4 ways your baby benefits from hugs

Mothers have different ways of bringing up a baby, but they shouldn't forget to hug their bundle of joy. PICTURE: Tracey Shaw

Mothers have different ways of bringing up a baby, but they shouldn't forget to hug their bundle of joy. PICTURE: Tracey Shaw

Published Mar 28, 2017

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Mothers have different ways of bringing up a baby, but they shouldn't forget to hug their bundle of joy.

Prerna Kohli, Clinical Pyschologist associated with Huggies, says that there are emotional benefits that hugs have for your babies and Sharad Tandon, Cardiologist at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, talks about a few little known scientific benefits of hugs for your little one.

1. Makes them sleep better: 

If you snuggle your child for a couple of minutes before they doze off, you are ensuring a good sleep for him and yourself. Hugging relaxes the body and has therapeutic effects that help a child sleep better.

2. Reduces stress: 

A child who is hugged, feels relaxed and safe as the levels of cortisol the stress hormone decreases with this physical expression of love.

3. Boosts immunity: 

Snuggles and cuddles in which the participants' hearts get pressed against each other boost the immunity by promoting the production of white blood cells by stimulating the thymus gland. This will help to keep your child healthy and free from diseases.

4. Helps to heal: 

Do you know that hugs help heal diseases? This again is attributed to the release of oxytocin. For this reason, parents of premature babies are encouraged to have skin-on-skin contact to help them grow and develop. This very reason is advocated by experts who swear that a new mother heals quickly after delivery if she is immediately left with her baby undisturbed.

Another important point that a Huggies survey highlighted was that 90 per cent doctors and experts believe that a newborn child can recognize their mother's hug. They can identify their mother by engaging their primary instincts and senses, such as recognizing her scent and voice.

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