Shaken baby syndrome

The advice they give at Cry-sis is simple. ‘Put the baby in the cot, shut the door, walk away and have a cup of tea,’ says Jan. ‘Give yourself time to calm down, take deep breaths and then go back and do all the things you tried before: check the nappy, whether they’re hungry, cold, whatever.’

You could ask your partner, mother or a friend to look after your baby for a while to give you a break or, if that’s not possible, get out of the house and take your baby for a walk in the pram. And remember, talking to someone also helps: meet other mums on the iVillage message board or ring a friend, relative, your health visitor, or the Cry-sis helpline. ‘You’re not a dreadful parent or a failure,’ reassures Jan. ‘By taking this action you’re doing the best thing for your baby and your sanity.’

Cry-sis is an organisation which helps people with constantly crying babies. It has a network of counsellors who are available on the phone, 24 hours a day:
Cry-sis, 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3XX. Tel:020 7404 5011