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I have heard so many stories of frustration from parents saying their car seats don’t fit properly in their car.  This is often a problem, especially if you have to put a larger seat rear­-facing, or when you need to fit 2 or 3 car seats across.  Did you know that Evenflo does not allow a RF car seat to be touching the back of the seat in front of it? Their infant carriers must be 1 ½ inches from the seat back in front of them. Think about it. How many vehicle manufacturers are there?  Multiply that by the number of child car seat manufactures and then don’t forget to include the number of different car seat models and vehicle models!  It’s impossible for every car and every car seat to be compatible with so many sizes and shapes of each one!

I find it so frustrating that some manufacturers allow the handle of the infant carrier to be upright while others require it to be back.  There are no hard and fast rules about what car seat is best.  More expensive does not necessarily mean better.  All child car seats need to meet the same safety standards.  You need to choose the car seat that fits best in your car, is appropriate for the age, height and weight of your child and is easy for you to use, so that you will use it the right way, every time you travel. It is so important to read the owners’ manual that comes with your car seat and to reference the vehicle owner’s manual as well.

When shopping for a car seat, ask the store manager if you can try it in your car.  I’m not sure if you will need to buy it first, but if so, be clear about the return policies of that store.  You may be able to take it right out into the parking lot and try it in your car. 

Do you know which positions in your car are able to be used with LATCH?  Has using LATCH made your car seat installations easier?  That’s now always the case.  Check out this article about the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) which were instituted to make car set installation easier.    http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/04/study-says-baby-seats-hard-to-install-in-most-cars/1#.T7pisEVfEWo

Once you’ve read the owner’s manual and installed your seat, consider going to get your installation checked by a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician.  Visit www.safekids.org for a list of checkup events or inspection stations in your area.

Safer Child Products

Many parents look for options to give their babies and young children and opt for Juice. Is this wise?  Fruit Juice has a lot of sugar in it and the AAP says there is no nutritional benefit to babies less than 6 months of age.  As stated in http://kidshealth.org/parent/question/infants/babies_juice.html drinking too much juice can contribute to cavities, diarrhea, and obesity.

If you choose to give your baby juice, make sure it is 100% juice and limit their intake to about 4 oz. per day.  Even children aged 1-6 years should be limited to 4-6 oz. of juice per day.

Do not give your baby water.  According to Dr. Stephen R. Daniels, "Water can interfere with a young baby's ability to absorb the nutrients in breast milk or formula and, because it can make her feel full, it may prevent her from feeding as much as she should.

Giving water to an infant can also cause water intoxication, a serious condition that happens when too much water dilutes the concentration of sodium in the body, upsetting the electrolyte balance and causing tissues to swell. It's uncommon but serious, potentially causing seizures and even a coma."

So, stick to breast milk or formula for your infants, and if you have any questions or concerns, contact your child's doctor.  

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I recently read an article referring to recalls and warnings about the Bumbo baby seat.  Many parents have been using the Bumbo on chairs and other elevated surfaces.  Then babies were falling and sustaining skull fractures.  Not good.  So, I was thinking about it.  I know that Bumbo was intended for use on the floor to support a baby in an upright position once they can hold up their head. I have read the box.  That being said, my husband and I realize that we do not always read directions included in packaging because a product’s use and function seems obvious.  I’m sure that is what was happening with the Bumbo as well.  People think they know how to use it, maybe it was a gift or even a hand me down, with no box!  It certainly looks like it could be a booster that would sit on a chair, and wouldn’t it be nice to have baby in an upright position for a change?

Allen and I are very safety conscious. We always buckled the seat belts in the high chair and stroller, and always buckled tightly the booster seat w/ tray to the chair.  However, I know many parents do not feel the need to take that extra step. They certainly mean no harm by it, but they probably do not think it’s necessary.  Either they “know” that their child isn’t going to go anywhere, or they want their toddler to be able to climb out when they are ready.  It makes me nervous to see a child climbing out of the stroller while it is moving, and I’ve seen kids get tangled trying to climb out of a booster seat at the table.  The height of a high chair frightens me, because surely there would be injuries if a child fell from that height, were they not buckled in.  I am not passing judgment. I am just reflecting on common practice. 

My final thought is this.  Babies are very wiggly.  They do have control yet of their bodies. You never know when the baby is going to decide to kick or squirm or throw their weight and if the bouncy seat or infant carrier (or Bumbo) is up on the table, then they are likely to fall off.  Please keep all baby seats on the floor and supervise them at all times.

If parents are having trouble using something simple like a Bumbo, then it’s no wonder statistics show 3 out of 4 car seats are installed incorrectly!  It’s not stupidity; it’s that these products are not made with common sense in mind.

Safer Child Products

My niece and nephew came to visit this weekend.  They are 4 and 2.  They are so cute and so much fun to play with. We all had a great time.  However, when you have a 2 y/o visiting, you have to be conscious of small pieces in toys and games and my niece loves to go up and down the stairs.  Most of the day she was engaged and well supervised, but at one point I went upstairs and found her walking down!  I got very nervous!  I had not closed the bathroom doors upstairs. In fact, I noticed that the lid on the toilet was open!  What if she had fallen into the toilet or fallen down the stairs?  What if she got caught on the closet door? 

Fortunately, none of these things happened, but Unintentional Injuries are the leading cause of injury and death among children in the United States.  According to the article Unintentional Injuries in Pediatrics, “1 in 4 children sustains an unintentional injury that requires medical care each year.”  To summarize the chart, the leading cause of Unintentional Injury Death Among Children Age 0-10 Year, 2000- 2005, Suffocation was #1 for infants younger than 1 yr. and Drowning was on top for children 1-4 years old.  For children older than 5 years, Motor Vehicle Crashes were the leading cause of injury, death and disability.  I could not believe when I read that “In 2005, 20 children younger than 19 years of age were killed each day from motor vehicle crashes and more than 200, 000 were injured in that year.”

I hate the thought of children being hurt ever, but if there is something we can do to prevent these injuries, than let’s all make an extra effort to do so. Below is the list of Injury Prevention Tips, from Table 2 and most we’ve heard before. It doesn’t hurt to see it again in fact, we could all use reminders and re-evaluations of our situations.  In spite of all we can do, there is no substitute for close supervision. 

Motor Vehicle Crash

·         Back seat (middle) placement of child
·         Rear-Facing car seat until age 2yrs,  
·         Forward-Facing car seat until at least 40 lbs
·         Booster Seat until at least 80 lbs. and 57 inches
·         Always check manufacturer’s specifications on car seat
·         Proper use of seat belts

Drowning

·         Enclose Pools w/ at least 4-ft fence and self-closing gate
·         Wear Life Jackets on boats and when playing near water
·         Do Not leave children unattended in baths
·         Supervise closely (adult within 1 arms reach of a child in or near water)
·         Teach swimming and water safety

Fire and Burns

·         Install smoke detectors on every level of the home and near sleeping areas
·         Test smoke detectors monthly, replace batteries yearly
·         Establish a family fire escape plan
·         Keep lighters, matches out of reach
·         No smoking in bed!
·         Reduce water heater temperature to 120 degrees
·         Do not drink hot fluids near children
·         Never leave the stove unattended
·         Keep appliance cords, pot handles, grills and fireplaces out of reach
·         Cover outlets with protective devices

Poisoning

·         Keep all potential poisons in original containers and out of reach
·         Keep all medication out of reach
·         Place child-resistant caps on medication
·         Dispose of medications immediately and safely
·         Install Carbon Monoxide detectors on every level of home
·         Keep poison control number near the phone 1-800-222-1222

Threats to Breathing

·         Back to sleep
·         Remove comforters, pillows, bumpers and stuffed animals from crib
·         Avoid nuts, carrots, popcorn and hotdog pieces
·         Keep coins, batteries, small toys,  magnets and toy parts awat from children < 4years old
·         Cut blind cords and tie them out of reach
·         Ensure cribs and mattresses meet safety precautions

Falls

·         No baby walkers with wheels
·         Supervise children closely
·         Use safety straps in high chairs, shopping carts, and for diaper changes
·         Keep car seats and “bouncy chairs” on the floor

 Recreation

·         Ensure helmets are fitted and worn properly
·         Keep children <10 years old off the road
·         Remove drawstrings, scarves, and ropes from clothing when children are on playground
·         Supervise children closely
·         Ensure playground equipment has deep soft surface underneath

Above information taken from Pediatrics in Review Vol. 32 No.10 October 2011, pages 431-433

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Most kids look forward to Halloween as an opportunity to get dressed up in costumes, whether cute or scary, and get LOTS and LOTS of candy.  How do
you handle the Halloween Candy obsession in your house?  Do you let them eat as much as they want on Halloween Night, hoping they will not want to see another piece of candy after that?  Or do you dole out 1 or 2 pieces of candy each night, finding that you still have tons of leftovers next Halloween?

How about using this opportunity to teach your kids about giving back and gratitude?  The Halloween Candy Buy Back Program encourages kids to “sell” their candy to a participating dentist or orthodontist and they in turn will send the candy overseas to our troops.  I am all for getting rid of the candy and if can brighten someone’s day while they are fighting to protect freedom, I am all for it.  I am in favor of giving my kids allowance or a prize for doing something extremely kind or helpful, but do they really need money for donating candy?  If your kids are old enough to understand, perhaps help them right a letter to the troops to include with the candy?

Whatever your feeling on payment, check out the website
http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/index.html  and enter your zipcode to find a participating dental office near you.  You’ll be glad you did (and hopefully your kids will learn to appreciate it too. )

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I am always curious what parents will do to keep their kids happy in the car.  Do you have toys in the car?  Are they soft, or can they become dangerous projectiles in the event of a crash?  Do you play kiddie music over and over or sing until you are blue in the face?  How about feeding the kids in the car?  I always had snacks with me to keep my children happy while riding in the car.  To this day, my daughter acts like she cannot survive 10 minutes in the car without eating.  When she is hungry, she wants food NOW!

However, with so many choices of car seats and unclear, ever changing guidelines I worry that some parents will change their child’s car seat too soon.  When the baby gets heavy in the carrier, or their toes are hitting everything as you walk by, there is no reason to keep them in the infant carrier (except maybe convenience of portability).  Many convertible car seats can be used rear facing and forward facing.  Just because you move the baby to a bigger seat, certainly does not mean to put the seat forward facing if they are not ready.

Many of the child car seats on the market can be used Rear Facing from as little as 5 pounds and to as high as 35 or 40 pounds.  Check the sticker on the side of your child car seat or the instruction manual.  It is a good idea to keep the instruction manual either attached to the back of the car seat or in your car, so it is available for easy reference. I’ve made that mistake and been asked at a car seat safety check if I have my manual and I did not.  I’ve found that I had questions about where to put the top tether and I’ve had to dig around in the file cabinet to find the instruction manual.

So, you may ask, my baby is always so unhappy in the car and hates to be rear facing.  Unfortunately, this does happen, but perhaps the baby would be happier in a larger seat.  The right seat is the one that fits properly in your car, is easy for you to use and meets the height and weight requirements or your child.

http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html

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My children and I all have seasonal allergies.  With all the rain and crazy weather patterns, this fall has been particularly itchy, sneezy and coughy.  We all take over the counter anti-histamines.  As part of my morning routine, when I come downstairs, I make the kids lunch, get toothbrushes ready and take out the allergy medicine.  The kids eat breakfast, brush their hair and hopefully brush their teeth.  Many times allergy medicine gets over looked.  What do I do?  Leave it on the counter for them to take when they get home.  Fortunately, my kids are older now and have been taught not to “eat” or take any medication that is not specifically given to them by their parents or grandparents, when in their care.  However, having pills sit out on the counter is NOT a good idea.  My husband keeps reminding me of this.  Some risks with leaving pills of any kind out include, being knocked over onto the floor, or into food being prepared.  Also, we have friends and neighbors come by the house a lot, and how can I assume that someone else’s child is as cautious and knowledgeable about not taking other people’s medication?  Just because I know what it is, doesn’t mean that someone else in my household knows what it is, or who remembers if they took their pill in the morning?  I am risking someone taking a 2^nd pill that day.

As I sit back and review these risks, and potential poisoning, I realize that I need to be more careful.  I need to either hand the pill to my child, or put it back in its original container where it won’t get lost or confused. 

If you suspect that your child has taken medication he wasn’t supposed to, or you gave them the wrong dose, or even picked up a suspicious “mushroom” or berry growing in the garden, you might want to call National Capital Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.  Keep this number by your telephone. The National Capital Poison Center’s website, http://www.poison.org/ provides a great explanation of what they can do, and why they should be your first call in a poisoning emergency.  In fact, Poison Control Staff can often safely treat someone at home and prevent a costly Emergency Room Visit. 

Pay close attention to dosage instructions on all medication bottles and keep all medication in its original container and away from children. Be aware that Tylenol has changed dosing instructions for infant’s Tylenol and changed the syringe, so be sure to read carefully or ask your Dr. for advice before administering the medication to your child.  When overdosed, even Tylenol can be harmful and cause liver damage. On the Tylenol website, go to page 3 of the changing “display” Page 3.  It tells about Product Enhancements in both Infant’s and Children’s Tylenol products.

http://www.tylenol.com/index.jhtml?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Franchise.Fr+-+Branded&utm_term=tylenol&utm_content=Branded+General|mkwid|sxpLawx45|pcrid|9728974033

Safer Child Products

I always allowed my kids to eat in the car.  Why?  Because it kept them quiet, and it seemed like my little one was a bottomless pit.  Today, now that they are older, it seems like it’s our only option some days.  We are so busy running to activities after school and catching up on errands on the weekends, that I feel like we live in our car! 

Periodically, my husband would clean out the car because he couldn’t stand the mess. The question was always “What do we do about the car seat?”  Typically we would just vacuum it out, and occasionally we would take it out and give it a thorough cleaning and it was always pretty gross!  However re-installing it was no easy task and we always took it back to the DMV to get re-installed/checked. 

It wasn’t until I read an article about Germs in Your Car that I realized that not only are the crumbs disgusting to sit in, but they can actually be dangerous to our and our children’s health! For some reason it never occurred to me that crumbs can grow mold!  Well yeah, that makes sense!  In fact, there was a study done Charles P. Gerba Ph.D. Professor of Environmental Microbiology at University of Arizona, which found that “greater numbers of bacteria were found in automobiles that carried children as passengers.”  Specifically, MRSA was found in a child car seat and on a steering wheel too!”  That made me take disinfecting wipes to my car!  Wow!  What a wakeup call that was! 

So, knowing that statistics show 3 out of 4 car seats are NOT installed correctly, then why would we want to remove our already secured/ professionally installed seats from the car, even to clean them, as frequently as Dr. Gerba recommends (washing the cover a few times per month)?  Why can’t there be an easier/ better way, since most child car seats require you to take apart the whole seat just to get the cover off for cleaning. Hmmm…..

Safer Child Products

So many times I am walking in the mall or supermarket, even the playground and I see infants in their car seat carrier whose straps are loose or chest clip is down by the belly button. It really makes me wonder 2 things.

1.   Do parents then put the infant carrier back in the car like this and
2.   Were parents ever taught that the chest clip needs to be up at armpit or nipple level and harness snug to body to keep the baby secure? 

Why do many parents feel that it is necessary to loosen the straps on their child’s harness?  I know that no one’s intention is for our children to be less safe outside the car than in! With a loose harness, a child is likely to stick there arm thru the gap in the straps or even fall out if tilted or dropped. The harness is designed to hold the child securely in the seat so that the seat itself takes the impact and the child should more or less not move.

I worry about this. If parents are not taught how to install and use their child car seats properly, then our children are not as safe in the car as they could be.  I don’t know how many people really take the time to read their car seat manual cover to cover. 

I know that some hospitals are now giving classes on the newborn/postpartum floor on how to properly place and secure your newborn into a car seat/infant carrier. I think this is fabulous and encourage every parent of a newborn to participate, whether this is your first child or your fifth!  Car seat styles and regulations have changed so much over the years, it’s always good to be refreshed and get updated recommendations.

This week is National Child Passenger Safety Week and this Saturday, September 24^th is Seat Check Saturday.  For information on car seat checks in your area go to www.safekids.org

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Head Lice.  Just the thought of it is enough to make any parent cringe and scratch their head.  If you’ve ever had it visit your family, and been the one to treat it, it probably makes you want to cry, and scratch your head! Lice are tiny insects that can only live on the human scalp.  They need human blood to survive.  They are about the size and color of a sesame seed.  Do not fool yourself by saying “this could not happen to us, we are very clean”.  Cleanliness is NOT an indicator on who will get lice.  According to LiceMD, “They crawl from one person to another and are spread by direct hair-to-hair contact. Other means of spreading is from the sharing of combs, hats, helmets, scarves, headphones, pillows or other personal items.”

Many young children love to play dress-up.  Make a rule that they cannot share any hats or crowns, even when going out to play.  If your children are in school, remind them that rugs are for sitting on, not for laying on.  Why take a chance that someone who unknowingly has lice was just rolling around on the rug.  Even at home, try to keep hair brushes and pony tail holders separate for each child.  If going on a sleepover, tell your child they must bring and use their own pillow, for everyone’s protection.

If you discover that your child does have lice, don’t keep it a secret.  It’s not worth being embarrassed over.  It is very important to tell the teacher and anyone that your child works or plays closely with.  Think about them leaning head to head reading or working on a project together. 

Invest in a very fine toothed comb and a magnifying glass.  Check your children regularly, so you can catch it early.  I checked my kids before they went back to school, so I knew that we were starting the year free of any little pests. 

The next step in lice treatment will be to strip all bedding and stuffed toys.  What you can wash, do so in HOT water and dry on High Heat.  Anything that cannot be washed seal in a plastic bag for 2 weeks.  Clean out hair brushes and put them in hot soapy water for 5-10 minutes. 

There are many different recipes for treating or killing head lice.  LiceMD, RID, even Mayonnaise! (In some cities you can even hire a professional “nitpicker”!)  You may want to talk to your doctor or pharmacist about a treatment that is right for you.  Most important is that fine tooth comb and magnifying glass.  Even after killing the lice, it is essential for you to comb the nits or eggs from the hair.  You must keep checking over the next 10 days to be sure that there are no new hatchlings.  When you comb, be sure to take very small sections at a time, and comb in different directions, concentrating on the scalp, nape of the neck, and behind the ears.

Another tip:  If your child has lice, check their siblings and yourself as well.  You may want to sit your child in front of a DVD to occupy them while you comb out their hair to minimize the whining and crying.  It’s worked for us!

Visit http://headlicecenter.com/head-lice/head-lice-treatments/ for even more discussion on head lice and treatment options. 

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After hearing about Leiby Kletzkey, the 8 y/o religious Jewish boy from Brooklyn who was brutally murdered and dismembered, I said to myself, “If a Hasidic Jewish boy is not safe in his close knit religious neighborhood in Brooklyn, then none of us are safe!”  I was distraught.  Over-reacting a little?  Maybe, however as a parent of children around his age, it certainly hit close to home.  Not only am I saddened about the horror and the tragedy for the boy himself, but imagine how his mother must feel!  I can’t imagine that she will ever get over that loss, but I know that I would second guess everything I ever taught my child about stranger danger and who to trust.  Every day we must make decisions about whether to leave our child home alone, or whether to let them walk alone. 

So what is the right answer?  I read many articles about the Leiby Kletzkey case and one man said “my children don’t talk to any strangers, whether they are wearing a yarmulke or a do rag!” Is that the answer?  Who is really a stranger?  What happened to being neighborly and saying hello to people in your neighborhood you don’t really know but occasionally bump into on the street?  Are we helping our children or doing them a disservice by interfering with their social development?  David Parkin, a Retired Police Superintendent suggests “Denying Children the opportunity to be sociable is damaging to society.”

I think that some good guidelines for safety are never to walk alone, and never to approach a car. Teach your children NOT to be lured by someone asking them for directions, or asking them to help find a missing puppy.  In short, don’t GO anywhere with strangers!

Some safe people to talk to or ask for help are Police Officers/ Security Guards, and shop keepers.  Teachers are good people to talk to as well.  Teach your children to trust their instincts. If someone is making them feel uncomfortable, or they get a funny feeling about a person, leave and go someplace else.  If they cannot find any of these “uniformed” people and need help, a Woman, a Grandparent or someone with young children may be able to help. 

For more great tips on “stranger danger” go to http://www.safetycops.com/stranger_danger.htm

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How many of us still mow our own lawns?  It can be very rewarding and good for our physical fitness if you are walking/pushing the mower!  However, Lawn mowers can also be very dangerous.  Even when off and stored in the garage, do not let children play on or with mowers.  Children need to be supervised and kept away from running lawn mowers. According to Dr. Edwin Harris, pediatric podiatrist, many children have lost toes or even portions of their feet in lawn mower accidents. Dr. Harris even suggests that no one under age 16 operate a power mower and that you don’t let children ride along while you are mowing the lawn.

Pay attention to the area around you and always look behind you and around corners to be sure that no children are hiding/ hidden there before you continue to mow that area.

To read the interview with Dr. Harris and see more CPSC recommendations go to http://www.consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=653402

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I just heard about a young boy who had a choking incident on a cut-up piece of hot dog.  Hot dogs are so rubbery and slippery!  It was a terrible story, but thankfully, he came out ok.  He was one of the lucky ones. This tiny piece of hot dog got lodged in his airway,, but it must have been so low down that the Heimlich maneuver did not help, nor did the thumping on his back.  His day care providers did everything right, but it was the 911 operator who stayed on the phone with the day care and helped them figure out how to get this little boy’s airway un-blocked. 

According to an article in WebMd http://children.webmd.com/news/20100222/group-aims-to-reduce-child-choking-deaths  “In a 2001 CDC review of choking injuries, about one-third of choking episodes occurred in infants and three-fourths occurred in children under the age of 3.” I read that a toddler’s airway is about the size of a straw, and we all know that many times, toddlers eat on the run, not sitting down for a meal!  Developmentally, chewing can be an issue too!  I remember saying to my children when they were younger, “bite it and chew it”.  Consider how many teeth  they have, and how good a job they are able to do chewing up their food.

We as parents and caregivers need to be educated and make responsible decisions about what foods to feed our children, and when they need to be supervised while eating.  Be sure to get CPR certified and have choking first-aid training too.  Make sure your babysitters or anyone in charge of your children are trained and aware of the rules during mealtime, such as sitting while eating, and cutting food into small pieces.  Call your local Hospital System to find out when they offer CPR and Choking Resuscitation Classes. 

Don’t forget that small toys and “button” batteries pose a choking risk to young children as well. Even when a battery compartment is screwed closed, it can still be a risk factor.  I saw a mom post recently about her young daughter who somehow pried open the battery compartment of a toy and popped the battery in her mouth before her parents, who were just steps away, even had a chance to react!.  Keep small toys and battery operated objects out of reach of small children.

Wishing you all another safe and wonderful week. Stay alert and keep a phone nearby in case of an emergency!
Information for parents on choking prevention is available at http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/31/3/26-q.

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It is often exhausting and even frustrating caring for babies and young children.  Especially when you are sleep deprived and when the baby cries for hours on end, you may feel like you are at the end of your rope!  You may be feeling Angry and Frustrated that you can’t make it stop, that you can’t get a break. Check out http://www.purplecrying.info/loc/goingon.php?locpg=32& as a great resource to help parents and caregivers understand the period of nightly crying that many babies go through in the first few months. This will not make baby stop crying, but will help you know there is an end in sight to this ongoing crying.

Many babies have crying periods for hours every night starting around 2 or 3 weeks old and lasting until 3 or 4 months old.  It used to be known as colic, but now experts are calling it The Period of Purple Crying. According to Dr. Ronald Barr, the word PURPLE refers to the “6 characteristics of this crying behavior.” P stands for Peak of Crying. Dr. Barr states that the crying episodes, or length of time increases daily until it reaches its peak, then seems to decrease until one day it stops., U is for Unexpected. Once you have tried feeding and changing the baby and made sure that the baby is not stuck anyplace, nothing harmful is wrapped around the baby’s finger or leg or anywhere else and if the baby has recently been checked out by a health care provider, you will realize that this crying is just unexpected or unexplainable. R is for Resists Soothing.  Does it seem that no matter what you do the baby cannot be soothed? P is for a Pain Like Face, L is for Long Lasting. Dr. Barr states that these episodes can last from about 30 mins, up to a few hours.  E stands for Evening, as these episodes tend to be in the late afternoon or early evening.

Try to be patient with yourself and with the baby.  These long crying episodes do not have anything to do with your parenting or caregiving skills.  Do your best to offer love and comfort to the baby, even when it does not seem to help. Don’t be afraid to put the baby down in a safe place like the crib and step away for just a few minutes to catch your breath.  Call a parent or trustworthy friend and ask them for help.  Talk to your pediatrician or a local crisis hotline for support and resources on managing the stress of parenting, particularly a very fussy baby. Help is available!