Hug your baby for the lil one's good health

Celebrity mother Mira Rajput would rather stay at home than be away from her baby, and actress Kareena Kapoor Khan took no time in getting back to the groove after her son was born. Mothers have different ways of bringing up a baby, but they shouldn't forget to hug their bundle of joy, say experts.

Prerna Kohli, Clinical Pyschologist associated with Huggies, says that there are emotional benefits that hugs have for your babies.

* Makes them sleep better: If you snuggle your child for a couple of minutes before they doze off, you are ensuring a good sleep for him and yourself. Hugging relaxes the body and has therapeutic effects that help a child sleep better.

* Reduces stress: A child who is hugged, feels relaxed and safe as the levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) decrease with this physical expression of love.

Sharad Tandon, Cardiologist at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, talks about a few little known scientific benefits of hugs for your little one.

* Boosts immunity: Snuggles and cuddles in which the participants' hearts get pressed against each other boost the immunity by promoting the production of white blood cells by stimulating the thymus gland. This will help to keep your child healthy and free from diseases.

* Helps to heal: Do you know that hugs help heal diseasesIJ This again is attributed to the release of oxytocin. For this reason, parents of premature babies are encouraged to have skin-on-skin contact to help them grow and develop. This very reason is advocated by experts who swear that a new mother heals quickly after delivery if she is immediately left with her baby undisturbed.

Another important point that a Huggies survey highlighted was that 90 per cent doctors and experts believe that a newborn child can recognise their mother's hug. They can identify their mother by engaging their primary instincts and senses, such as recognising her scent and voice.