Frustration with a crying baby is the most common reason for shaking a baby. Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is caused by the baby's brain being damaged from shaking. This can lead to serious brain injuries and even death. Learn tips to calm a crying infant. Recognize that unrealistic expectations about baby's can lead to abuse. Learn who is the most likely person to abuse a baby.

1. The Happiest Baby on the Block
Think of the first three months of your baby’s life as the 4 th trimester!
When your baby cries:
first check the diaper,
then offer an extra bit of milk (even if s/he has just fed!)
Is your baby still crying?Here are five simple steps that make most babies happyand
sleep better, too! They are called the 5 S’s and if you follow them exactly as shown on
the DVD you’ll be the best baby calmer on your block!
This is not meant to replace a doctor’s advice. Please consult your baby’s doctor
before using these techniques and if your baby continues to cry despite doing
the 5 S’s correctly.
1st SSwaddle
Swaddling is the key to calming and sleep! Some babies resist at first, but all calm
better, and sleep longer, when wrapped. Swaddle only during fussing and sleep, not
24 hours /day. Wrap for at least 4 months though many babies need it
even longer.
Swaddle arms snugly: Keep hips loose,but arms snug (loose arms
increase crying). Swaddle in a big, thin blanket (44” square).
Never use bulky blankets or cover your baby’s head or face.
Keepcool: If hot and sweaty, cool the roomand remove clothes or
unwrap.
Feed your baby: during the first weeks of life, some babies get a bit too comfy
and need to be unwrapped and awakened to eat.(Breastfed babies need 8-12
feeds/day;formula babies need 6-8 fees/day)
2nd SSide/Stomach Position
The side or stomach is the best position for calming a baby. But
never leave your newborn alone on the side or stomach.
Babies should never sleep on the side or stomach, especially if
swaddled!
3rd SShushing
A strong 5-second “shush” can calm many crying babies...mid-cry.

2. 4th SSwinging
Is your baby still crying after the first 3S’s? Then add
some swinging!
Fussy babies are calmed the fastest with quick, jiggly, very tiny movements; no
more than just 1” (one inch) back and forth.
Support your baby’s neck and use very small “shiver-like” motions to let the
head jigglein your open hands.
Even if you’re upset never jiggle roughly;never shake your baby!(Also, tell
your friends and family never to shake the baby!)
5th SSucking
Sucking is the icing on the cake of calmness! Sucking on your
breast or a clean finger is wonderful, but please, avoid pacifiers
until your baby is nursing well, unless advised by a doctor.
Bedtime pacifiers may reduce SIDS(Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.) Most SIDS
occurs between 2-6 months... and rarely up to 1 year.
There is a 6th S!Sleeping
Want your baby to sleep an extra 1-3 hours? Use swaddling and strong white noise all
night long. Together these can boost your baby’s sleepimmediately! (Never let your
baby sleep on the tummy!)
At around 4 months, put your baby to sleep swaddled... with one arm out. If your
baby sleeps well, you can stop the wrapping. If your baby sleeps poorly, resume
normal swaddling and try the 1-arm wrap again in a month.
Some infants need swaddling for 6-9 months, but
most are ready to sleep unwrapped before then.
White noise magically helps infants AND toddlers
sleep better...even through teething pain, mild
hunger and street noise!1
1
Karp, H. (2006). The Happiest Baby on the Block (DVD)

3. The Period of PURPLECrying
A New Way to Understand Your Baby’s Crying
National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome: www.dontshake.org
PURPLEcrying.info, NCSBS 801-447-9360
Peak Pattern:
Month 2 is probably when your baby will cry the most. Crying may
decrease in months 3-5.
Unexpected / Unpredictable:
You may not be able to find a reason for the
baby to cry. Youhave fed them,changed them, rocked them, they are
not cold, you have walked around, sang, taken the baby for a walk and a car ride as
well as skin-to-skin contact and it seems like they should be content.These things
work only about 50% of the time.
Resists Soothing:
Nothing you do to comfort your baby helps and your baby will
continue to cry. ALL babies will have times when they CANNOT stop crying.
Pain-like Face:
Your baby looks like they are in pain, even when they are not!
Long Lasting:
Did you know that it is normal for some babies to cry as much as
Evening Cry:
5 hours a day or more!!
Late afternoon and evening often will be when your baby cries the most. 2
Crying normally starts to increase at about two weeks of age, peaks in intensity during the
secondmonth, and has decreased and stabilized by the fourth or fifth month of life. The
average amount of crying is between one to two hours a day at the peak of crying, but
some infants will cry less than that,and some will cry more (almost 6 hours for some
babies!).
Why is it important to know about the Period of PurpleCrying?
Frustration dealing with infant crying is the most common reason
given for shaking a baby.
2
Barr, R. (2011). Did you know your baby would cry like this? (with DVD) National Center on Shaken Baby
Syndrome. USA.

4. Seek help if crying is problematic for you or your baby.
Sometimes the crying is a symptom of a medical problem. Parents also need to seek help if
they are having trouble coping with infant crying.
A crying baby can be very frustrating, and physically and emotionallydraining. All
parents need help and support with the challenges of parenting.
Frustration can happen if:
You had no idea your baby would cry so much.
This is harder than you thought.
Your baby won’t stop crying no matter what you try.
You feel like you are a bad parent or that you are doing something wrong.
Who is likely to shake a baby?
Sometimes a parent or caregiver gets so angry or frustrated that they lose control and,
without thinking, shake the baby.(Most victims are under a year old.) Know you can trust
your baby’s caregiver!Almost always the person caring for the baby is the one who shakes
the baby. Parents need to educate others wholook after their babies.3
The most common person that shakes a baby is theparent; the second most common is
the mother’s live-in boyfriend.
Male, under 25 years, who is a father or father figure (live-in boyfriend is a father
figure).
o More females are shaking babies but the injuries are often less serious and less
likely to be identified.
A person with a history of abuse who can’t control their anger and/ or impulses; they
may have already committed violent acts, or they were abused as children or youth.
A person with mental illness can impact how well they can handle the demands of infant
care.
Person who uses excessive amounts of drugs and alcohol.
A person who lacks child care experience or has unrealistic expectations about normal
child development.
Even a few seconds of shaking can cause serious permanent brain damage, blindness,
paralysis, and even death.
3
Ensom, R. (1998). Shaken Baby Syndrome background information. (with video) Children’s Hospital of
Eastern Ontario. Supplement to Never Shake a Baby! What Parents and Caregivers need to know
Video.

5. Remember
All babies cry.
It is more important to stay calm than to stop the crying.
It’s OK to ask for help.
Never shake a baby for any reason.
Take a break, don’t shake!
Put the baby in a safe place.
Shut the door. Leave for up to 15 minutes; go to another area of
the home.
If you are clam, try again to soothe baby.
If you are not calm, seek help. Call someone.
Learn ways to soothe a crying baby. (5 S’s)
Learn ways to calm yourself when frustrated.
Plan ahead to call for help if you need it! 4
If you think a child has been shaken or abused,
call your County Social Services.
Grand Forks County
Walsh County
Polk County , MN
Pembina County
Nelson County
4
701-787-8500
701-352-5111
218-773-2431
701-265-8441
701-247-2945
County Commissioners, NDSU and U.S. Department of
Agriculture cooperating. NDSU is an equal opportunity
institution. Direct allinquiries to the Vice President for Equity,
Diversity and Global Outreach; 205 Old Main, (701) 2317708.This publication will be made available in alternative
format to people with disabilities upon request (701) 780-8229.
Davies, W.H. & Garwood M.M. (2001). Who are perpetrators and why do they do it? In S. Lazoritz&
V. Palusci (Eds.) The Shaken Baby Syndrome A Multidisciplinary Approach. (pp. 41-54). New York:
Haworth Press Inc. (p. 46).