![Knitter's guild and Tahoe Forest staff](https://www.tfhd.com/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner/public/news/Purple%20Hat%20Knitting%20Group%20Photo%20crop.jpg?itok=ppFYwYyG)
Through the collaborative efforts the Knitters Guild of Incline Village, Tahoe Truckee Child Abuse Prevention Council and Tahoe Forest Health System Foundation, 72 tiny hand-made purple hats were donated to the Joseph Family Center for Women & Newborn Care at Tahoe Forest Hospital.
In conjunction with the CLICK for Babies purple hat drive, developed by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, knitters are asked to make purple infant hats as part of a campaign to raise awareness of shaken baby syndrome and infant abuse.
These beautifully knitted hats will be given to each family of a new baby at Tahoe Forest Hospital, along with a complimentary DVD and booklet. These materials are educational and relevant to all parents of newborns, emphasizing the dangers of shaking a baby.
Frustration with infant crying is the number one thing that triggers a person to shake or harm a baby, so it is important for parents and caregivers to know what to expect from newborns. That way they can be prepared to handle this incredibly stressful and frustrating time.
All babies go through a normal period of increased crying in the first few months of life. This increased crying, called the period of PURPLE crying, typically begins at about two weeks of age, peaks in the second month of life, and becomes less in the third or fourth month. Some infants cry more than others, and in some infants you may not even notice the increased amount of crying, but ALL infants do cry more during this period.
The Knitter’s Guild is 30 members strong and meets weekly at the St. Patrick Episcopal Church in Incline Village.