AbstractIntroduction: Nature massages babies in the womb, where contractions rhythmically squeeze and push, providing stimulation to the baby, studies show that the more the babies are touched, nurtured, and tenderly massaged, the happier and more balanced they grow.2 Massaging the baby helps to fulfill their emotional, psychological, and physical needs. It enhances bonding, improves sleep patterns, stimulates, circulation, improves digestion, and facilitates food absorption resulting in faster weight gain by constant massaging, the infant's level of stress hormones reduces, and as a result, it improves immune function.4
Objectives: To assess the pre-weight among low birth weight neonates to olive oil massage in the experimental and control group; to compare the pre and post-test weight among low birth weight neonates to olive oil massage in experimental and control groups; to find out the significant association between olive oil massage among low birth weight neonates with selected demographic variables in the experimental and control group.
Methodology: The research design used was a quasi-experimental design. The samples for the study were chosen using the quota sampling technique, 20 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group. Background factors of each sample were collected by interview and observation method, weight was recorded by the electronic weighing machine. The setting was Government Kamla Nehru Hospital, Bhopal. The olive oil massage was done for 10 days in the experimental group. Pre and post-weight were recorded. Data obtained were edited, organized, analyzed by using SPSS (Version 10) and interpreted by descriptive and inferential statistics.2
Results: Gathered data were analyzed based on the objectives using inferential and descriptive statistics with SPSS (Version 10) package Level of probability <0.05 considered to be significant. There was a significant increase in weight after olive oil massage among low birth weight neonates t = -11.964 (P=0.001) in the experimental group. The post-test mean weight among low birth weight neonates in the experimental and control groups was significantly high t–7.035 (P=0.001) was significant.4 There was no significant association between background factors on mother and neonates and weight gain among low birth weight neonates in the experimental group (P > .005). The t value=4.462 (p=0.140) was not significant.4Conclusion: The findings of the study showed that there was a significant (p<0.05) weight gain in low birth weight neonates after Olive oil massage in an experimental group no selected background factors had any significant association. The conclusion of the study was that olive oil massage was effective in weight gain among low birth weight neonates.