The benefits of mothers constantly holding their babies

Many parents isolate babies in cribs and strollers. In many places in modern America, you will see children being isolated in strollers in public, or else hi-chairs. Most American parents don't want to "spoil" their baby. The fact of the matter is that you cannot spoil a baby. A mother should constantly hold her baby, just as was the case in biblical times.

Mothers holding their babies is part of the Christian doctrine of mutual submission. Children are to rest securely in the loving arms of mothers, and mothers are to hold space for their child to rest. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and submission of parents. Children are to rest securely in the sacrifice of parents, just as parent believers rest securely in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Parents are to be extensions of Christ in the family home, dutifully and selflessly submitting to children as they would to God, expecting absolutely nothing in return, with children resting safely and securely in the wake of the submission of parents. Parents are to submit to children as their enemy, from beneath yet from above, revering and fearing children as vulnerable extensions of God.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or offenses, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul, and understood in its original context, as a moral statute prohibiting all forms of punitive parenting, including any forms of punishment and controlling demeanor towards children. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting, after punishing their children one last time. Parents who punished their children were charged with kidnapping, with "kidnapping" being defined under the Law as the slightest of damages or offenses stemming from hostage-taking - child punishment was seen in biblical times as holding your child hostage merely for things that they did wrong, thereby treating your child as a quartered slave. Paul here was convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing children into the church. Parents, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any punishment of a child in his writings.

Mothers in biblical times did not isolate their babies in cribs or strollers, but constantly held them. Most of the time, the baby was held in the arms of the mother. Sometimes, the baby was placed on the back of the mother in a papoose bag. Children were placed in a papoose bag when mothers were busy, perhaps cooking a meal for the family. Mothers in biblical times went to sleep with their babies, with the baby laying on top of her, suckling her teat periodically through the night, being half awake in order to tend to the baby. Both mother and child were naked next to each other, as the Early Christians practiced birth nudity. 

This setup set the scene for a child who was glued to the hip of his/her mother. Up until age 6, wherever the mother went, the child went with her. The child followed the mother all through the house, even through the kitchen as she was trying to cook a meal for the family. Oftentimes, children cried in order to receive attention, in which case the mother stopped what she was doing, and picked up the child, holding him/her. When mothers were out and about, children were swaddled next to her bosom in swaddling blankets. 

Mothers in biblical times breastfed their children, including in public. Children usually were weaned by age 3, when they pushed away the nipple. Sometimes it was sooner, sometimes it was later. Sometimes, children weren't weaned until age 6, or even later. Adults in biblical times did not drink cow's milk, as they were lactose intolerant. Why were they lactose intolerant? Their mother fed them well as a child, in terms of breastfeeding.

There are benefits to constantly holding your baby. First and foremost, it helps secure a bond between mother and child. Secondly, it brings out the separation anxiety that children need to feel - that feeling that your child is attached to you at the hip. It helps form a secure attachment with your child, so that your child will honor and admire you as an adult. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let the forever be cast into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!