You’ve probably already noticed that nobody has the ability to cheer you up quite like the gorgeous baby in your life. One look into his beautiful eyes, one flash of the gummy smile, and your problems disappear. It doesn’t matter what it is that’s stressing you out, your baby can giggle all of your problems away with minimal effort.
Some people find that becoming a parent takes them a few octaves higher on the happiness scale. As your heart swells with love and pride, the highs feel so much higher than ever before. And the lows? Well, you might find that things simply don’t seem as bad as they used to. Babies are born with the ability to make us happy, and it’s as important for them as it is for us. So why do babies make you happy? Here are four reasons why your baby makes you feel happy:
- Oxytocin
Oxytocin is often referred to as the ‘love hormone’ because it’s responsible for the love you feel when you spend time with your baby. Skin-to-skin, breastfeeding and eye contact can all trigger the release of this oh-so-important hormone that helps you to bond with your baby. It’s a two-way street, your baby is releasing some oxytocin during those interactions too and is enjoying the same bonding experience. You’re busy falling in love with each other, and that’s why spending time with your baby makes you feel happy.
- Perspective
Having a baby to love suddenly puts everything else in perspective. You may find you sweat the little things less, or spend less time obsessing over things that annoy you. With a baby to look after, you’re too busy to waste time worrying about things that aren’t important. Having a baby will show you what is important. After all, even the worst day can be made better simply by a cuddle and smile from the little baby who loves you unconditionally.
- Innocence
Babies are arguably the most innocent people on the planet. They might keep you awake all night, spray you with vomit and almost drive you crazy with their incessant cries, but none of it is done with malice. They’re totally and completely dependent on you and, as such, are totally innocent. You just can’t stay mad at that adorable little face.
- Survival
Babies really need to be liked to increase their chances of survival. Making people happy is a pretty good way of getting them to like you. Babies smile to encourage us to smile back. They make you happy because, traditionally, that would increase the chance of you looking after them properly. So, really, it’s totally selfish, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it.
What does your baby do to make you feel happy?
Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.
