Whether it's a cute picture, video, or the real thing, babies make people happy. Just seeing an image of a newborn baby can make a person feel happy inside, and not this isn't only true for parents. Those who have older children will look at a small baby and reminisce about the times that have passed with their own children. They relax in this world of for a minute and remember holding their own babies when they were tiny and new. People who don’t have children may also find themselves happy when they are surrounded by babies.

People, in general, are baby-obsessed. While not all, most are extremely excited to hold a new baby, and before they know it, they are smelling their head. It can seem impossible to be around , when they are smiling, cooing, and laughing, and not feel at least a little happier. But, why does this happen? What power do babies have over us that makes us happier?

Since babies make people happier, does this mean that parents are happier than those who do not have children? According to , a study was completed to see just how much happier parents are than those who did not have children. The results were not conclusive, and they were not as simple as one might think. They found that while there is a period of extreme happiness in parents right after a baby is born, it usually normalizes after a year.

The study found that parents experience more “daily joy” but they also encountered more “daily stress” than those who did not have children.

There is so much about the human brain that is yet to be determined, but there is a chemical explanation as to why holding a baby can make an adult so happy.

According to , holding a baby can release natural opioids in the brain, mixed with dopamine, which would explain the feeling of euphoria people may feel when they are holding a baby. This can explain why it is felt with parents because nature wants a parent to be “addicted” to their baby to provide proper care. Though it is not uncommon for aunts, uncles, and close friends to feel the same way when holding a baby.

can also be released from the brain when around a baby. Oxytocin is the “love hormone,” and it is responsible for the warm and loving feelings we feel in our hearts.

Babies represent a lot of things to different people, and according to , some of these representations can be why babies make adults happy. Babies are often the “poster child” for innocence. When someone sees a tiny baby, they know they are looking at one of the most innocent things in the world, and this can make people feel content and calm in their presence.

Being around a baby can also put the whole world in perspective. When you are holding that tiny, fragile, and innocent small baby, the problems in life don’t tend to seem so big. Babies can show people what is really important in life.

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