Last week, I treated Veronika to a full-body infant massage, a great way to stretch out tiny limbs… but not an easy activity to squeeze into a day with a busy preschooler brother! This simple hand massage, on the other hand, was such a quick, nice pause for the two of us, and takes almost no time or effort.

After nursing, I set out a little dish of olive oil so I could dab into it for the tiniest amount of oil.

Rub this small amount of olive oil (or another edible oil) onto your baby’s palm, and work out gently to the edges of the fingertips.

Veronika looked like she was having a day at the spa!

And also seemed to enjoy the way the olive oil smelled. Not only will this feel nice on little hands, but it’s also great for dry skin (a common newborn woe) or cracked skin near the fingernails.

Another great use for olive oil? Getting rid of any cradle cap you might see on your baby’s head (or as I like to call it, cradle crap). Rub on a small amount of olive oil and let sit for 10 minutes. Brush out with a soft bristle brush and you’ll see that flaky dandruff come right off. Finish with a gentle baby shampoo.