The Power Of Touch: Holding Newborns For Healthy Development

Newborns need to be held for a variety of reasons. Firstly, human babies take longer than any other mammal to transition and grow to maturity, so holding them provides the warmth and comfort they are used to in the womb. Holding a newborn also helps to regulate their body temperature, heartbeat, and breathing, and can improve their immune function. Being held is calming for babies and facilitates the parent-child bond. It also helps babies feel secure in a new, loud, and wide-open world. In addition, holding a baby can help parents establish breastfeeding better, and can even help mothers relax and improve their postpartum recovery.

Holding newborns helps regulate their body temperature

Newborns are suddenly thrust into a noisy, cold, wide-open world after being in the warmth and safety of the womb. They instinctively crave touch and to be held by their parents, especially the mother. Skin-to-skin contact with a parent can help a newborn regulate their body temperature, as well as their heartbeat and breathing.

A newborn's temperature is better regulated skin-to-skin with a parent than in a warmer or swaddled in blankets. If a baby's temperature decreases, the parent's temperature increases, and vice versa. This is known as "kangaroo care", and it has been found to offer many benefits to preterm babies, including regulating body temperature.

The warmth of the parent's body can keep the baby warm, and the closeness can curb crying, help regulate breathing and heart rate, improve weight gain and result in a better growth rate. This is also true for full-term infants. When carried in a sling or baby carrier, the baby feels secure, hearing the parent's heartbeat and, if breastfed, can feed discreetly and comfortably.

Babies who are held and kept close to their parents also have better-regulated temperatures. This is especially true for skin-to-skin contact, which helps the baby feel as though they are still in the womb, where the temperature is always just right.

It helps newborns recognise their mother's scent

Why newborns need to be held

Newborns are suddenly thrust into a noisy, cold, wide-open world, and it takes time for them to adjust to their new reality and figure out how to get their needs met. One of the ways they can feel comforted is by being held, as it is as close as they can get to the comfort and security of the womb.

Newborns can recognise their mother's scent, which has a calming effect on them. When a newborn is placed skin-to-skin with their mother immediately after birth, the scent of the amniotic fluid is transferred to the mother's skin. The baby is also drawn to the natural scent of the area near the mother's underarms, and the unique smell of the nipple and areola guides the baby to their food source.

Research has shown that a mother's odour can effectively calm a stressed baby. This is supported by a study conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Anisfield and three colleagues, which found that mothers who carried their babies were more responsive to their babies' vocalisations at 3.5 months. At 13 months, they conducted a test to assess the attachment between mother and baby, and found that significantly more of the carried babies were securely attached to their mothers than those who were not carried.

The benefits of skin-to-skin contact

Skin-to-skin contact with a parent can help a newborn regulate their body temperature, heartbeat, and breathing. It can also help to calm an anxious and cranky baby, reducing any emotional distress. Skin-to-skin contact can also help make chronic pain, such as teething pain, more tolerable for a baby.

The importance of touch

Research shows that physical touch has many benefits for newborns, including:

• It is calming for babies
• It facilitates the parent-child bond
• It enhances an infant's immune function
• It facilitates social learning

Responding to a baby's cries

When a baby cries, it is usually because they are hungry, tired, lonely, or uncomfortable, and this is their only way of letting their caregiver know. Responding to a baby's cries is not a matter of spoiling them, but rather meeting their needs.

The myth of holding a baby too much

Contrary to popular belief, it is impossible for parents to hold or respond to a baby too much, according to child development experts. Infants need constant attention to give them the foundation to grow emotionally, physically, and intellectually.

The benefits of babywearing

If holding a baby all the time becomes tiring or inconvenient, babywearing in a sling or carrier can be a great compromise. This allows babies to be held while freeing the caregiver's arms. Babywearing can also help regulate a baby's temperature, curb crying, help regulate breathing and heart rate, and improve weight gain and growth.

Holding newborns facilitates the parent-child bond

Holding a newborn is an important part of the bonding process and helps to build a sense of trust and security. Research shows that physical touch has many benefits for babies, including enhancing their immune function and facilitating social learning.

Babies are born with an innate desire to be held by their parents, especially their mother. This is because they associate their mother's touch, heartbeat, and scent with the comfort and security of the womb. When held, babies are calmer and cry less as they adjust to life outside the womb.

The benefits of holding a newborn are not limited to the baby. Cuddling with a baby helps mothers relax and can improve their postpartum recovery. It is also a great way for fathers, siblings, and other family members to bond with the newborn.

Skin-to-skin contact is particularly beneficial for newborns. It helps regulate their body temperature, heartbeat, and breathing, and improves weight gain and growth. It also makes breastfeeding easier and more discreet for mothers.

Contrary to popular belief, holding a newborn frequently will not spoil them. In fact, responding to a baby's cries and meeting their needs helps them develop a sense of security and trust in their caregivers. This sense of security in the first year of life will lead to more independence, self-confidence, and happiness later on.

While it is important to hold and nurture newborns, it is also crucial to find a balance and allow them independent time for play, exploration, and rest. This balance will enable them to develop emotionally, physically, and intellectually.

It helps newborns adapt to the world outside the womb

Newborns and young babies under 4 months old are in what some experts call the "fourth trimester". This period is when the baby adapts to the world outside the womb. During pregnancy, they were held close in a warm, safe environment, with lots of movement, where they could hear their parent's heartbeat.

After birth, a baby is suddenly thrust into a loud, cold, wide-open world, and it takes some time for them to get used to their new reality and figure out how to get their needs met. Being held is as close as they can get to the comfort and security they felt in the womb.

Skin-to-skin contact

Skin-to-skin contact with a parent helps a newborn regulate their body temperature, heartbeat, and breathing. A baby's temperature is better regulated skin-to-skin with their mother than in a warmer or swaddled in blankets. If a baby's temperature increases, the mother's temperature decreases, and vice versa.

Being skin-to-skin with a parent also assists a baby with the regulation of breathing. A baby will be familiar with their parent's breathing pattern, as they would have been listening to it for months in the womb. As the baby gets older, the parent and baby's respirations may even sync.

Other benefits of holding a newborn

Research shows that physical touch has many benefits for babies, including:

• It is calming for babies
• It facilitates the parent-child bond
• It enhances an infant's immune function
• It facilitates social learning

Holding a baby is also a great way for fathers, siblings, and other family members to bond with the baby. Father-infant skin-to-skin contact was found to improve the infant's behavioural response to pain and positively impact paternal stress and anxiety.

Responding to a baby's cries

When a baby cries, it is because they are hungry, tired, lonely, or uncomfortable, and that is their only way of letting you know. It is not because they are trying to manipulate you, as they have not learned how to do that yet.

Babies who are held close to their mother can calm down and cry less. Holding a baby when they are happy and content can also help to prevent hard-to-console crying.

Holding newborns improves their immune function

The first few months of a baby's life are a time of immense adjustment as they transition from the safety and comfort of their mother's womb to the outside world. During this period, known as the "fourth trimester," newborns are exposed to a range of new stimuli, including loud noises, bright lights, and varying temperatures. Holding newborns, especially skin-to-skin contact with their mothers, helps regulate their body temperature, which is crucial for their overall health and well-being.

Research has shown that physical touch offers numerous benefits to newborns, including enhanced immune function. When a newborn is held, their stress levels decrease, and this has a positive impact on their immune system. The warmth and security provided by holding resemble the comforting environment of the womb, promoting relaxation and reducing the stress response.

Additionally, skin-to-skin contact with the mother helps regulate the newborn's breathing. The familiar sound of the mother's heartbeat, which the baby heard throughout the pregnancy, has a calming effect, aiding in respiratory stability. This regulation of breathing further contributes to improved immune function by reducing the stress on the newborn's respiratory system.

The unique scent of the mother, including the scent of amniotic fluid transferred during skin-to-skin contact, also plays a crucial role in enhancing the newborn's immune system. Newborns are drawn to the natural scent of their mother's skin and are comforted by it. This sense of familiarity boosts their immune response, making them more resilient to potential illnesses.

Furthermore, holding newborns facilitates the parent-child bond, which has long-term benefits for their overall health. The close physical contact and emotional connection established through holding contribute to the release of hormones that promote well-being and strengthen the baby's immune system.

In conclusion, holding newborns, especially skin-to-skin contact with their mothers, plays a vital role in improving their immune function. By providing comfort, regulating body temperature and breathing, and fostering a strong parent-child bond, holding newborns enhances their overall health and well-being, making them better equipped to fight off illnesses.

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