These handy stand-up guides offer clear instructions and playful visuals.

As studies show and parents can attest, babies respond to loving touch in thoroughly positive ways. The benefits of baby massage are by now well-known—the real question for most parents is: how exactly do I do it?

Written by an experienced baby massage therapist and trainer, this guide shows parents precisely how to massage their babies with love, tenderness, and joy. Photographs demonstrate the correct placement of the hands and the proper strokes to give both baby and parent a delightful experience. Special massages calm your baby to sleep, comfort fussing, relieve tummy troubles, and relax baby after a bath. Sidebars show how to adapt techniques as babies grow into toddlers, and offer special tips for making the massage fun. The convenient stand-up format keeps your hands on your baby, not turning pages.

Suzanne P. Reese holds a BA in Child Development and is an International Infant Massage Instructor-Trainer.