Latest research reveals the more you hug your kids…
Are you the kind of parent that’s always hugging your kids? If the answer is yes then don’t stop doing what you’re doing. According to new research, physical affection during a baby’s development period is even more important than we thought. The more you hug a baby, the more their brains grow, according to a recent survey from the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio.
125 babies, both premature and full-term, were included in the study, which looked at how well they responded to being physically touched.
The results indicated that premature babies responded to affection less than babies who were not born prematurely. What was also revealed, however, was that babies that were subjected to more affection by parents or hospital staff showed stronger brain response.
According to researcher Dr. Nathalie Maitre, this last revelation tells us that something as simple as body contact or rocking your baby in your arms will make a big difference in how their brains develop. “Making sure that preterm babies receive positive, supportive touch such as skin-to-skin care by parents is essential to help their brains respond to gentle touch in ways similar to those of babies who experienced an entire pregnancy inside their mother’s womb,” Maitre tells Science Daily.
Basically, affection is vital for the development of the brain. So, cuddle and hug your babies as much as you can – and don’t forget to share this research to show everyone out there how important it is to be loving to our children!
About Jennifer:
Jennifer Eisenecker is an ex-banker, German-certified naturopath, and business owner. Knowing how limited time and mind space often are, her recommendations are practical, easy to follow, and as simple as possible.
Jennifer’s multi-disciplinary approach involves going back to basics, looking at health from a trauma-aware perspective, and achieving health by calming down the nervous system to optimize your body’s innate ability to rebalance itself. She loves herbs and natural remedies.
Sources:
Newsner, June 9, 2017