To develop properly, your baby needs to be touched often, held close, and handled gently all the time. Some parents, older children, and babysitters who know it’s never alright to hit a baby think that shaking a baby is okay. Never shake your baby for any reason, no matter how tired, angry, or frustrated you feel. Shaking a baby, or even a young child, can cause bleeding in the brain that could kill or cause permanent injuries. Even some kinds of play are dangerous, such as tossing a child into the air, spinning a child around, or jogging with a baby on your back.
Here are some ways to cope with a crying baby:
- Make sure your baby isn’t hungry, wet, or too cold or too hot.
- Offer a pacifier.
- Walk around holding your baby close to you.
- Call a friend, relative, or neighbor for help.
- If all else fails, put your baby in the crib, making sure your baby is safe. Close the door and check back every 5 minutes or so.
If you feel you can’t cope, call the Parent Helpline any time, day or night at 1-800-342-7472.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a major cause of infant death. Most SIDS deaths occur between 1 and 4 months of age. Although SIDS is rare, African-American babies are twice as likely to die of SIDS as other babies. Putting babies to sleep on their backs on a firm mattress, alone, without pillows, stuffed toys, or blankets near their faces greatly reduces the risk of SIDS. Avoid bed-sharing (don’t sleep with your baby in your bed). Also, avoid overheating your baby’s room and make sure nobody smokes around your baby.
