A recent study shows that when it comes to brain growth, especially in preemies, cuddling your baby early and often has huge benefits .
Good news for all of us who have that friend or family member who likes to scold us for “spoiling” our babies by holding them too often. You can never cuddle your newborn too much, according to a new report. In fact, touch is vital for a baby's growth and has some pretty big benefits for brain development .
To see how they react to touch, researchers in Ohio studied 125 premature and full-term infants. Here's what they found: Premature infants were more likely to show a decreased response to touch than full-term infants. And premature babies who were subject to more painful medical procedures were also more likely to have a lesser response to touch.
A friend's daughter was premature, so she was initially saddened by this news. But get this: Premature babies who were touched more by their parents and/or neonatal intensive care unit caregivers actually responded more strongly to gentle touch, than preterm babies who weren't touched or held as often. I guess all the hours she spent cradling her newborn baby in the chair next to her brooder each day paid off.
This is proof that a gentle, caring touch promotes brain growth , according to lead researcher Dr. Nathalie Maitre.
“Ensuring premature babies receive positive, comforting touch , such as skin-to-skin care by parents, is key to helping their brains respond to gentle touch in a similar way to babies who have gone through life. pregnancy in their mother's womb," she explained. “When parents cannot, hospitals can consider bringing in occupational therapists and physical therapists to provide a carefully planned touch experience that is sometimes lacking in a hospital setting.”
A brilliant idea. And in fact, Dr. Maitre and his colleagues are now developing new ways to bring confidence to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit).
In the meantime, go ahead and rock your baby from the bottom of your heart, no matter what others say about it, because touch matters a lot.
