Episode 11: Coping with crying babies and melting down children

In this episode of the Nourishing Birth and Beyond podcast I share methods for calming babies, toddlers, children, and even adults by focusing on emotional regulation and supportive communication. I highlight the importance of understanding the nervous system’s role in emotional responses and the need for caregivers to regulate their own emotions first. It’s so important to understand that validating children’s feelings, offering comfort, and using tools like breathing exercises, singing, and physical activities can help them manage emotions. I also touch on societal expectations and the importance of empathy and curiosity in understanding children’s needs.

In this episode of the podcast we talk about:

• Methods to calm babies, toddlers, children, and adults by addressing emotional regulation and supportive communication
• The significance of understanding the nervous system’s role in emotional responses and caregivers’ need to regulate their emotions first
• The importance of validating children’s feelings and offering comfort through tools like breathing exercises, singing, and physical activities.
• Societal expectations and the importance of empathy and curiosity in understanding and supporting children’s emotional needs.
• Practical activities that help children manage their emotions effectively

Sound bites from this episode:

“It’s really normal to feel angry sometimes. It’s really normal to feel sad, frustrated. All of these feelings are completely valid and normal.”

“When we are stressed we hyperventilate. So slow your breathing to give your brain that ability to think clearly and to be calm and offer your support.”

“Our children’s responses are down to an immature brain, immature emotional system, the inability to regulate themselves perhaps. So think about it in the way that you would think of a baby. If a baby’s crying, our instinct is to pick them up and to cuddle them. The same with a toddler.”

“Sometimes children are just hungry. Just to put that in there. Sometimes your child is just hungry and they are having a meltdown or an anger outburst because they could do with some food. So sometimes it’s a really simple thing and sometimes it’s more complex and more lengthy.”