Supporting babies through crying.

Moms all over the world ask themselves the same question when their baby is crying. “How long is too long to leave them?” Everyone has different opinions but I am here to tell you what science says.

There are three types of stress responses: positive, tolerable, and toxic.

Some examples of each:

Positive - first day at a new daycare, an immunisation shot

Tolerable - sleep training, the loss of a loved one, a natural disaster, or a frightening injury

Toxic - physical or emotional abuse, chronic neglect, caregiver substance abuse or mental illness, exposure to violence, and/or the accumulated burdens of family economic hardship (without adequate adult support)

Although hearing the cries of your baby might sound like a cry for help, it could be that she is just tired and that is what is upsetting her. This is not to convince you to ‘make’ your daughter cry but an encouragement to let you know crying is natural and part of development. To read more about stress, here is a link to a scientific study: https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/toxic-stress/.