Is that an old wives’ tale or is there some scientific basis?
In: Biology
There are a lot of hormones that are released when a mother holds a baby. Some of those help to start the mother’s milk producing which can be a reason it’s important to hold asap.
However anecdotally I held one child straight away and another I didn’t get to hold for 5 hours and the bigger issue for me was dealing with the post natal depression and the kid I did get to hold causing more issues with bonding…
There’s science behind it. Skin to skin contact releases a hormone called oxytocin, which helps with bonding. Same is true for dads, which is why dads do it too. I experienced it with my baby, you can almost feel the oxytocin surge through you when you do it.
Also there’s other things it does. It helps the baby hear mum’s heartbeat, which soothes them because they heard it in the womb. It triggers the mum’s body to produce milk and triggers the baby’s feeding instincts. It passes good bacteria from mum’s skin to baby’s and so helps prevent infection. There’s more I’m forgetting.
Holding a baby on you after birth is a really powerful thing.
Yes there is a scientific base to it. Both mother and baby release lots of hormones during that contact, especially oxytocine wich is the “cuddle/love hormone” and lets both of them bind emotionally to the other.
Lots of later problems can occur if this bonding doesn’t happen (it can also happen later, but right after birth is the easiest because we’re biologically designed to bond right after birth).
Read about [Attachment Theory](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_theory) if you want to know more. There is a chapter about the neurobiology of it.
>Recent studies convey that early attachment relationships become molecularly instilled into the being, thus affecting later immune system functioning.[158] Empirical evidence communicates that early negative experiences produce pro inflammatory phenotype cells in the immune system, which is directly related to cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases, and certain types of cancer
As an example
In addition to other responses, the skin to skin contact helps the baby thermoregulate as well!
Other people have mentioned the benefits of oxytocin for milk production and bonding, but there’s another important effect.
Oxytocin stimulates contraction of the uterus, which is extremely important to stop bleeding. A synthetic form of oxytocin (Pitocin) is routinely given for this reason.
A newborn child reacts to comfort like any other creature but doesn’t give a damn where it comes from. Whether it is a blood relative or not is of no real significance.
I can’t exactly explain like you’re five because the best analogy is holdig your partner right after having some amazing sex. In both cases, you’re body pumps you full of hormones that tend to make you love the person you’re holding.
does it have to be your baby or any baby?
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