Parenthood—the glorious adventure that starts with sleepless nights and bottle warmers, then somehow escalates into chasing a sticky toddler who’s sprinting toward traffic while yelling, “I AM A DINOSAUR!” Whether you’re dealing with a newborn’s 3 AM existential crises or a toddler’s meltdown because you dared to pee alone, there’s one thing quietly working overtime in your body: cortisol—the VIP of stress hormones.