Baby Massage Oil - Ayurvedic or Synthetic?

When it comes to a baby, every mother wants the best for it - be it a food product, daily care products or even a beauty product for their little angels! But here comes the tough part- how to know which product is the best? There are thousands of brands available in the market for each product with another thousand options with different combinations as per the need. Another problem arises when people have to choose - ayurvedic or synthetic?

We have all seen our grandmothers using traditional methods for the children for ages so it must be good for the babies with least/no side effects but then a thought always comes to my mind - the modern technologies seem so promising in every field coming up with techniques and products to cure even the most dangerous of diseases. So maybe they will have products with better benefits for the children. All this confusion made me analyse the different products based on their synthetic and natural composition. Here's what I found:

Ayurveda and Baby-care?

Ayurveda has a branch specially designed for babycare - Kaumarbharitya.  Kaumarbharitya, a compound sanskrit word - "Kaumar" means balak (child), "bhritya" means care (palan poshan). "Palan" means 'to cradle, to encourage, to protect' and "poshan" means 'to nourish, to cherish, to assist’. It describes the treatment of the diseases of the children and their nursing - the method of the correct nourishment and bring up of children. The concept of child-care in Ayurveda is ‘complete or ‘all-encompassing’, taking into account all elements that could potentially impact a child’s health. Ayurvedic texts outline health measures starting from pre-conception, antenatal care for the mother and fetus, right through to childbirth, baby’s growth and development until adolescence.

As a primarily botanical healing system, Ayurveda recommends the use of herbs and herbal compositions for various health conditions. For example, the combination of Thyme-Leaved Gatriola (Brahmi), Calamus (Vacha) and Bindweed (Shankhapushpi) with Honey and Ghee improves overall immunity and intelligence in children. 

Baby Oils

Massage plays an important role in the growth and development of baby's body. Oil massage benefits to the newborn are those related to the oil application and those related to tactile kinesthetic stimulation due to the massage. Topical oil application has been shown to improve the skin barrier function, thermoregulation and also is suggested to have a positive effect on growth. Massage makes baby's bones strong and develops healthy body. It also helps baby to have a sound sleep and remain active and cheerful. Massage with oil improves weight gain by better thermoregulation. Transcutaneous absorption is also a possible mechanism.

The common protocol involves moderate pressure stroking causing tactile stimulation and flexion and extension of the upper and lower extremities constituting kinesthetic stimulation with variable sessions of 10 and 15 min.

I tried to analyse different types of natural and synthetic baby massage oils for their benefits in terms of growth & development and side effects. 

Different Types of Massage Oils

1. Natural or ayurvedic oils

• Coconut oil - Coconut oil is considered to be the finest oil for massaging your baby. It is widely used in southern parts of India for baby's massage. It contains antibacterial and antiseptic properties which help to prevent skin infections caused to baby's skin. 
• Almond oil - Almond oil is also known as 'Badam Tel' in India. It contains vitamin E in higher proportion as compared to coconut oil. It is very good for skin of your baby. Using almond oil for massage ensures glowing and soft skin. 
• Mustard oil - Mustard oil is used on a large scale in Northern parts of India. People also attach a lot of traditional values to this oil. It is also used for massaging babies in these parts of India. Mustard oil is good to be used during winters. Mustard oil is edible oil and it is used in many food items in Northern part of India. Mustard oil is good for hair as well as it is beneficial for preventing skin infections. 
• Pure Ghee - Pure ghee is also used for massaging babies. However, it is not used on very large scale. Massaging body with ghee helps to protect body from cold. It is used especially during winters when the climate is too cold. 
• Olive oil - Olive oil is used mainly in Western countries. However, it is available and used in India also. You can prefer olive oils specially packed for massaging babies.

Some experts recommend using a vegetable or plant oil. They absorb quickly and digest easily if your baby sucks his oil-smeared thumb. If you're using a vegetable oil, cold pressed, unrefined oils are best suited for massage. However, there are some oils or creams that it's best not to use, because they may irritate your baby's skin. These are: 

• Mustard oil, because the way it's processed may mean it is contaminated with other seeds
• Peanut oil, because, unless it's refined, the proteins it contains may trigger an allergic reaction on your baby's skin. It's hard to find pure, refined peanut oil.

Vegetable oils that are high in linoleic acid may be kinder to your baby's skin. Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid that helps to protect the barrier element of your baby's skin. Vegetable oils that usually contain high levels of linoleic acid include: safflower oil and grapeseed oil

2. Mineral or petroleum oils

There are lots of brands which are selling synthetic mineral and petroleum oils which I will not name here. Some people prefer these branded mineral based baby massage oils as they can help to seal and trap moisture. However these oils may clog pores as they don't penetrate the skin as easily. Clogged pores can lead to skin infections. And thus, in my opinion, these shouldn't be used for babies.

My conclusion:

Based on a study, "Oil massage in babies: Indian perspectives", my conclusion for oil massage oil is as follows. Oil massage is a healthy and scientifically proven process which not only benefits the skin but also the growth and bonding of the baby. But improper technique or oil may be detrimental. So educating the mother in proper technique  is recommended. 

Coconut oil is a good choice in the hot summer months. It is easily available and has a cooling effect on the body. Similarly, sesame oil (til ka tel) is a popular alternative in many regions. Although olive oil and almond oil are more expensive than vegetable oils, they work well in hot or cold weather. Mustard oil is preferred for giving massages in cold weather as it warms the body. In the northern and eastern parts of the country, mustard oil (sarson ka tel) is heated with a few garlic cloves and fenugreek (methi) seeds. Garlic has antiviral and antibacterial properties, and is believed to boost the immune system. Fenugreek is also known to relax the body.

Ayurveda suggests that you shouldn't put anything on your skin that isn't good enough to eat! 

I agree with this a lot as children tend to lick or chew on their own body parts and any synthetic product is not eatable! Also as the study on Dabur Lal Tail demonstrated, the ayurvedic tails lead to double the growth rate - physical and behavioural - in babies as compared to synthetic ones! So I would recommend natural/ayurvedic products for the oil massage for kids! Here is an Ayurvedic description of four ayurvedic massage oils.

1. Sesame oil is the most classical Ayurvedic massage oil, particularly black sesame if you have access to it. It is the only oil to penetrate all seven tissues. It's hot and heavy qualities are very grounding and nourishing, but may be imbalancing if Kapha or Pitta is high.
2. Olive oil is one of my favourites because very high quality olive oil is so readily available. It is not as heavy as sesame oil and is cooling, so very useful for babies with any kind of hot red rash. Allergy is very rare.
3. Sunflower oil is a light, cool oil that suits all Ayurvedic constitutions. It is not as rich and nourishing but it is high in essential fatty acids and Vit E. It is most useful for a Kapha baby.
4. Dabur Lal Tail is an ayurvedic tail which contains til, shankhpushpi and ratanjyot (for prevent skin diseases), camphor (for maintaining proper blood flow in all body parts),  and urad (for preventing drying up of skin and strengthening the muscles).

Tips for oil massages:
Below are some of the tips while giving oil massage to babies:

• Use gentle, upward strokes when massaging your baby. Despite popular belief, there is no proof to suggest that applying pressure on your baby's head will make it round.
• Remove any bangles and rings that you may be wearing. They could hurt your baby.
• Steer clear of areas where your baby received his vaccine injection.
• Wash off the oil well while giving your baby a bath. Many babies develop skin rashes, especially during hot and humid weather, due to the residual massage oil.

This post is a part of Traditional Knowledge, Traditional Growth contest by Dabur Lal Tail and Indiblogger.