Clingy moms rejoice as science proves you cannot hold your baby too much.
New parents have long been advised to put their newborns down not to spoil them, but contrary to the popular myth, cuddling activates oxytocin, increases bonding and stimulates their brains to further development.
Not only does holding your little one close keep them warm, but it curbs crying, regulates breathing and heart rate, helps with weight gain and improves growth.
These findings are compared to children who have not had physical attention and are found to be at higher risk of behavioral, emotional and social problems as they grow up.
Studies are putting a myth to bed – holding your baby too much does not make them spoiled. If anything, cuddles boost their development
When you welcome your little one into the world, nurses run to your bedside and advise you immediately start skin-on-skin contact.
This theory is based on the idea that it provides profound comfort to the newborn who was abruptly brought into a discomforting environment.
But once you and your baby come home, other parents suggest putting them down for their benefit.
And while the reason is not to spoil them, studies have shown that a baby’s brain is not yet fully finished and only a mature brain understands the concept.
Years of studies have proven the importance of touch between a caregiver and a baby, Parents reports.
One paper, published in 2020, applauds the act of skin-to-skin contact, where an infant is dressed only in a diaper and placed on the mother’s bare chest.
This outcome results in the release of oxytocin, which is associated with trust and relationship building, and the activation of sensory nerve fibers.
These studies show that it also improves bonding between caregivers and babies
The study highlights several others, with one noting how the contact is also beneficial to the caregiver.
‘Their findings indicate the nurturing and predictive quality of parents’ touch as a primary means of early contact and communication,’ reads the paper.
A team of researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio observed 125 premature and full-term infants to see how they responded to touch, such as cuddling with a parent or not-so-light touches during medical procedures.
The results showed that newborns touched gently had more brain responses than when they endured another touch during procedures.
This, according to Parents Magazine, suggests that ‘good’ touching helps with brain development.
Nathalie Maitre, who was involved in the study, said in a statement: ‘We certainly hoped to see that more positive touch experiences in the hospital would help babies have a more typical perception of touch when they went home.
‘But, we were very surprised to find out that if babies experience more painful procedures early in life, their sense of gentle touch can be affected.’
‘For new parents, including those whose young children must undergo complex medical procedures, take heart: your touch matters more than you know.’
