In general, although holding an infant has specific purposes such as moving and feeding, hugging an infant is an expression of affection from the caregiver. In addition to purpose, a grasp and a hug differ in physical aspects such as postures and pressure. During a parent-infant hug, the area of contact and pressure between parent and infant are wider and stronger than when the infant is held in the parent's arms for feeding or moving.
It is not good to let babies cry
An American scientific study determined that the physical containment of babies while they cry, in the form of hugs and caresses, allows an integral development of their personality for the future.
The research, developed by the Psychology Department of the University of Notre Dame (United States), determined that letting children cry for long periods of time has negative consequences for their health, since it turns them into people with some personality problems.
In this work, 600 adults participated with their respective mothers, who were consulted by the team of psychologists on what were their forms of containment in their childhood and the ways in which they developed their lives after growing up.
The researchers concluded that "those who were hugged as children are now much more adaptable people, with less anxiety and better mental health".
Hugging fosters personal security
According to another study published in the scientific journal Cell, physical contact always accompanies somatosensory perception, which is detected by mechanosensory neurons and processed in the brain. Physical contact triggers sensorimotor reflexes, such as the transport response in rodent infants, and calms human infants while transporting them.
Tactile sensation and deep pressure in physical interactions, such as cuddling, can function as emotional communication between infant and caregiver, which can alter the behavior and mood of both infant and caregiver. Somatosensory perceptions foster a sense of security that is important for the infant's psychosocial development.
Numerous studies have already demonstrated the benefits of human physical contact. Medical personnel have confirmed that recruiting volunteers to cuddle and snuggle with babies —while perhaps singing or whispering sweet nothings to them— has a positive effect on newborns.