For every parenting decision you and your partner make, there will be a group of people out there saying that you’re doing it wrong. One topic that seems to ignite more debate than most is allowing your child to sleep in your bed – or even deciding to cuddle and soothe them to sleep, instead of the ever-popular sleep training method.
Even though multiple studies have proven that regularly cuddling your baby has many major long term benefits, there are still people who think you can “spoil” your child with too much affection (and aren’t afraid to tell you about it).
They’ll say that cuddling your children too much and too long will result in them being emotionally stunted teenagers who still want to sleep in your bed in high school, but recently photographer Ashley Fouts stumbled across a post that put that idea in a different light.
Others have chimed in with their positive stories about how bonds formed at a young age have influenced their relationships with their adult children in positive ways, which should make all of the cuddling mamas out there feel more secure in their choices than ever.
Of course, every child will be different, and yours may want more space as they grow. That said, supporting your child emotionally every step of the journey remains one of the best things you can do.