Grab Your Purple Yarn!

After two kids, I am lucky enough to never have experienced "purple crying" firsthand. We were handed a DVD on the subject when we left the hospital with the little miss and almost nine months later it still sits encased in plastic wrapping on my dresser.

For those of you that don't know, the "Period of PURPLE Crying" is the phase in your baby's life when they cry more than do anything else. It's often described as colic, and it's totally normal. But what I understand from my friends who have lived through it, it's hell on earth. Unfortunately, it can lead some parents to do things they will regret forever.

There is a campaign across North America to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome, and education about the Period of PURPLE Crying is a major component of this initiative. It aims to inform parents about this challenging period in their baby's life, and provide tactics to manage the frustration that goes along with it.

CALLING ALL KNITTERS!

As part of this education and awareness campaign, they are asking "crafty folks" and knitting groups to knit or crochet PURPLE newborn baby caps to given to babies born in BC during the week of November 15th to coincide with Canada’s National Child Day.

Crafters can create from five to 50 caps using any newborn baby cap pattern and any colour of soft, baby-friendly PURPLE yarn.

Please help spread the word by joining the facebook group or sharing the information with your network and encouraging them to knit a few caps over the summer months.

PURPLE caps should be mailed by Nov 5, 2010 to BC Children’s Hospital:

c/o Claire Yambao
Provincial Program Coordinator, Prevent SBS BC
BC Children's Hospital
4480 Oak Street, K1-209
Vancouver, BC V6H 3V4

By knitting and sending PURPLE newborn baby caps to be given to babies across the province, you will make a difference by:

• Raising awareness for this life-saving project - Period of PURPLE Crying - Prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome BC.
• Participating in a growing, province-wide grassroots effort to educate new parents about the normalcy of early infant crying and how to cope with the frustration that can accompany it.

The Period of PURPLE Crying - Prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome BC is a part of the most comprehensive shaken baby syndrome prevention initiative in North America. To learn more, visit http://www.PURPLEcrying.info and follow them on Twitter @PurpleCrying