Newborn care: The significance of a parent’s cuddle and talk

Experts believe that all children grow and develop in a similar pattern. But the ways of development differs due to the environment and affection a child gets from its parents. They believe that all newborns require a strong bond and display of emotional affection between parents and the child. Sauda Nzayisenga, a physiotherapist at Orchid Medical Centre in Kigali, asserts that the expression of love of the parent to the child such as physical touching and embracing has a great psychological impact in early childhood. He says conversation (child talk) between a parent and child facilitates healthier mental and physical growth. “We have received cases of children who could spend over one year without moving or talk because they lacked that crucial conversation and closeness between them and their parents,” says Nzayisenga. He notes that looking after children is no simple task, but urges parents to dedicate more time and attention to their little ones. Nzayisenga emphasises that sometimes children are more prone to certain pathologies like premature or birth injuries and fever, the reason children ought to be given more care in this critical period. “In most cases parents don’t even recognise that their child has developed changes in their bodies, especially if they are not close to them. If not handled, such diseases could lead to dullness and low levels of intelligence in a child as it grows,” he says. Iba Mayelle, a gynecologist at Polyclinique de L’etoile in Kigali, says it’s very necessary for a parent to give special care and love to the newborns, especially in the first months of their lives. Felix Sayinzoga, the maternal child and community health manager at Rwanda Biomedical Centre, says newborns always need the parental affection through play, smiling, talk, hugging and touch to stimulate the bonding between the child and parent. “A newborn baby should be kept close, frequently held, cuddled by the mother and clasped by the father,” he says. He emphasises that these acts enhance the cognitive development and create warm affection between the parent and child. Benshi Augustine, a physiotherapist at Polyfam Clinic in Kigali, says one of the signs that a child is healthy at the time of birth is to cry. He explains that when a child cries in an unusual manner or doesn’t cry at all, it’s a sign that it has abnormalities. “A child born in that situation needs a lot of care.” He advises that every mother should be eager to find out signs of poor health in a baby after birth so that early medical intervention is done. “A child born with diseases like cerebral palsy (a disorder of movement, muscle or posture that is caused by damage to the developing brain) can be best handled when spotted early’” he says. Dr Charles Nuwagaba, a pediatrician at Polyfam Clinic, says newborns require unique skills to handle them, such as breastfeeding, soothing when he cries and singing lullabies. “That motherly love is very critical for proper growth of newborns,” he says. However, he emphasises that breastfeeding is the most valuable, citing the World Health Organisation recommendation that infants need exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. According to experts at Los Angeles-based Children’s Hospital, it’s great if you cuddle your child often, especially in the three months after giving birth. “This is because your child emerged from a dark, warm and comfortable place. Cuddling helps replicate the womb environment. Your child will feel safe and warm. “Cuddling helps your baby develop a secure attachment to you. The bond developed has effects later in your child’s life in terms of self-confidence, healthy individuation and exploration, expression of empathy, social relationships and ability to cope with life stressors. “Babies who don’t experience cuddling have been found to have markedly lower levels of oxytocin and vasopressin. These two hormones are thought to play key roles in stress and social behaviors. Lower levels may explain why these children have difficulties forming attachments in adulthood” they explain.