My client, Dr. Fran Walfish, leading Beverly Hills child and family psychotherapist and author of The Self-Aware Parent is often asked to lend her expertise on a variety of issues pertaining to child development, parenting, family dynamics, couples therapy, marriage counseling, and more.  This month in Shape magazine, her expertise was used in an article entitled 5 Health Reasons to Make Time For Cuddling. Dr. Walfish gives reason Number 4.

Reason 4: It Bonds Women with Babies and Partners
According to Dr. Fran Walfish, celebrity doctor and author, cuddling is healthy for people because of the obvious factor of emotional attachment. “Oxytocin is a neuropeptide that is closely linked to childbirth and breastfeeding, and a recent study shows that it has a biological role in bonding between mother and baby,” she says. “The study, led by Lane Strathearn, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, shows that women raised with insecure attachment themselves are more likely to have difficulty forming secure attachments with their children (and partners).”

It’s healthy to want to be close. “Too little or too much is not good. Observe and explore your own personal comfort zone. You will be a better communicator with your partner on how much feels good and when it gets too close for comfort,” Walfish says. “Your goal is to find a balance between your comfort zone and needs along with your partner’s.