The Effectiveness of Baby Massage on Sleep Quality, Breastfeeding Frequency, and Weight Gain in Infants Aged 1–6 Months

Abstract

The age range of 1–6 months represents a critical growth phase characterised by rapid neurological, metabolic, and somatic development. Sleep quality, breastfeeding frequency, and weight gain are essential indicators of infant growth during this period. Baby massage is a complementary therapy based on tactile stimulation that has the potential to improve these three indicators simultaneously. This study aimed to analyse the effectiveness of baby massage on sleep quality, breastfeeding frequency, and weight gain of infants aged 1–6 months. A quasi-experimental design with one group pretest–posttest approach was applied to 30 infants selected through purposive sampling. Baby massage was administered twice weekly for four weeks. Data were analysed using the Paired Sample t-test at a 5% significance level. The results demonstrated increases in mean sleep quality scores from 8.13±1.45 to 11.56±1.22; breastfeeding frequency from 8.27±1.34 to 10.53±1.25 times/day; and body weight from 5.82±0.96 kg to 6.34±0.98 kg, all statistically significant (p=0.001). Baby massage is proven effective in improving sleep quality, breastfeeding frequency, and weight gain and is therefore recommended as a complementary intervention in midwifery care.