I don't have a source, but I have also read that something similar is being suggested for some babies. Specially ones that never stop crying you you put them down. My aunt had a child a few months ago. She never put her down. She has to carry her all the time until she falls asleep. The moment she wakes up, she cries. Then my aunts carries her again and all is well.
It's one thing to never put your child down, it's another thing entirely to deny their basic needs for physical contact because you're afraid of raising a pansy. The author was talking about her aid work in sub-saharan africa, and how malnourished infants, who had LOST ALL INTEREST IN EATING would still cling with all of their might to whomever gives them the littlest bit of attention. Watch this video, this is how important physical contact is to young social primates.