Remarks

• In this context, gentle whole-body massage refers to using hands for tactile stimulation, with rubbing and slow stroking of body parts or a passive range of motion across limb joints, with or without emollients.
• In making this recommendation, the Guideline Development Group (GDG) considered the effects of whole-body massage on length, weight and head circumference to be large, clinically meaningful and of critical importance for the newborn. The GDG acknowledged that evidence was of low to very low certainty and the biological mechanisms for the large effects are unclear.
• There is insufficient evidence on the effectiveness of the use of emollients for massage, type of provider, frequency and duration of sessions, length of intervention and techniques of massage. However, the GDG agreed that the use of emollients might facilitate massage.
• In most of the trials evaluated, the whole-body massage was given for 10 to 20 minutes per day for six to eight weeks by the mother after initial training.
• Babies’ reactions to whole-body massage must be respected in line with the principles of responsive caregiving and respectful care. Massage should be used as an important opportunity to promote parent–infant interaction and stimulation for early childhood development.