Skip to content
  • Privacy PolicyExpand
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
  • About
  • Contact

Join Mom's on the Bright Side Membership Waitlist! 

Join Now!
Motherhood Life Balance
Facebook Twitter Instagram
  • MotherhoodExpand
    • Kids
    • Relationships
    • Travel
    • Healthy Recipies
    • Money and Finances
    • SpiritualismExpand
      • Angel Numbers
      • HoroscopesExpand
        • Aquarius
        • Aries
        • Cancer
        • Capricorn
        • Gemini
        • Leo
        • Libra
        • Pisces
        • Sagittarius
        • Scorpio
        • Taurus
        • Virgo
      • Astrology
      • Numerology
      • Tarot Cards
      • Personal GrowthExpand
        • Mindset
        • Self Care
        • Mental Health
        • Productivity
  • Working From Home
  • Bookworm Era
Motherhood Life Balance

Nurturing Love: New Study Shows Cuddling Benefits For Babies

ByVictoria Cornell November 26, 2023November 26, 2023
Share on Pinterest Share on X (Twitter) Share on Facebook Share on Email <use href="#<svg width="1em" height="1em" viewBox="0 0 32 32" class="scriptlesssocialsharing__icon flipboard" fill="currentcolor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" role="img"> <title>flipboard</title> <path d="M24.997 13.001h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v-17.995h17.995zM1.004 1.004v29.991h29.991v-29.991z"></path> </svg>" xlink:href="# flipboard "> Share on Flip it

Disclaimer: When you buy from links on our site, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.  Learn more

A series of reports and research papers have now been published and, over the past few years, have found that cuddling your baby is actually extremely beneficial for their development. Contrary to some earlier studies that said cuddling too much would spoil the baby. So cuddle away because nurture and love win!

mom and baby cuddling
Image credits: Depositphotos DmytroBandakBO

Have you ever been in a situation where you have been holding your newborn baby, and a know-it-all family member or friend has told you that you are “spoiling” them by nurturing them every time they get upset?

From Blah to Bliss: Transform Your Life!

Are you tired of putting your goals on the back burner? Imagine taking decisive steps that not only help your dreams come true but also allow you to be the incredible mom you aspire to be. Your first step towards refocusing on your goals starts here. Let’s dive in!

Get your FREE 5-Day Email Launchpad – just 5 minutes a day!

If so, we’ve got some great news for you – new reports indicate this is a load of nonsense. 

As well as keeping them warm, holding and cuddling your baby activates oxytocin and stimulates their brains. There is also the added benefit of increasing the bond between parent and child. 

Other findings have suggested that prolonged cuddling helps to regulate breathing and heart rates, while it also aids growth and weight gain. All of these findings are overwhelmingly positive and make the know-it-alls look rather daft. 

These reports also look at children who didn’t have much physical attention as a baby. Findings suggest that these children are more prone to behavioral and emotional problems as they grow up. 

Report #1

One of the most important studies in relation to this topic came in 2017 at a Children’s Hospital in Ohio. Researchers observed 125 premature and full-term infants to see how they reacted to gentle and not-so-gentle touch. 

Gentle touch was quantified as the type of loving contact a baby receives from a parent, for example cuddling while not-so-gentle touch was quantified as things like medical procedures.

After observation, it was discovered that infants who had been touched gently showed more brain response than infants who had received the non-gentle interaction. This goes to show how important it is for babies to get as much loving contact as possible from an early age for brain development. 

Dr. Nathalie Maitre, the lead Researcher on the study, says in the official report that touch is particularly important for premature babies:

“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.”

“When parents cannot do this, hospitals may want to consider occupational and physical therapists to provide a carefully planned touch experience, sometimes missing from a hospital setting.”

Report #2

A further report in 2020 has provided more evidence that there is no such thing as holding your baby “too much”. This report by Anne Bigelow and Lela Rankin Williams at Arizona State University and St. Francis Xavier University in Canada found that infant-caregiver closeness activates oxytocin and nerve fiber pathways. 

They also found that staying physically close to their baby helps parents to understand their newborn better. This helps when it comes to responding to their baby’s movements and the bonding process. 

To Summarise 

All in all, do what you think is best for your child. However, do NOT under any circumstances let someone tell you ever again that you are “spoiling” your child or giving them “unrealistic expectations” by cuddling them and nurturing them when they are crying.

10 Places Women Always Want To Avoid When Going On a Date

upset woman giving thumbs down
Image credits: Depositphotos IgorVetushko.

10 Places Women Always Want To Avoid When Going On a Date– Is there a place where you would never go on a date? After someone recently asked the women of Reddit for examples of these places, these are the top-voted destinations to avoid.

21 Crucial Items You’ll Kick Yourself for Not Holding Onto in 40 Years

man sitting and looking worried with his hands tented over his mouth
Image credits: Depositphotos Yacobchuk1.

21 Crucial Items You’ll Kick Yourself for Not Holding Onto in 40 Years – In 40 years, what will people be nostalgic for?

34dc5035b382b5881da41ffc85838125?s=150&d=mp&r=g
Victoria Cornell
Website | + posts

As a full-time working mom of three, I know what it’s like to feel like life is out of balance and out of control.

While I don’t have it all figured out, I am committed to sharing helpful tips and tricks with other mommas who are ready to break free from negativity, ditch mom guilt, & finally, live life on their own terms.

  • Free Checklist: Decluttering Your Home Room by Room
  • Easy Pom Pom Kids Crafts: Fun Projects and Mats for Creative Play
  • Quick and Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids: Fuel Your Little Ones with Nutritious Bites
  • 15 Happiness Quotes for Those Really Bad Days
Contact

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
On the Blog

  • Spiritualism
  • Personal Growth
  • Motherhood
Resources

  • Basic Site Setup
  • Media Kit Templates
  • Shop Printables
  • Angel Card Readings
  • Stock Images from Depositphotos
Get Started

Get the FREE 5 day email Mindset launchpad

Get In Touch
Email: Hello@motherhoodlifebalance.com

10685-B Hazelhurst Dr. # 36628
Houston, TX 77043
USA
Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest Twitter

© 2025 Motherhood Life Balance. All Rights Reserved.

  • Motherhood
    • Kids
    • Relationships
    • Travel
    • Healthy Recipies
    • Money and Finances
    • Spiritualism
      • Angel Numbers
      • Horoscopes
        • Aquarius
        • Aries
        • Cancer
        • Capricorn
        • Gemini
        • Leo
        • Libra
        • Pisces
        • Sagittarius
        • Scorpio
        • Taurus
        • Virgo
      • Astrology
      • Numerology
      • Tarot Cards
      • Personal Growth
        • Mindset
        • Self Care
        • Mental Health
        • Productivity
  • Working From Home
  • Bookworm Era
Search