ICON week 2023
It's finally here! #ICONweek2023.
An exciting week of webinars includes speakers from the military, public health, probation services, health visiting, and paediatrics, as well as ICON parent ambassadors.
Visit ICON Cope - ICON Week 2023 for more details.
If you have a baby that cries a lot, it can be exhausting and lonely. You are not alone.
Crying is normal. It is not your fault. It's ok to take a time out when you feel overwhelmed.
Keep baby safe, keep yourself safe.
Abusive head trauma can occur in any environment when a parent or carer is on the edge due to infant crying.
Make sure anyone looking after your child knows the ICON principles. ICON Cope - Parents advice.
It’s tough when your baby won’t stop crying. You may worry something is wrong with your child, that you’ll lose your cool or that your parenting skills aren’t up to the job. But you can handle it.
- Take a break
- Ask for help
- Never shake your baby
There are lots of things you can do to help soothe your baby. Check out our top 5 tips to help with infant crying. The main thing to remember is to stay calm and never hurt or shake your baby.
- Talk calmly, hum or sing to your baby
- Let them hear repeating or soothing sounds (white noise)
- Hold them close. Skin to skin.
- Take baby for a walk outside
- Give them a warm bath
ICON - Babies Cry, You Can Cope programme supports parents and carers manage normal infant crying and to prevent abusive head trauma injuries to babies caused by shaking, also referred to as ‘shaken baby syndrome’.
ICON is an evidenced-based programme designed to help parents and carers understand the normal crying pattern of young infants and to help them develop successful coping mechanisms to deal with this.
The ICON programme delivers four simple messages before the birth and in the first few months of a baby’s life:
I - Infant crying is normal.
C - Comforting methods can help.
O - It’s OK to walk away.
N - Never, ever shake a baby.
These ICON messages have been demonstrated to help parents and carers manage the stresses which can be caused by normal infant crying. Midwives, Health Visitors and other professionals across the region have developed ICON expertise to help give parents and carers the tools they need to help keep their babies safe. It’s always OK to ask for help. If you are worried about a crying baby they should speak to:
- friends and family
- Health Visitor
- GP
- Midwife
- local children’s centre
Remember: Never, ever shake or hurt a baby. It can cause lasting brain damage and death.
More information and resources to support the ICON programme are available on the dedicated ICON Cope website.
#ICONcope #ICONweek2023