Crying is a baby's natural stress release mechanism

One of the things that drew me to Aware Parenting, was understanding that crying is more than just a signal of physical discomfort, or something that I needed to fix — it’s also the most vital emotional healing mechanism. When babies cry, they’re often releasing built-up stress, tension, or overstimulation, allowing their bodies and nervous systems to return to a state of balance, or homeostasis. Just as laughter and play are natural ways to process emotions, crying is a natural outlet for stress release.

In our culture, we’re often conditioned to think that babies only cry for physical reasons—hunger, tiredness, or a wet nappy. While meeting these needs is essential, we tend to overlook the emotional reasons behind crying. If you're like I was, you might go into a frenzy trying to figure out why they won't stop crying or continue to feed them and offer the breast over and over, or rock and walk or sling to get them to sleep.

Stress from a difficult birth, sensory overload, or unmet needs earlier in the day also contribute. When we respond with connection instead of distraction or fixing —by holding, listening, and being present— we allow babies to express and release those emotions in our arms, supporting their emotional well-being and helping their nervous systems to come back to balance.

For me, it was the greatest relief to shift my perspective of crying being something I needed to fix, to something I needed to be present with.

If this resonates, I would love to invite you to read Aletha Solter's (PhD) article on her website.