Shaken Baby Syndrome is a real problem in our society. In our family, we were just "ordinary people" until this happened to Madison. It was something we read about, knew a little about but never thought it could happen to us.
So, we want to provide some basic information about SBS. The main thing to understand is that if you have a baby under 2 years old, it can happen to you. Madison's mother thought that taking a night shift job so that the baby would be safe with her father as opposed to a babysitter, she would be safe. A crying baby can be frustrating to anyone. Our best advice if you find yourself feeling stressed, the baby is on your last nerve and you are at the end of your rope- PUT THE BABY DOWN. WALK AWAY. CALL A FRIEND. It will not hurt the baby to cry safely in the crib. Calm yourself before trying to calm the baby.
THREE SHAKES IS ALL IT TAKES! An "average" shaking lasts about 15 seconds with 60 shakes. Think about that- how hard and fast would you have to be shaking the baby to accomplish this. With Madison, after she was shaken, she was slammed into her crib. While alone in the dark room, she had 3 strokes from being shaken and slammed, and the strokes contributed to her brain injuries.
