Becoming a parent of multiples can be stressful for moms and dads, but did you ever think that your babies could be stressed, too? Babies may seem to have it pretty easy, but they're actually put in a lot of stressful situations – from entering a bright new world to adjusting to a bedtime schedule.

That's where massage comes in. Massaging your babies is a great stress reliever that can help everyone slow down, while at the same time providing your babies with benefits that can last a lifetime.

When Maureen Doolan Boyle of Brentwood, N.Y., gave birth to her triplets 14 years ago, she knew she wanted to incorporate massage into their daily routine after experiencing the benefits with her first daughter. By enlisting the help of senior citizens from a local church, she and her husband made sure each baby was massaged regularly. "My children loved it," she says. "It really helped each of our babies relax and go with the flow."

The benefits of infant massage are many for babies and their parents. Studies done at the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami in Florida have shown the power of touch. Researchers found that babies who are massaged are not as stressed, sleep longer and cry less.

Studies of babies born prematurely, as is often the case with multiples, have shown even greater effects. The Institute found that preemies who were massaged three times daily were more alert, stayed awake longer, gained more weight and were discharged from the hospital three to six days earlier than those who were not massaged. At 8 months and 9 months of age, these babies continued to be taller and weigh more than the non-massaged group and scored higher on motor and mental tests.

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