The effect of infant massage in comparison with rocking on the duration and frequency of crying time in patients with infantile colic

Infantile colic is a behavioral syndrome characterized by severe crying without a specific cause in healthy under three-month-old infants. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of infant massage and rocking on the duration and frequency of crying time in colicky infants.

This randomized clinical trial involved 100 infants 1-2 weeks of age with colic who referred to Amir Kabir Hospital, Arak, Iran, in 2010. The infants were randomly assigned to massage group (n=50) and rocking group (n=50). In the massage group, mothers were recommended to massage their child three times a day for 7 days. In the rocking group, mothers were recommended to rock their child during crying every day for 7 days. In both groups, mothers recorded infant crying durations during one week in a checklist. Data were analyzed by SPSS software.

The mean difference of total crying times and durations were 8.34 and 4.12 during the first day and 4.26 time/day and 1.32 hour/day during the last day in the massage group, whereas in the rocking group, these values were 7.50 and 2.42 in the first day and 6.94 and 2.14 hour/day in the last day, respectively. The means of crying times and durations in the massage group were more than those of the rocking group (p<0.001).

Infant massage can reduce the duration of crying in colicky infants and it can enhance the relationship between mother and child and their relaxation.