Giving new meaning to the impact of touch in Shantala massage: mothers’ perceptions of maternal and child well-being

This study explored how Brazilian mothers perceived the effects of Shantala massage, a traditional infant massage technique, on their own well-being and their babies' well-being. Eight mothers participated in five online sessions learning the massage technique and shared their experiences in focus group discussions. The mothers reported that practicing Shantala massage had positive effects on both their children's development and their own health and emotional state. The study found that the practice strengthened the mother-child relationship and contributed to overall family well-being.

Key points

• Shantala massage promoted perceived improvements in child well-being among participating mothers
• Mothers reported positive impacts on their own well-being from practicing the massage
• The practice was perceived to strengthen the maternal-child bond
• Findings were interconnected between maternal and child well-being outcomes
• The study linked Shantala massage to achievement of SDG 3 (good health and well-being)

Limitations

This study is based on maternal perceptions only with no objective measurement of child health outcomes or comparison group. The small sample size of eight mothers and online-only delivery limits generalisability of findings.