Against advice, when my infant son gets small bumps I often jump up to hold and comfort him while he bursts into tears. Is it true that I shouldn't react with this behaviour?

I would believe it's true. Kids will react/behave to how the parents react. If you immediately jump up and run to comfort him,he's getting some attention. If it's small little bump , you could be encouraging over-dependence and indulging him. Some kids will actually fake being hurt for attention if they've learned this technique works. I will take a second to access the situation, if it's a small bump, I would let him learn to comfort himself a bit first and assure him that it is ok, please be more careful next time and encourage him to pick himself up. It's tough, but you and your child can benefit from it in the long run.

I have to agree with everyone here - depends on age and how severe the bump is. For a newborn, I would definitely check in on every minor or major bump, for a child above 4 months, I would wait and observe from a distance and see if he/she can self soothe first. Being sensitive to the possibility of self-soothing is the beginning of believing in your baby. Recognize that challenges and stress are a natural and important part of a baby’s growth. The ability to manage stress and muscle through challenges builds self-esteem and self-confidence.

For young babies, I would think that it is alright to cuddle and comfort him when he had a fall. This is just to assure him that “mummy is there”. As he grows older, you can teach him how to react to such minor bumps. For example, to assess for himself how he is feeling (how bad did it hurt) and to go to you for washing of wounds and medication if needed. You will probably need to “let go” as well so that he can learn to handle such situations.

Personally I feel yes, you shouldn't make a big hoo ha. Kids are very independent by nature. They will know what to do if they fall. By showing them that you are so protective against them, they will be reliable on you and personally I feel that they will not learn. Let them learn the hard way now and they will know when to pick themselves up in future.

How old is your son? If infant then definitely u need to hold and cuddle him. But for older children i would actually see if they can self soothe and 'suck it up'. When i tell my kid that its ok and not fuss over him too much I realise that he stops crying faster. Haha