In Babies and more We talk a lot about parenting with attachment, in which one of its bases is to carry the baby in your arms. It is proven that babies in arms are happy babies and that practicing this beautiful closeness has many benefits for them.
Now, a new study shows us the importance and effect it has on our baby's DNA to maintain close contact with him when taking him in his arms.
Previously we have shared on several occasions the reasons to choose the raising in arms and why doing so is very good for both: Babies feel safer and cry less, while mothers strengthen that bond with them and also, we can have both hands free when we do porting.
Let's add to the list what researchers at the University of Cambridge have now found: hugging and holding babies changes them genetically. This is the first study that He looked for the molecular changes that occurred in children, as a result of the physical contact they had or not in their early years.
To carry out the study, 94 children participated, and when they were 5 weeks old, their parents were asked to keep a diary of their behavior, which included among other things sleeping, complaining, crying and feeding, as well as the length of care that included physical contact. When the children were 4 and a half years old, a sample of their DNA was taken.
These analyzes showed that children who had been more distressing when they were babies and had received less physical contact had an underdeveloped molecular profile, that is, their cells showed a developmental delay that they should be at that age.
This is the first study in which we can see how an act as simple and natural as physical contact is during the first years of life, affects the biology of children in an important and long term.
Remember that in addition to the multiple benefits that raising arms has shown to have in children, it is not possible to spoil a baby if it takes a long time in the arms. So now with greater reason, let's take our babies and enjoy loading them as long as possible.
