Babies love interaction as this is how most learn to navigate in the world. Kissing is a form of affection and most babies love unconditionally and enjoy any appropriate affection shared.
A new study by MIT researchers provides evidence that babies and toddlers understand people have a close relationship if they are willing to share saliva via sharing food or kissing, reports Nell Greenfieldboyce for NPR.
Kissing your baby has a lot of emotional benefits. When a mother shows her baby love by kisses, hugs and the like, it shows the baby that being sensitive to others needs and feelings is important. This in turn can help them relate as well as interact better with those around them.
They follow your voice
Young babies start to reciprocate the bonding process by turning toward the voices they know (and love) the most. As early as 16 weeks in utero, babies have been listening in on Mom, Dad, siblings and anyone else Mom is around frequently—even the family dog.
Can kissing a baby make them sick? Though kissing an infant doesn't always cause RSV or other illnesses, it can spread germs that can lead to illnesses that newborn immune systems find it hard to fight.
It Boosts Their Immune System
As a mother kisses her baby, she will consume the harmful pathogens (AKA bacteria) that have been sitting on the baby's skin, ready to make its way into the baby's mouth.
Why do babies get happy when you kiss them? It increases the sense of safety and happiness, enabling complete emotional development. It has calming effects, which helps your baby rest and sleep. It stimulates affective development and helps them learn to express their emotions.
Cuddling and a Sense of Security
Your child will feel safe and warm. “Cuddling helps your baby develop a secure attachment to you.
When they are first born, your baby is dependent on you for their every need. They will think that you and them are one and the same . At the very beginning, your baby is only aware of their immediate needs: food, love, and attention.
By six months, babies will recognize the people they love, like grandparents, siblings, and of course, parents. Soon, they'll show a clear preference for those loved ones, displaying caution around strangers and even possibly developing some separation anxiety by nine months. They share your interests.
16 to 18 months
Your baby may have thrown their arms around you before or kissed you on command. But now, they may toddle over on their own to give you a hug and kiss for no reason—or so it seems.
By about 4 to 6 months of age, babies become increasingly social and love to cuddle and laugh.
Most babies' immune systems will be strong enough for kisses after 2 to 3 months. Until then, it's healthiest not to kiss the baby, painful though it may be.
In short, yes: Babies do feel love. Even though it will be quite a while before they're able to verbalize their feelings, they can and do understand emotional attachment. Affection, for example can be felt.
Studies have shown that infants as young as one month-old sense when a parent is depressed or angry and are affected by the parent's mood. Understanding that even infants are affected by adult emotions can help parents do their best in supporting their child's healthy development.
You and Your Baby's Emotional Connection
Research has shown that, during pregnancy, your baby feels what you feel—and with the same intensity. That means if you're crying, your baby feels the same emotion, as if it's their own.
By 4 to 6 months, they will turn to you and expect you to respond when upset. By 7 or 8 months, they will have a special response just for you (they may also be upset by strangers). Your baby may also start to respond to your stress, anger or sadness.
In fact, it's actually quite common for babies and toddlers to pick a favorite parent or caregiver—and for that preference to switch back and forth over time.
He'll find ways to reach out and entice you and others to play, even though he may be stuck in his infant seat. He'll relish in having face time with you, staring sweetly into your eyes as he chats you up with his babbles and squeals.
As noted in Parenting, your baby can tell the difference between your breast milk and another mom's by scent alone. Oh, and this distinction can happen when your baby is only 2 weeks old, as further noted by Parenting. In fact, your baby can likely distinguish you from other moms even while still in utero.
It's our natural instinct to hold a newborn baby close and gently kiss her head. But unfortunately, even with the best of intentions, showing your love this way can have potentially dangerous consequences for children under the age of 12 months.
Most of the time, it's totally fine to kiss your baby on the lips—unless you're dealing with a few very specific health issues, says the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The big concern, they say, is the herpes simplex virus (HSV).
In newborn babies (especially in its first months of life), it must be taken into account that this part of the body, especially the soles of the feet, are more sensitive than the rest, and therefore tickle intense o repeated can cause discomfort and discomfort.