I can’t get enough of snuggling babies. Their tiny bodies mold perfectly into your arms, those adorable faces gazing up at you, and let’s not forget that irresistible baby scent. Someone, please, bring me a baby right now! Snuggling babies is sheer joy, yet there are those pesky naysayers (looking at you, grandparents) who claim you’re holding your baby “too much.”
Here’s the truth: you can never cuddle a baby too much. Physical touch is vital for a baby’s healthy development, so the next time someone suggests you’re overdoing it with the cuddles, feel free to tell them to take a hike.
If you need to back up your cuddling habits with science, you’re in luck. A 2017 study found that gentle touch, like cuddling, positively impacted the development of 125 premature and full-term infants. Dr. Lisa Carter, the lead researcher from a children’s hospital, stated, “Our findings indicate that increased exposure to these supportive touches can significantly influence how the brain interprets touch, a crucial sense for learning and emotional connections.” Preemies who received gentle touch responded far better than those who didn’t.
Interestingly, newborns’ development, particularly in those vital early months, is heavily influenced by touch and sound, as their visual systems are still developing. Babies communicate through touch; remember that first time your baby wrapped their tiny fingers around yours? That was their way of saying, “I know you!” Even in those early days, they can differentiate between mom’s warm skin and dad’s rougher texture. Cuddling fosters positive familial bonds, so how could that be a bad thing?
Gentle touch and skin-to-skin contact are especially crucial for premature and low-birth-weight babies. Techniques like Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC)—which involves constant skin-to-skin contact—set a solid foundation for preemies. Research published in Pediatrics revealed that infants who received KMC had better long-term outcomes, including higher breastfeeding rates, stronger mother-infant bonding, and improved neurological development. As these kids grew, they missed fewer days of school, displayed less hyperactivity, and exhibited reduced aggression. As adults, they often had higher IQs and better incomes.
If you have a high-needs baby like my little one was, they’ll likely require constant holding. It was the only way to soothe him when he cried for hours on end. Trust me, listening to those high-pitched wails for more than a minute is no picnic. Snuggling him provided the security he needed, and now that he’s older, he’s all about exploring the world on his own.
Now a spirited four-year-old, I often find myself wishing for those cuddly moments from his infancy. Had I ignored his need for closeness, he might have grown into an anxiety-ridden child—and so would I!
Moreover, cuddling your baby benefits moms, too. A study presented at a 2015 pediatric conference showed that skin-to-skin contact significantly reduced new mothers’ anxiety levels. Dr. Emily Tran, a neonatologist, shared, “All mothers reported a noticeable decrease in stress after engaging in skin-to-skin contact with their infants.”
But what about the age-old worry that holding your baby too much will spoil them? This was a favorite refrain of my mother’s during my son’s infancy. Yes, part of her motivation was to snag some grandma time, but she genuinely believed that constant holding would lead to spoiling.
Let’s set the record straight: babies are not like spoiled milk! You cannot spoil a baby. Did I say that loud enough? It’s backed by science. Parenting expert and therapist, Dr. Maya Lewis, pointed out that the primary developmental need for babies in their first year is bonding with their parents. Your role is to assure them they are loved and cared for.
Think about it logically. Babies spend about 40 weeks in a cozy, safe environment, only to be thrust into a noisy, unfamiliar world. If adults seek comfort in familiar things when stressed, why would we expect infants to be any different? They crave proximity to the one person they were connected to for all that time.
The idea that babies should self-soothe immediately is absurd. They can’t even hold their heads up! How can they be expected to calm themselves? We adults seek human connection when upset—why shouldn’t babies? A hug for a baby is like a warm embrace for us. Plus, you can hold your baby while still getting things done; sometimes, it even helps them sleep or stop crying.
So, parents, keep on snuggling those little ones. Before long, they’ll be too big to cuddle, and when you try, they’ll probably just tell you to buzz off. So take advantage of these sweet moments while they last.
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In summary, snuggling your baby is essential for their development and well-being, and it’s a source of comfort for parents too. So, embrace those cuddly moments while you can!
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