It was taught in ancient India and China and is still a part of traditional childcare in South Asia, some African countries and areas in the former Soviet Union. In western culture, infant massage has gained in popularity during the past 30 years and is increasingly used by parents and neonatal intensive care units.
A number of research studies have investigated the benefits of infant massage. In 2006, researchers at the University of Warwick reviewed nine infant massage studies and found indications that babies who were massaged cried less, slept better and had lower levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, compared with infants who did not receive massage.
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