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ICON - Babies cry, you can cope 

ICON logo

ICON is an evidenced-based programme aimed at preventing abusive head trauma injuries to babies caused by shaking - also referred to as ‘shaken baby syndrome’.

The programme was developed by Dr Suzanne Smith, Assistant Director of Nursing with the Pennine Acute Hospitals NSH Trust, and builds on research completed as part of her PhD studies around abusive head trauma in infants, and on similar preventive projects studied across North America and Canada. Her report 'Abusive Head Trauma: The Case For Prevention is available here 

ICON helps parents and carers to understand the normal crying pattern of young infants and gives them the tools and interventions to develop successful coping mechanisms to deal with this.

The ICON Communication Toolkit for 2024 

The ICON messages that all parents and carers are asked to remember to help manage the stresses caused by a baby crying are: 

  •  I – Infant crying is normal and it will stop! 
  • C – Comfort methods can sometimes help to soothe the baby and the crying will stop. 
  • O – It’s OK to walk away if you have checked the baby is safe and the crying is getting to you. 
  • N – Never, ever shake a baby. It can cause lasting brain damage and death

An ICON communication toolkit consolidated by Hull City Council in February 2024 can be accessed here

  • An ICON leaflet for parents is available (including one for premature babies), and a poster. Please print off and use these resources.
  • Information for professionals including videos and training resources are available here. 
  • A maternal postnatal questions template for use in general practice is available here.
  • ICON intervention talking points are available here
  • ICON stickers and fridge magnet templates are also available. 

The ICON 7 minute briefing resource slide is new for 2023 and can be downloaded here

2019-07-03 (7)

Your baby is now officially an embryo and is about the size of a poppy seed.

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/4-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (4)

Your baby is now the size of a kidney bean and weighs 1g. 

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/8-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (6)

Welcome to the second trimester!

Your baby is about the size of a small lime and weighs approximately 14g.

You have hopefully seen your midwife for your 'booking in' appointment, if you have not yet seen a midwife please make an appointment quickly, so you can have all of your choices about screening tests explained and offered to you.

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/12-weeks-pregnant/ for more information. You can also link to the 'Pregnancy Journey' area here.  

2019-07-03

Your baby is about the size of an avocado and weighs approximately 100g. 

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/16-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (2)

Your baby has grown in length and is now the length of a small banana and weighs approximately 300g. Around this time you will be offered your '20 week' scan, also known as the 'anatomy' or 'anomaly' scan.Click here for more information about screening. 

This is a also a good time to talk and sing to your bump as your baby can now hear sounds. This is great way for you and your partner/family to bond with your baby.

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/20-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (8)

Your baby has grown again to the approximate length of an ear of sweetcorn and weighs about 600g. 

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/24-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (1)

Welcome to the third trimester!

Your baby is now approximately the weight of an aubergine; about 1kg and approximately 37cm in length. 

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/28-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (3)

Your baby now weighs approximately the same as a coconut; around 1.5kg. 

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/32-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (5)

Your baby is now around the same size as a lettuce, approximately 47cm long and weighs around 2.6kg. 

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/36-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (9)

Your baby is now the weight of a small watermelon which is approximately 3.3kg and around 50cm in length. 

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/40-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.