Most mothers know this if you've ever had a fractious baby, they cry in their prams or buggy but as soon as you carry them they calm down, rocking and movement has the same effect. When my daughters were babies I carried them everywhere in a sling and carried on vacuuming etc and they loved it, works on my baby grand daughter too although shes now 22 months and a bit heavy to carry everywhere if I pick her up and walk round with her it soothes her and if I sing to her she generally falls asleep, in fact she asks for me to pick her up and sing to her. (generally when she's feeling tired) I suppose babies just know what soothes them and makes them feel calm, I never believed it was spoiling them, it makes them feel secure and loved and gives them the stability they need. They do grow out of it eventually as they become independent and start exploring the world.
New research not only confirms that babies deeply relax when they are carried, but goes on to explain the physiological processes at work.
An instinct hardwired by evolution causes crying babies to calm down when transported in their mothers' arms.
They say that when babies are picked up and carried, their heart rate slows and they 'automatically and deeply' relax.
But this doesn't happen when they are simply held, the study found.
The scientists behind the work say their study is the first to demonstrate that the a baby's response to being carried is a coordinated set of nervous, motor and cardiac regulations.
The findings, published in the journal Current Biology, could help parents who have trouble pacifying their babies, claim the scientists.
'This infant response reduces the maternal burden of carrying and is beneficial for both the mother and the infant,' said lead scientist Dr Kumi Kuroda, from the Riken Brain Science Institute in Japan.
The researchers believe the calming response is a survival trait preserved by evolution in many mammals, including lions and squirrels.
The research involved measuring electrical brain activity in both human babies and mouse pups.
When infant mice are carried by their mothers, they adopt a characteristic compact posture with limbs flexed and stop emitting high pitched squeaks.
In mice, the calming response was dependent on the sense of touch and the ability to perceive body movement.
The findings may have important implications for parenting, say the scientists.
'Such proper understanding of infants would reduce the frustration of parents and be beneficial, because unsoothable crying is a major risk for child abuse,' said Dr Kuroda.
The study authors wrote: 'Although our study was done on mothers, we believe that this is not specific to mums and can be used by any primary caregiver.'
Why DO babies calm down when they're picked up and carried? Because it lowers their heartbeat, say scientists
- When babies are picked up and carried, their heart rate slows and they 'automatically and deeply' relax
- But this doesn't happen when they are simply held
New research not only confirms that babies deeply relax when they are carried, but goes on to explain the physiological processes at work.
An instinct hardwired by evolution causes crying babies to calm down when transported in their mothers' arms.
Scientists have discovered that when babies are
picked up and carried, their heart rate slows and they 'automatically
and deeply' relax
But this doesn't happen when they are simply held, the study found.
The scientists behind the work say their study is the first to demonstrate that the a baby's response to being carried is a coordinated set of nervous, motor and cardiac regulations.
The findings, published in the journal Current Biology, could help parents who have trouble pacifying their babies, claim the scientists.
'This infant response reduces the maternal burden of carrying and is beneficial for both the mother and the infant,' said lead scientist Dr Kumi Kuroda, from the Riken Brain Science Institute in Japan.
The researchers believe the calming response is a survival trait preserved by evolution in many mammals, including lions and squirrels.
But the calming effect doesn't happen when babies are simply held
When infant mice are carried by their mothers, they adopt a characteristic compact posture with limbs flexed and stop emitting high pitched squeaks.
In mice, the calming response was dependent on the sense of touch and the ability to perceive body movement.
The findings may have important implications for parenting, say the scientists.
'Such proper understanding of infants would reduce the frustration of parents and be beneficial, because unsoothable crying is a major risk for child abuse,' said Dr Kuroda.
The study authors wrote: 'Although our study was done on mothers, we believe that this is not specific to mums and can be used by any primary caregiver.'
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