The Benefits of Bathing for Children

Relaxation, Health & Well-Being for all ages

As a parent, bathing your child is one of the most precious memories you can create and nurturing their love of bathing is something that will help them integrate a practice of relaxation health and wellbeing long into adult hood. One that will give countless benefits over the years. It can start with the pregnant mother using her BainUltra and at every stage of the child’s development the benefits of having a bath are profound.

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Expecting Mothers

The therapeutic benefits of bathing start even before birth with expecting mothers.

(*Since every pregnancy and person is different, we recommend consulting your doctor prior to including any therapies such as hydro-thermo massage and aromatherapy in your bathing experience.)

As the baby grows in utero, the changes in the mother’s body can make many things more difficult.

One of the chief issues most mothers experience is back pain.

The BainUltra Thermomasseur targets the whole body with its precision jets combining the benefits of air water and heat. The air jets offer the most profound benefit on the lower back which is specifically the area under the most tension for expectant mothers.

The heat allows for increased blood flow, allowing the acupressure massage to go to work loosening tight muscles that are working overtime during pregnancy. This relief allows the body to not only stop experiencing pain but also recover, heal and come back stronger.

The whole body massage increases the flow of lymphatic fluid, improves circulation and has an increase in cell metabolism as well, which results in reducing swelling and cramps in the legs, helping to bring balance to the body.

Perhaps one of the most important benefits is the reduction of stress. The mind and body are perfectly connected, physical stress triggers emotional stress and vise versa. Life is stressful enough and expectant mothers can have a lot on their plate. This stress is also felt by the baby, which can further agitate the mother as well.

Massage is one of the most effective methods for reducing stress. When the body receives massage, it relaxes, this sends a signal to the brain to also relax. For the duration of the massage the mind starts to also let go of the tensions it holds there. This letting go breaks the cycle of chronic stress and after the bath the mother and her child carry that feeling forward.

On top of all these benefits, there is something to be said about taking a few moments out of the day to have a bath. Sitting calmly without distraction. Getting in touch with your body and connecting with your baby in a quiet moment.

These benefits extend right up to the point of delivery as well. BainUltra’s baths are used in hospital birthing rooms, the one way air channels ensure a 100% hygienic environment and offer relief from the pains of labor helping to facilitate a safe, smooth and healthy delivery.

Bathing with a BainUltra while pregnant:

• Eases Backpain
• Provides Relief from cramps
• Lowers tension headaches
• Reduces swelling
• Lowers stress for mother and baby
• Allows for a moment of connection with your baby

 

 

Physical Benefits of Hydro-Thermo Massage for Children

The benefits of massage are found everywhere inside the body.

Many people tend to think massage is just on the surface, but it goes much deeper by enhancing oxygen and nutrient flow to cells. Helping to improve breathing patterns, encouraging slow deep breathing. Balancing of hormones, including essential growth hormones in children, which can help with regulating weight.

Massage improves the mind body connection and actually helps stimulate growth in the brain and neurons, which improves overall brain development and processing sills. As a baby grows, massage prepares the body for sitting, standing, and walking by promoting strength, motor coordination, and self-confidence.

Of course, the primary benefit is helping to heal muscles, tendons and ligaments, joints, nerves. Children are often involved in physical activities like sports and outdoor games, these can cause injuries and also break down muscle tissue both which require recovery and rest; massage helps speed up the body’s natural healing, while also helping to ease growing pains from a changing body.

Massage can enhance:

• oxygen and nutrient flow to cells
• improve breathing patterns and lung health (respiration).
• the release of hormones, including growth hormones to help with weight gain
• neurons in the brain to grow and branch out to improve mental processing/skills (cognition).
• Massage helps decrease muscle tension and increase range of motion, which assists in recovering from, or preventing, injuries.
• Eases growing pains

Did you know that massage can help with an upset tummy? Any parent knows that after a meal sometimes babies need to be burped. The gentle bouncing helps in their digestive process. Massage acts in a similar, helping to encourage a normal digestive function by the gentle repeated pressure on the baby’s back and stomach.

Most parents would agree that there is nothing more important than their child’s health. The difficulty watching your child suffer with an illness, even the cold or flu can be compounded by the feeling of not being able to do anything to ease their discomfort.

Fortunately, massage and bathing do help strengthen the body’s immune system through cell metabolism, lymphatic drainage and improvements in the circulatory system; as well as stress reduction, a primary driver of illness.

Massage can also help in:

• Reducing gas, colic and intestinal difficulties
• Boosts the human immune system by stimulating a chemical response similar to that which occurs in the thymus gland, leading to T-cell differentiation. 
• Calms the nervous system by providing it with rhythmical input thus simulating the early calming rhythms experienced in utero. 
• Strengthening and regulating primary systems i.e., respiratory, circulatory, nervous, musculature, digestive, endocrine & reproductive (relieves cramps and PMS in adolescent girls)

 

Emotional & Mental Benefits of Hydro-Thermo Massage for Children

Stress has been identified as a major contributor to exacerbated symptoms in children with chronic illness, if not the root of the disease itself. Coping with frequent hospitalizations, painful or uncomfortable treatments, and restrictions on diet and daily activities can take its toll on parents and siblings as well as the patient. Massage reduces stress hormone levels and provides an ideal opportunity for positive interaction between parent and child in the midst of the negatives of treatment. In studies on chronic illnesses, parents were instructed in administering nightly massage sessions. Across the board, not only did children’s symptoms improve, but both the child and parents experienced a decrease in anxiety.

Controlling stress is crucial for children with diabetes, asthma, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), and skin problems. As stress hormone levels rise, symptoms increase—in the case of diabetes and asthma, sometimes putting the child’s life at risk. In research, massage has been shown to improve blood sugar levels in diabetics, improve pulmonary function in asthmatics, decrease JRA pain, and improve skin conditions in children with acne and eczema., one of the most important research findings from studies is that massage therapy increases natural killer cells,” Experts say. “These cells are constantly traveling through our body looking for foreign objects and tumors to destroy. Massage therapy naturally boosts these cells. This has tremendous implication about the benefits of massage for keeping people healthy.”

Massage is a wonderful stress-buster for children. “Oftentimes when we think about stress,” “we think it’s just an adult condition, that only adults have stress. But if you think about it, even young infants and children are prone to stress.” A young child starting school who is unfamiliar with the area or children in the class will experience stress. Family illness or financial problems, divorce, and even lifestyle changes can produce emotional strain. one of the consistent findings in studies of the benefits of massage therapy is a reduction in stress and stress hormone levels: “There is a relationship between stress and the immune system. If stress hormones are chronically elevated, the [hormone] cortisol will destroy the healthy immune cells that fight viruses and tumors and keep the immune system healthy. If you can reverse that, you not only reduce stress but also reduce stress hormones, allowing the immune system to bounce back and do its job, which is to heal the body and keep it healthy.”

• Stress is a major contributor to illness
  • Diabetes, asthma, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, skin problems,
• Massage Eases Anxiety, Stress & Depression
  • It is proven to increase dopamine (the feel-good hormone) and decrease cortisol (the stress hormone).
  • This helps regulate anxiety and stress levels that can become imbalanced due to social, family and academic pressures.
• Children can often be more stressed than adults who have developed coping skills
• 68% of American parents have seen their children face significant stress, mental and emotional challenges during COVID-19

Massage has proven equally effective for psychological and behavioral problems. Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) exhibited less hyperactivity and more on-task behavior, and generally were happier with regular massage treatments. For autistic children, there was a decrease in touch sensitivity and disruptive behavior, and increased ability to relate to their teachers.

Many children suffer from sleeping issues. Falling asleep quickly at a regular bedtime and staying deeply asleep throughout the night is important for healing, as well as physical, emotional and mental development. Not to mention the sanity of sleep deprived parents.

Having a ritual of bath time before bed can help children to relax, calm down and destress. The act of massage can take away any feelings of hyperactivity and the mind-body connection helps the child wind down promoting better sleep.

• Helps with ADHD & Autism
• Aids in sleep training, combats insomnia
  • Massage can improve quality of sleep, provide more energy and increase concentration.
• Decreasing irritability and excessive crying
• Develops a healthy tactile proprioception
  • Engages the peripheral nervous system which in turn coordinates with the central nervous system to create a complete picture of the world, thus allowing the child to form an image of their reality.

 

Benefits of Aromatherapy for Children

Aromatherapy helps aid in physical, mental and emotional healing and changes of state.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from the flowers, roots, leaves, seeds, bark or peel of certain plants to help create profound healing and changes of state. Used thoughtfully and carefully, aromatherapy can help children, as well as adults, feel calmer and sleep better. It is also shown to reduce nausea, discomfort and pain.

Aromatherapy causes the brain to send messages to areas of the nervous system, circulatory, respiratory and lympahtic systems

On a physical level bath ready essential oils can also help with healing the body from injuries in sports and play as well as reduce physical tension held within the body.

Aromatherapy with bath time can be a lot of fun. Finding an essential oil your child likes helps give your child control of the therapy and ownership of their own health and healing.

Let's look at some essential oils:

• lavender is the one most parents try first. It is a calming scent that can be used in multiple ways by calming nervous anxiety, as well as physically calming a rash, or irritation. This is also a good beginner scent for children new to aromatherapy. It is excellent for calming before bedtime
• Mandarin and Sweet Orange. These scents are invigorating and can be used to energize children who are feeling tired. 
• Peppermint. This scent can be used for headaches and nausea.
• Eucalyptus for colds and flu
• Some research says: Rosemary, sage, and peppermint aromas may boost memory.

Although more studies are needed to fully understand the effects of aromas on learning, fascinating early research has found that rosemary, sage, and peppermint scents may help your child remember things more clearly.

A 2017 study of 40 schoolchildren found that those who played memory games in a rosemary-scented room received higher scores than those who played them in an unscented room. other studies, found that peppermint and sage also enhanced memory.

 

Benefits of Chromatherapy for Children

Light is considered to be one of the purest healing forces in the universe. The presence or absence of light can affect the Hypothalamus, Pituitary and Pineal glands. This, in turn, can influence our physical and mental health. 

Chromatherapy is the application of colored light on the body to promote healing.

Many parents are familiar with chromatherapy through the bilirubin blue light treatment pictured in the slide. Newborns who are jaundiced are placed under a blue light with a specific wave length, their eyes are covered and the body absorbed the healing colored light.

Chromatherapy can help change the state and mood of a child. Cooler blues are more calming, while reds are more stimulating. Children can intuitively select which colors they want for their bath based on how it makes them feel.

Chromatherapy can help relax children, ease stress and anxiety as well as regulate sleep and treat restlessness. It can also be effectively used help treat ADHD and hyper activity.

Again, it also helps the child create their own wellness recipe by selecting the color they feel like they need that day.

Chromatherapy can:

• Improve digestion
• Stimulate cell metabolism
• Improve endocrine response
• Improve immune response
• Improve nervous system
• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Help with sleep training and insomnia

 

Establishing a Wellness Ritual

Your young ones are more active than ever, in mind and in body. Teaching them to manage stress and body awareness while they are young can help prevent a lifetime of chronic pain and poor habits. We only have one body. Give your children the gift of teaching them how to take care of it at a young age.

Research shows that teens are less likely to feel comfortable with a hands on massage. Fortunately with BainUltra, everyone can enjoy a quality massage without the need for a massage therapist.

Once massage is established as a family routine, it can benefit your child throughout his growing years. Preschoolers have shown better performance on tests of their intellectual and manual skills after a 15-minute massage. They also slept better during naps, were less likely to be overactive, and had better behavior ratings. For teens struggling with the growing pains of adolescence, massage helps relieve anxiety by producing a state of relaxation. A healthy relationship with massage can also increase their feelings of self-acceptance and self-confidence during those trying years.

Combining the therapies offered when having a BainUltra bath gives a powerful effect as all senses are guided In a specific direction for healing and wellness.

Parents can work with children to design personal wellness recipes and have the kids take ownership of their own wellbeing.

As parents we want to give our kids the best, and the best bath you can give is a BainUltra designed perfectly for your little ones and their needs.

The Benefits of Starting a Wellness Ritual with your Children:

• The combination of therapies allow for deeper healing
• Parents can design wellness recipes for different needs and children at different ages
• Building a habit of wellness rituals helps highlight the lifelong importance of self care, all with the help of a BainUltra

 

Finding the perfect bath for your little ones starts HERE