Perfect pacifier

In people and mice, carrying a baby calms it

By Stephen Ornes

Web edition: May 1, 2013

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I want up!

Mom's arms can calm a crying infant, scientists show. The tactic works for mice, too, only those mammals use their mouth to cradle their young.

Credit: iStockphoto

Here?s the ultimate pacifier for a crying baby: a mother?s arms. Or a mother?s mouth, depending on the species. In a study published in April on human infants and mouse pups, scientists found that panicking youngsters calmed down when mom scooped them up.

The babies stopped crying. Their bodies stopped fidgeting. And their racing hearts slowed.

Visit the new Science News for Kids website and read the full story: Perfect pacifier

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Citations

M. Rosen. ?Infants, whether mice or human, love to be carried.? Science News. April 18, 2013.

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/350078/title/Perfect_pacifier

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