Read the work of Harry Harlow of U. of Wisconsin, which is now cited in
every basic psych. text. He did a study with baby monkeys. Half of the
monkeys had "mothers" made of terry cloth and wire and half had humans
"mothers" that stroked and patted them. Both sets of "mothers" provided
ample food. They monkeys with terry cloth mothers were fearful, neurotic,
did not bond and could not reproduce when they reached maturity. In
orphanages where newborns are left uncuddled, they die of a phenomena term,
"marasmus", lack of warmth and touch.
Ashley Montague wrote a treatise on "Human Skin: the Significance of Touch"


>for men, if your wife is not brest feeding, you get up for the two oclock
>feedings and when the baby cries. it lets the child know it has two parents.
>i did it even though i had to get up and go to work and my wife was a stay
>at home mom until the kids were older.
>
>
>In fact, research tells us that parental warmth and affection is very
>important to how children develop physically, mentally and socially. What
>can you do to show warmth and love? Here are a few suggestions.
>Hold your baby.
>Rock him.
>Cuddle your baby.
>Play with him.
>Talk to him.
>Give your baby lots of love and attention.
>Can you think of any others?