Coping with the crying baby – What sets off the destructive behavior of the caregiver?
An infant may spend 2 to 3 hours a day crying.
20%-30% of infants exceed that amount of time.
A caregiver momentarily succumbs to the frustration of responding to a crying baby by shaking. Caregivers may be inadequately prepared for children. They may be under stress and cannot deal with the frustrations of parenting.
The caregiver personalizes the infant’s crying as inadequate care-giving.
“Shaken Baby Impact Syndrome” usually happens when a caregiver is angry and loses control.
How to sooth a crying baby
- First, meet basic needs
- Feed the baby
- Burp the Baby
- Change the diaper
- Make sure clothing isn’t too tight
- Make sure baby isn’t too hot, or too cold
Next, try these techniques
- Take the baby for a walk outside in a stroller or for a ride in the car seat
- Hold the baby against your chest and gently massage the baby
- Rock, walk, or dance with the baby
- Be patient; take a deep breath and count to ten
- Call a friend or relative that you can trust to take over for a while, then get away, get some rest,
- Take care of yourself
- Offer a pacifier
- Lower any surrounding noise and lights
- Offer the baby a noisy toy; shake or rattle it
- Hold the baby and breathe slowly and calmly; the baby may feel your calmness and become quiet
- Sing or talk to the baby using soothing tones
- Record and playback a sound, like a vacuum cleaner, or hair dryer
If All Else Fails
If you suspect the baby is ill, has a fever, swollen gums, etc: CALL A DOCTOR!
Together We Can STOP Shaken Baby Impact Syndrome!