Why Childhood Cuddles Are So Important?

Did you ever have an urge to tickle your baby to an extent that he/she gets fits of laughter? If yes, then congratulations, you are well aware of the word “cuddling”. When a child is born, he/she does not know much about physical and social interaction. All he/she does at that time is to have his/her food and sleep. As the baby grows up, his/her emotional needs start to arise. He/she learns various emotions like crying, anger, happiness, sadness, and so on. During this time, if the emotions of the child are well-met it will have a deep impact on the later personality of that child. Cuddling is one of the things with the help of which emotions of a child can be regulated positively. Now imagine, your baby is lying inside his/her baby lounger looking at you and smiling, you will notice as soon as you start to approach him/her, the level of excitement will be doubled. The moment you hold your baby and hug him/her, happiness would cloak over him/her like a snuggly blanket. 

Cuddling can have many psychological and physical effects on children. Many pieces of research that have been conducted on infants and toddlers have suggested that cuddling should be done often to assist your baby in the management of his/her emotions and feelings. Picking up your crying baby while he/she is lying on his/her baby pillow can bring him/her to peace.  Ever wondered why this happens? This happens because the baby develops feelings of attachment with the one holding him/her. These feelings affirm the baby’s faith that he/she is not alone, and there is someone who looks out for him/her. I bet you have never imagined that babies can develop these kinds of feelings but trust me this is true!

Let’s have a look at various advantages that are associated with cuddling and due to which childhood cuddles are considered to be very significant.

• Cuddling can make happy adults!

It is a scientifically proven fact that children who are cuddled more during their childhood, have become happy individuals in their later life. But why is this so? Let me tell you, human brains are wired in a way that they can channelize positive energy and bring a positive impact on the overall personality of the child. When a baby grows up in an environment where he/she feels protected and loved, he/she starts to own himself/herself. As a result, they develop an affirmative type of personality thus making them happy and content with themselves as well as with their surroundings.

•  Do you know cuddling is responsible for the release of “oxytocin”?

Oxytocin, which is also famous by the name of love hormone, is present inside our brains. This hormone is responsible for elevating our moods during exciting times. This implies that when a baby is cuddled, oxytocin is released into his/her bloodstreams because of which he/she feels joyful. The interesting thing here is that it works both ways i.e. not only baby’s mood is uplifted but also our mood is altered too. This is the reason when we hold our little ones we get comfy as we are sharing the same bond at that moment.

• Cuddling can make stress go away

Yes, you heard it right. Cuddling can calm your child and bring him/her to ease. The science behind this phenomenon is that when your child is facing some anxiety, he/she needs someone to be there for him/her in order to validate his/her feelings. At this moment when a child is hugged or kissed, a hormone named serotonin is released inside his/her body that carries the message to the brain to calm down. As a consequence, the child feels satisfied and relaxed. So next time if you see your child being stressed out for some reason, don’t say anything, just cuddle him/her for a while and see the difference. 

• Cuddling can assist in forming trusting relationships with parent

When you see that your child is upset because of some tensions in his/her life and you cuddle him/her to elevate his/her mood, that is the time when the child starts trusting you. You see, that is the moment when a child is on the verge of losing everything, but when you grab him/her and aid him/her in steaming off his/her anxiety, he/she gets everything back. The feeling of having the back of your parents starts to emerge and consequently the child starts talking to you regarding things that are causing him/her pain. 

The above-mentioned discussion is proof that when children are cuddled on and off, it impacts their self-esteem and self-image. They develop more positive character in their adulthood. Not only this, but adults form trusting relationships with their spouses too and that is because they feel content. So, if you want your babies to grow up as individuals who are happy, secure, and peaceful, engage yourself with them in any form of cuddling whether it’s tickling, hugging, or kissing, just do it. It will not only maintain their physical well-being but also will keep them psychologically strong.