Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is a brain condition that occurs when a baby or young child is violently shaken. This typically happens when an adult is trying to stop the baby crying. Shaken Baby Syndrome is thought to affect between 600 and 1400 children each year in the US, though the true figure is not known.

Babies have weak neck and shoulder muscles, and are unable to fully support their heads for the first few months of life. During this time, babies are at an increased risk of SBS. If a baby is shaken, his head moves forwards and backwards, and the brain bangs against the skull. This can cause bleeding on and around the brain.

Injuries caused by SBS can include:

• blindness
• cerebral palsy
• brain damage
• seizures
• speech or learning disabilities
• paralysis
• deafness

For some babies, Shaken Baby Syndrome can be fatal. You should never shake a baby, and you should make sure that your baby’s other caregivers are aware of the importance of this rule.

What to do when your baby won’t stop crying

Your baby cries to communicate with you. Unfortunately, he’s unable to tell you exactly what he needs and so he relies on his loud cry to draw your attention to the fact that something is wrong. Hunger, discomfort, tiredness, gas and simply wanting a cuddle are all common reasons that babies cry.

A baby’s screams can reach 110 decibels, which is almost as loud as an ambulance siren. What may start off as a whimpering cry, can soon escalate if the baby cannot be soothed. For a parent suffering from exhaustion, loud cries can be very frustrating.

If you cannot stop your baby crying, and can feel yourself becoming frustrated, you should put your baby down somewhere safe, such as cot or car seat, and leave the room. This won’t stop your baby crying, but it will give you a few minutes to yourself. Put some music on, watch the television or use the vacuum to distract yourself from the sound of crying. Make sure you can still hear the crying in the background though, because if it stops suddenly, you’ll need to go and check on your baby. Use this time to calm down, breathe deeply and remember that your baby is just trying to communicate with you.

Once you are feeling calm, go back to your baby and try again. If your baby is still crying and you feel very stressed by it, call a nearby friend or family member and ask them to come over to help out.

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

Life as a new parent can feel pretty hectic. Even if you’re spending most of your time at home, you’ll be busy changing nappies, feeding, soothing, bonding with your new baby, and receiving visitors. This can be a stressful period, as you adjust to life as a parent, while getting to know your newborn. Your newborn, who is also getting to know you, has limited means of communication, and so you are bound to experience some crying once your baby arrives.

Listening to your newborn baby cry can be torturous, and you will be keen to soothe your baby as soon as possible. Here are some of the reasons babies cry, and what you can do to help:

1. Hunger – this is the most common cause of crying in newborns. Babies have small stomachs and need to eat little and often as a result. If you are breastfeeding, you may notice that you begin to leak a little milk when you hear your baby’s cries –  a great sign that your hormones are working right. If hunger is the cause of the crying, your baby should feel soothed once offered a breast or bottle.
2. Cuddles – sometimes, babies just want to be held. After nine long months in your uterus, they can get lonely being so far away from you. There’s nothing wrong with soothing your crying baby with a cuddle. If you want your hands free to get on with other things, you may find a sling useful to carry your baby close to you.
3. Discomfort – this could be down to a dirty nappy, a tag rubbing inside clothing, being too hot, or lying in a funny position, amongst other things. The cry may be whiney and sound like “heh” when your baby is experiencing discomfort. Check for obvious signs of discomfort if you think this could be the problem.
4. Overstimulated – loud noises, new sights, lots of people – it’s no wonder babies get overstimulated. Your baby may occasionally cry because he feels overstimulated. Take him to a quiet room for a cuddle, or put him in a sling so he can turn away from the world and feel safe against your chest.
5. Gas – some babies experience gas after feeds, and may need a little help getting rid of the trapped air. Whimpers may indicate that your baby needs help to burp, whereas grunting may suggest the trapped gas is abdominal. There are a number of baby massage techniques that can help to relieve trapped gas.
6. Pain – this is one of those times you will be amazed at your mothering instinct. Sometimes, the cry seems more desperate, and you’ll know something is wrong. Check for a fever, rash and other obvious symptoms, and call a healthcare provider for advice.

Don’t worry if you can’t tell what your baby is trying to tell you. It will take you a while to begin understanding your baby’s cries. Work through the list above until you find something that soothes your baby, and don’t be afraid to call for help if you think something is wrong.

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

My baby can never be put down – he clings to me like Velcro all day long. My baby never sleeps for more than a couple of hours around the clock. My baby doesn’t take changes well – even simple things like leaving the house are a major emotional project. Sound like your baby?

The term “high-needs baby” was coined by renowned pediatrician, William Sears, in The Fussy Baby Book. A ‘high-needs’ baby has a more intense personality – his inborn temperament guides his behavior. Just like an ‘easy’ baby, your baby’s strong needs are an inborn trait, not something you created or caused. But parenting this baby can be challenging.

High-needs babies are fussy babies

Babies who have strong needs tend to make those needs known. They seem hard to console, and may be colicky. The best thing you can do is to learn what your baby’s different cries mean, and how best to soothe them. It will take some trial and error since every baby is different. Motion – holding, rocking, swaying, riding in a car – seems to help many high-needs babies. Babies who exhibit this very strong need for you seem to enjoy being carried in a sling or wrap most of the day. They can be close to mom or dad while mom or dad can still carry on with most of their normal activities.

High-needs babies feed often

Frequent breastfeeding is calming for baby and mom – the time skin-to-skin, the hormones released, the lack of crying because baby is otherwise occupied… Whether breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, suckling is calming for baby. High needs babies rarely have any sort of pattern or schedule to their feeding, so it’s best to feed on baby’s cue.

High-needs babies sleep differently

High-needs babies tend not to be cuddly, but aren’t self-soothers either. And they seem to need very little sleep. They are ‘cat-nappers’ – frequent short periods of sleep. They are sensitive to separation, including being away from you at night. High-needs babies tend to do well when co-sleeping. Be sure you have a safe sleep space for baby near your bed, or, if bed-sharing, you meet all safety criteria. But having baby near you at night may mean more sleep for everyone.

Parents of high-needs babies need support.

A fussy baby can be very difficult emotionally for parents. So if you feel overwhelmed, take a time-out. Put baby in a safe place and get some fresh air for a minute. Or simply count to 10. Call in reinforcements – tag-team parenting works well when dealing with a fussy, high-needs baby.

Find other parents who are going through the same thing. Find an Internet chat room – these are the moms who will be available at 2am when you’re at your wit’s end. Get in touch with parents in your community – it’s likely you’ll find someone else suffering through the same thing. Find a book about fussy babies (such as the one mentioned above) and read about how to cope.

Sometimes when in the midst of parenting these very passionate babies, we can lose sight of the positives and see only the negatives. One way to get past this is to consider how you talk about your baby. What are the words you use? Instead of a needy baby, call her a persistent baby. Instead of a difficult or demanding baby, think of him as your teacher and guide, showing you how to stretch and learn patience.

One of the greatest rewards of parenting a high-needs baby is that the intensity of their need often matches the intensity of their loving expression later on. As they grow, children who were intense babies tend to be empathetic, sensitive, independent and persistent.

Do you have a high-needs baby? What are your tips for survival?

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

“If you pick your baby up every time he cries, you’re going to spoil him!”
“He’s just trying to manipulate you!”
“I see he’s already got you trained!”

How many of these have you heard? But science is on your side – you can’t hold your baby too much, and you’re not creating a whiny brat by picking him up. Instead, responsive parenting teaches your baby about trust and compassion.

Research shows that infant crying usually peaks around six weeks of age, and then decreases by half by 12 weeks of age. Did you know that if mom responds within 90 seconds of baby starting to cry, baby calms quickly? If she waits longer to respond, however, prolonged calming is needed. Who doesn’t want less crying? A quick response to a fussy baby makes a happier, less stressful environment for everyone.

Babies cry for all sorts of reasons, and you’ll be amazed by how quickly you learn to tell the ‘I’m hungry’ cry apart from the ‘I’m tired’ one. As your baby grows, you’ll learn all the other cues he uses to communicate with you. When you respond to those attempts at communication, your baby learns to trust you. You’re teaching your baby how to develop a secure attachment to you, the caregiver.

Studies from the 1950s to present day show that babies who are not responded to tend to grow up insecure, unsure, and more fearful. Babies who are responded to consistently and positively grow to be independent children and adults. In fact, as these babies grow, they …

• Have higher self-esteem
• Have improved focus, and fewer behavior problems
• Are better able to regulate their emotions
• Experience less fear and anxiety
• Are more likely show altruistic behaviors, such as, gratitude, appreciation, and caring

One of the most amazing benefits of responsive parenting and secure attachment is to baby’s brain. Babies experience incredible brain growth during the first two years of life when millions of connections are made between neurons. And the more connections, the better the brain functions. Studies show that parents can influence this growth by their interactions with baby. Being sensitive to baby’s cues, responding consistently, and interacting with baby will all add to baby’s intellectual development.

Holding, cuddling, touching and interacting all boost your baby’s nervous system development without being stressful. Oxytocin, the feel-good hormone of love, is released for both baby and caregiver during these interactions. A win-win for both parties!

So you won’t spoil your baby by picking him up all the time, especially in these first few months – in fact, you’ll do just the opposite.

Written by Michelle, childbirth educator, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Nothing is more difficult than a fussy baby. I had three very placid, easygoing babies, and then my fourth was a real game-changer. He cried every night for weeks. It was difficult on me AND on the rest of the family.

If you’ve got a fussy baby, you know the challenge. You’ve changed your baby’s diaper, fed her, burped her, and checked that none of her clothing was scratching her; but, she’s still fussy. How can you figure out what could possibly be wrong, and what can you do to make her more comfortable?

Some babies simply have a daily fussy period. And some babies are easier to console than others. If you’ve ruled out illness and other physical causes, there simply may not be a reason other than baby needs extra care and attention.

Women’s wisdom over the ages tells us that these strategies work like a charm – passed from generation to generation as mothering wisdom. How many of us instantly start saying ‘sh-sh-sh-sh’ to a crying baby while gently swaying from side to side? Here are other methods of calming fussiness that you may not have tried:

White noise: the ‘sh-sh-sh-sh’ noise we naturally make to calm a baby mimics the sound of mom’s blood flow, something familiar to baby from in utero. Other ways to create white noise include tuning a radio to static, running the vacuum cleaner, taking a shower. Or set your baby in a seat on the floor next to your clothes dryer. Any soothing wave-like sound is helpful – a fan in the bedroom or even a white noise machine. You can also try the White Noise section in the Baby + App. There are many different White Noise sounds for you to try in the App.

Movement: put your baby in a sling or wrap and go about your day. If you have an infant swing or bouncer chair, give that a try. Motion is calming (think of how your baby moved with you before birth).

Breastfeeding: If you’re a nursing mom, allow your baby to nurse as much as necessary during those fussy times. If your baby isn’t interested in feeding, try a pacifier or your clean knuckle to suck on.

Position changes: Side-lying positions seem to calm a fussy baby, especially when they’re done in arms. Consider this hold: Place your baby on one forearm with legs straddling your wrist and head resting near your elbow. Use your hands to support baby’s body fully, and pull baby in close to you. Light pressure on baby’s tummy is sometimes helpful during fussy times, too. Your hands will be in that position in the hold described above. Or carry your baby much higher up on your shoulder so your bone puts a little pressure on baby’s tummy. Always place your baby on her back for sleep, though.

Hold tight: Imagine your baby before birth, tightly cuddled and warm in your belly. Your baby may be calmer if you re-create this environment. You might use swaddling, or you might decide that carrying your baby in a sling or wrap is easier.

If your baby cries for more than 3 hours each day for 3 days in a week lasting for 3 weeks or more, your baby may have colic. While colic has no known cause or cure, comfort measures are the same as for normal everyday fussiness. Babies may just never fully settle, and parents may just need more of a break. Most babies outgrow colic by 3-4 months.

If you ever find yourself becoming panicked or angry about your baby’s crying, be sure to lay your baby somewhere safe (in a crib, preferably), and give yourself a ‘time out.’ Leave the room, call a friend, or, leave the house altogether (as long as someone else is around to care for baby). A quick walk around the neighborhood may be enough to restore your equilibrium.

Babies fuss for many reasons – after all, crying is how they communicate. Learning what works best for your baby is one of the challenges of parenthood. You are the expert on your baby. If you suspect something is wrong, seek medical care. Otherwise, keep trying until you find what methods work best for your family.

Written by Michelle, childbirth educator, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

The first few months after birth can be considered a 4^th trimester for you and your baby. As he adjusts to the outside world, your baby still expects many of the same comforts of the womb he had in the 3^rd trimester. Frequent feeding is just one of those. Being held all the time is another.

Parents sometimes find their newborn babies stay calmer and fuss less when swaddled much of the time, since swaddling mimics being held tight in the womb. While being held in the arms of a caregiver is preferred, swaddling can allow you some time with your hands free!

Here are some tips and tricks to make swaddling work for you:

• Use a light blanket for swaddling – dress baby lightly underneath the swaddling blanket, keep the room temperature comfortable, and watch for signs of overheating, such as warm/hot skin, flushed cheeks, heat rashes or rapid breathing.
• Consider baby’s hands – Some babies like to have their hands near their faces when swaddled, rather than having them trapped in the tight blanket. Try both ways to see what works for you.
• Keep hip health in mind – hip dysplasia has been linked to too-tight swaddling. Keep baby’s legs in a “frog” position – with the legs bent and out at the hips – or allow them to be loose so baby can find a naturally comfortable position.
• Keep the blanket from touching baby’s cheek or mouth – this could prompt the rooting reflex which may be counterproductive to calming.
• Always place your baby on his back to sleep, even when he is swaddled.
• Avoid a too-tight blanket – you should be able to get a couple of fingers between the blanket and the baby.
• Avoid a too-loose blanket – the blanket itself can pose a suffocation risk if baby can wriggle free.
• Watch for hunger cues – swaddled babies may sleep longer and deeper, but this may be detrimental to your milk supply and baby’s growth. A swaddled baby may need to be awakened to eat.
• Swaddle selectively – use it as a calming tool, but let baby move his arms and legs when he’s awake and alert.
• Don’t swaddle forever – Once your baby can roll over on his own (typically between 4 and 6 months), it’s best to stop swaddling.  If he’s swaddled he may have difficulties breathing, when he rolls over onto his tummy.

An option to swaddling your baby is to wear your baby in a carrier, such as a sling or wrap. This allows baby to be in a womb-like cocoon while at the same time feeling your movements and your warmth, and hearing your heartbeat and your voice – all of which is calming to a newborn.

Whether you choose swaddling or babywearing, remember that one comforting method won’t work all the time. As you get to know your baby, you’ll learn what works best for him and for you.

Have you been swaddling your baby? What tips do you have for new moms?

Written by Michelle, Lamaze instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.