All parents have days when they feel bad. Lots of things can go wrong. Your baby may be sick. You may feel tired after school or work. You may wish you weren’t tied down to a baby. You may feel scared about paying your bills.

Everybody feels bad sometimes. Learning to cope with these feelings is part of living a healthy life.

If you feel so bad that you might hurt your baby, stop what you’re doing. Put your baby in a safe place. Leave the room for a few minutes. Take 10 deep breaths. Then take 10 more.
If you feel like hurting your baby, call Parents Anonymous at 1-800-554-2323. This group is made up of parents just like you. They will listen. They can help you find ways to cope with your feelings. They can help keep you from hurting your baby.

Sometimes moms and dads take out their feelings on each other. It often starts with hurtful words. Over time it may grow into hurtful actions like hitting. Hitting just makes things worse. Yelling and fighting scares your baby.

Learn to talk things out. Say, “Let’s change the way we argue. Let’s talk instead of hit.” Avoid blaming your partner when something goes wrong. If you think you might yell or hit, leave the room for a few minutes. Come back when you have settled down.

Some men take advantage of their bigger size and hit their partners. The man may force the woman to keep it secret. Or he may threaten to take away the baby. The woman may feel that she is to blame. And she may feel too scared to tell anyone. If this is happening to you, call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). This is the National Domestic Violence Hotline. They will listen. They will help you make a safety plan. They will help you figure out what to do.

If you’re afraid your partner will hurt you or the baby, call 9-1-1 right away. No one deserves to be hurt. You need to feel safe in your own home.

Abuse hotlines:

If you know about a child who is being abused, call the child abuse hotline. Your name will be kept confidential. The incident will be investigated. Child abuse hotline 1-800-422-4453
If you know a woman who is being abused by her partner, suggest that she call the domestic violence hotline. She may remain anonymous, if she wishes. She will learn how to get help. Domestic violence hotline 1-800-799-SAFE

Information Resources for Families:

Families who are enrolled in the WIC program (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) can get information on breastfeeding, formula feeding and nutrition at their local WIC office. Families eligible for WIC receive nutrition counseling and supplemental foods such as baby formula, milk and cereal. To find the WIC office nearest you, call your state health department or visit the WIC Web site at www.fns.usda.gov/wic/ Many public libraries offer free access to the Internet and provide help for first-time users.

To learn about child care options, you may contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child Care Aware by phone at 1-800-424-2246 or visit their Web site at www.childcareaware.org/

For more information and resources on postpartum depression, breastfeeding and many other women’s health issues call The National Women’s Health Information Center (NWHIC) at 1-800-994-9662 (1-800-994-WOMAN). You can visit their Web site at www.4woman.org/

To learn more about breastfeeding, you may call La Leche League at 1-800-LALECHE or visit their Web site at www.lalecheleague.org/

To learn more about free or low-cost health insurance for children, you can call the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Insure Kids Now program at 1-877-KIDSNOW. You can also visit their Web site at www.insurekidsnow.gov/

The American Association of Poison Control Centers’ (AAPCC) poison control hotline, 1-800-222-1222, should be on your list of emergency numbers. To learn more, you can visit the AAPCC Web site at www.aapcc.org/

Families who cannot afford a car safety seat can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They can provide information on resources that help low-income families purchase or borrow child car seats. You may call them at 1-800-424-9393 or visit their Web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov/

To learn more about safety, you can call the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 1-800-638-2772 or you can visit their Web site at www.cpsc.gov/

For information on disabilities and disability-related issues for families, you can call the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY) at 1-800-695-0285 or visit their Web site at www.nichcy.org/

For information about programs that teach adults how to read, you can call America’s Literacy Directory at 1-800-228-8813 or visit their Web site at: www.literacydirectory.org/

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