Acupressure For Baby

Acupressure For Baby

Begin by placing a towel on the flat surface where the baby will be positioned for the massage. Protect the surface (such as carpeting or other) from spilled oil, lotion or cream by always placing the bottle on the towel. Make sure the container is out of reach of the child's hands, which are very busy and are moving all the time.

Start the music, play with the toys for a while, and begin by following the instructions for baby massage.

A baby massage usually takes 20 to 35 minutes, and is best given any time, but especially in the following cases:

Before nap time;
When baby has digestive pain;
After baby's bath;
Before Mom has important quiet time for herself.

Please note that many more acupressure points exist in this therapeutic Chinese technique. However, only the most commonly used, and the safest, points for babies are included here.



Fig. 2. Infantile frontal acupressure points.


Baby's Chest Acupressure Points (See Figure 2)

Tiantu- Lower throat suprasternum fossa; for congestion relief.

Shanzhong- Middle of sternum; for coughing, stuffy chest, asthma, vomiting and nausea.

Rugen- Below nipple, front of body; for lungs, cough and phlegm.

Xielei- Below intercostal rib areas; relief of abdominal chest accumulation of phlegm

Baby's Stomach Acupressure Points(See Figure 2)

Fuyinyang- Upper abdomen; for stomach, spleen and digestive relief.

Zhongwan- Middle of stomach; for stomach, spleen and digestive relief.

DuQi- Navel area; for abdominal digestion.

Dantian- Middle of lower abdomen; for strengthening kidneys, digestive relief and hernia.

Dujiao- Below belly button; for digestive relief and diarrhea.

Tianshu- Two thumbs lateral from the belly button; for movement of food, constipation, indigestion and digestive relief.

Fig. 3. Infantile facial acupressure points.

Baby's Face Acupressure Points(See Figure 3)

Zanzhu (or Tianting)- Middle of forehead; soothing nerves and headache relief.

Taiyang- Sides of eyebrows; offering relief to eye area.

Yingxiang- Near nostrils; reducing fever.

Yanguan (or Jiache)- Lower mandible; facial trauma, paralysis and mouth opening.

Renzhong- The point of great balance; for dizzy spells and trauma.

Ermen (or Fengmen)- Mouth opening at mandible; for toothache, paralysis of face, convulsions, tinnitus and deafness.

Chengjiang- Start at center of the chin and massage toward jaw to Yanguan acupressure point. This can be used for tightness in the jaw, facial paralysis and relief from inflammation during ear infections.

Acupressure For Baby's Face(See Figure 3)

Zhuntou- Massage upward from tip of nose toward forehead to Shangen, Meixen, Tianting, Xinmen to Baihu (top of head). (See below for massaging Xinmen.) This can be used for soothing nerves, headache relief, blurred vision and nasal congestion relief.

Xinmen- Lightly stroke forehead from middle of forehead to eyebrows to the top of forehead to hair. This Chinese acupressure technique may relieve convulsions, spasm, tension of eyes, blurry vision, dizziness or nasal congestion. (See Figure 4.)


Fig. 4. Forehead acupressure massage.





Fig. 5. Infantile dorsal acupressure points.



Baby's Back Acupressure Points(See Figure 5)

Jizhu- Lumbosacral region on back; for soothing the central nervous system, malnutrition, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pains and constipation.

Pishu- Eleventh thoracic vertebrae on back; helping function of spleen, digestion and chronic weakness.

Qijiegu- Fouth lumbar vertebrae on back; for diarrhea, dysentery, prolapsed rectum and constipation.

Guiwei- Tip of coccyx on back; for diarrhea, dysentery, abdominal pain and prolapsed rectum.Chang Qiang- Tip of coccyx; for intestinal inflammation.

Baby's Neck And Shoulder Acupressure Points (See Figure 5)

Qiaogong- Side of neck; for rigidity, stiffness and pain in the neck area.

Erhougaogu- Behind ear; for restlessness, calming and congestion of the head.

Xinjian- Second and third cervical vertebrae; clearing the throat, helps congestion, sort throat and heat.

Tianzhu- Hairline at back of neck; for stiff neck and common- cold headaches.

Dazhui- Seventh cervical vertebrae at back of neck; for heat, common cold, fever and vomiting.

Feishu- Third thoracic vertebrae on back; for lungs, relief from coughing and asthma.

Fig.6. Neibagua acupressure point is found in the center of the palm of the hand. It's functions are to reinforce the spleen and increase digestive movement in a calming way.

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