WHO DOESN’T LOVE a cuddle? And
new research has found that, even for
your baby, who we hug makes all the
difference. The study* examined the
heart-rate responses in babies under
one and discovered that it slowed down
during a cuddle from a parent, compared
to when they were hugged by a stranger.
‘It reveals that even though infants
cannot speak, they recognise their
primary carer through various
parenting methods, including
hugging, from as young as
four months old,’ says the
study’s author Sachine
Yoshida. What more
excuse do you need to
hold your tot close and
embrace the calming
effects of your cuddles!Hug it out!78 | June 2020 | motherandbaby.co.ukYOU | FAMILY | FOOD| HOMELife&KidsWORDS EMILY THORPE PHOTOGRAPHY SHUTTERSTOCK *FROM JOURNAL
ISCIENCE