Myth Debunked: Hugging Your Newborn Baby Has No Limit [Sleep Expert Says]

While managing to raise a child, parents always hear some tips from other parents. Sometimes these tips are from a relative or the grandparents of a newborn baby.

Most of these tips are either handed down from generations or based on one's experiences.

Experts have been debunking most of the parenting myths over the years.

One of the most common tips that anyone has probably encountered is that parents should not hug their newborn baby too much.

However, baby sleep expert Sarah Ockwell Smith begs to differ. She says that there is no limit to hugging your baby. Also, she said that the more hug time, the better.

Baby Sleep Expert Speaks About "Hugging Too Much"

In a segment for Yahoo UK, Lauren Pope interviewed Ockwell-Smith, a baby sleep expert. In the interview, another mom asked about the truth behind hugging a newborn baby too much.

Ockwell-Smith says that there is no such thing as too many snuggles. She said that no study has ever proven this claim.

On the contrary, studies show that the more hugs a baby receives, the more their brain develops.

How does hugging help brain development?

Hugs stimulate the body to produce oxytocin. This hormone helps in brain development.

The baby sleep expert, Ockwell-Smith, further explains that hugs can help a newborn baby to be independent as they grow.

Research shows that the area for emotional regulation grows significantly bigger when a newborn baby receives a lot of hugs. That area of the brain helps children learn the ability to self-soothe as they grow.

What are the other benefits of hugging a newborn baby?

According to neonatologist Dr. Deborah Campbell from the Montefiore Medical Center in New York, hugging a baby can make them feel secure.

Babies do not only feel the warmth of their parents' bodies but also their heartbeats. Through this, babies can feel relaxed and comfortable.

Also, hugging can help babies and parents to have more bonding.

Another expert says, "Babies like to be held all the time, especially before they can walk on their own."

Hugging also serves as a way for babies to feel secured and nurtured before they are on their own.

What if the newborn baby does not like hugs?

According to Ockwell-Smith, some babies do not like being hugged. That is perfectly normal, according to the baby sleep expert. Some babies sleep right after they are put down, and that is okay.

There are several reasons why babies do not like being cuddled. For example, some babies like other forms of affection than hugs; they probably prefer eye contact or talking, but this is already alarming for parents, asking for professional help can be a way to address this.

However, Ockwell-Smith says another way to address this is to respond to what the newborn baby wants or needs.