Hugging Babies Benefits Them as Adults

Hugging Babies Benefits Them as Adults

Mothers, giving your infant love and affection is not just satisfying for you - it is also important for their long-term health.

A new study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health reveals that mothers who show their babies plenty of affection help them cope with stress better once they reach adulthood. The research was based on 482 Rhode Islanders as part of the National Collaborative Perinatal Project.

Psychologists assessed the infants when they were 8 months old, recording how much and what kind of affection they received from their mothers. Ten percent of the mothers gave their babies very low levels of affection, while 85 percent were “normal.” At the other extreme, six percent treated their babies with a very high level of maternal affection.

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Researchers then followed the babies as they grew older, measuring the impact maternal affection had on them by the time they reached their mid-30s.

Those who had the most affectionate mothers reported less stress, anxiety, hostility and distress than those with mothers who were less affectionate. This is important, as stress can contribute to chronic conditions and ailments like headaches, high blood pressure, and mental health disorders.

“Although many factors influence how adults cope with stress, the association between maternal affection and adult outcomes seems strong,” said Maureen G. Phipps, M.D., vice chair for research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Women and Infants Hospital. “Understanding how to maximize this positive effect could be a key element to improving mental health outcomes.”