Crying

Crying is one of the major ways your infant communicates needs to you. When your baby cries, check to see if baby is:

Hungry.
Uncomfortable.
Tired. After a busy day, babies may have a period of fussiness.

Babies often need attention. Be patient. Taking care of baby is a big job. It is alright to feel overwhelmed and frustrated with a crying baby or child. It is not alright to shake a baby or child to stop the crying.

Shaken baby syndrome happens when a frustrated caregiver loses control and violently shakes a baby. Shaking a baby is very dangerous.

Shaking can cause permanent brain damage and even death. You may stop the crying, but also change the child’s life (and yours) forever in just one moment of uncontrolled frustration. Please never shake a baby.

You will develop your own pattern of soothing your baby. Here are some things to try:

Gently rock or walk the baby.
Rhythmic sounds (heartbeat, lullabies, singing or talking).
Swaddling (wrapping firmly in a blanket).
Allow baby to suck.
Minimizing distractions (dim lights, no loud noises).
Put baby in the crib for a few minutes and take some slow deep breaths.
Consider offering a pacifier (delay until one month of age to ensure that breastfeeding is firmly established).
Call a friend.
Call Northwest Human Services 24-hour hotline – 503-581-5535.

Remember these tips won't work every time. Try other ideas and ask for help if you need it.