Contact Comfort

Definition

Contact comfort refers to the physical and emotional comfort that an infant receives from being in physical contact with its mother or primary caregiver.

Related terms

Harlow’s Monkeys Experiment: An experiment by Harry Harlow showing that baby monkeys preferred cloth surrogate mothers (providing contact comfort) over wire mothers providing food but no comfort. Like choosing cuddles over snacks!

Skin-to-Skin Contact (Kangaroo Care): A method of holding an infant so that there is skin-to-skin contact between the infant and the person holding them. It's like a warm, comforting hug that helps babies feel secure and loved.

Bonding: The intense attachment that develops between parents and their baby. Think of it as superglue - it creates a strong, lasting connection.