From the London Telegraph
A mother's cuddle eases a baby's pain
By Kate Devlin, Medical Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:42am BST 24/04/2008
A cuddle from mother is a natural painkiller for babies, according to a new report.
Premature newborns suffered less if they experienced skin-to-skin contact with their mother as they underwent a painful medical procedure, their study found.
A cuddle also appeared to help babies recover from pain more quickly.
As well as confirming the power of a mother's touch, the research could offer a way of helping to relieve pain in children who are too young to take painkillers.
Scientists registered the facial reactions, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels of 61 premature babies as they underwent a heel lance, which is used to take blood samples from the extremely young.
The findings, published in the journal BMC Pediatrics, show that the signs of pain fell by half when babies were in their mother's arms.
Within three minutes the babies' reactions had returned to normal, while those who were not cuddled were still in pain.
Mothers were asked to hold their children, who were all born at between 28 and 31 weeks, for 15 minutes before the heel lance, and to continue holding them throughout the procedure.
Reactions to pain were measured before the lance and at 30-second intervals during and after the procedure. The reactions were then compared with babies' who had blood taken as they lay in incubators.
Celeste Johnston, of McGill University, Montreal, who led the study, said that the results showed that a mother cuddling her baby "can facilitate not only [less pain] but also a quicker recovery".
The findings suggest that mothers of premature babies, who often feel excluded in intensive care units, should be encouraged to have close contact with their children.
A spokesman for Bliss, the premature baby charity, said: "The benefits of regular skin-to-skin care - in terms of improved heart rate and temperature regulation in the infant, and promotion of the mother and baby bond - have long been recognised.
"This study suggests that there is also a particular pain management function to skin-to-skin care, confirming just how crucial this type of close contact is.
"Every new mother of a sick or premature baby should be encouraged to have skin-to-skin contact with her baby as soon as this is possible and regularly thereafter."
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I have watched this with my little ones many times. A bump or a scrape and the an immediate turn to me to see my reaction. It is easy to miss as it can happen so fast. If you respond with surprise or fear they will immediately burst into tears. But when you stop, look in their eyes, breathe and smile, they so quickly release the pain it is almost as if it didn't happen.
Once my one week old son Jeremy need to have blood drawn as he was losing weight rapidly and failing to thrive. The doctor wanted to do tests. The needle was so long and he was so thin. As the nurse did her duty, I allowed my son to suck on my finger and I gazed intently into his eyes so he could feel my love and presence. He sucked my finger so hard and looked into my eyes with such intensity and trust....but he did not cry. The nurse was amazed.
For a child, touch and connection is Life itself. There is no separation in their consciousness, everything is self. Mirroring that purely shows them their inherent self-knowledge is truth. It is our greatest gift to them as parents, to love and see them as they are.
"Change in life is sweet." - Aristotle
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I see this in my baby girl. She is 6mos. old now and I am absolutely amazed by what I see in her. She teaches me so much about joy and forgiveness. When I accidently scratch her or something, if I immediately appologize, she looks at me with bright eyes and immediately forgives.
The energy of a child is spectacular.
I love her SO much.
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It is amazing to watch a young child grow. Leaps and bounds. Simple things are so new to them. I have a 6.5 mo. old and she is always reminding me of the wonder in the common things.
I came to realize something last night. She is not MY child. She is OUR child. Not just limited to her family for one day she will leave me and forge a life of her own. Lord willing, she will touch many lives.....just as we do. She is a force all her own.
This made me realize something else. It is not MY mind....it is our mind. I should fill my mind with good things because I truly am a part of the collective. We are all connected. At least this is my feeling. And if this is true then there is a responsibility to keep focusing on what is productive and positive.
I feel that it is a true gift, this life. I aim to make the most of it and I am excited by this new being. Simply marvelous....lol....
~with Love~
Misty
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