks. The control group (N=15) was paired with the experimental group (N=15) by
matching the baby’s age and sex. The growth indicators were measured two times and statistically analysed
using independent t-test and eta-squared test.
Growth assessment used measurement results from variable body length, weight, chest circumference, head
circumference. After four weeks of massage, we found that weight, length, chest circumference and head
circumference increased among babies aged 3 to 6 months who received stimulation of baby massage.
Overall, the results of this study reassure that baby massage affects the growth of the infant.