The woman, who The Courier cannot name for legal reasons, was sentenced for recklessly causing injury to her son at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Friday.

The court heard the woman denied injuring her baby for three years after it happened on October 2017 to child protection, police and others.

The woman had taken her baby to hospital after he became unresponsive at home.

The woman's admissions in 2020 that she had shaken the baby resulted in the criminal charge being laid as police did not have enough evidence to run the case before that.

A prosecution summary revealed the woman shook her baby after he would not settle while at a park in Canadian on a walk.

Magistrate Ron Saines said he took this admission into account in sentencing but also the seriousness of the offending.

"Your baby, was a highly vulnerable child, 11-weeks-of-age and a child whose life was your responsibility," he said.

Mr Saines said the baby suffered extensive injuries including brain haemorrhages and a skull fracture.

"Hospitalisation was required and in emergency paediatric care was required over days," he said.

"It may be a matter of luck as to whether (your son) had any permanent, catastrophic or other consequences of the injuries you inflicted, but it appears there are none.

"I have regard to that but point out to you it is just luck on your part and his part."

Mr Saines said there were factors in the case which supported leniency in sentencing, including the woman's confession and guilty plea.

The court heard the woman was suffering post natal depression at the time of the offending which was untreated.

Mr Saines said he also acknowledged the woman was experiencing housing and financial pressures at the time.

"The circumstances on the day led to you becoming overwhelmed and frustrated such that you quite wrongly and seriously expressed that upon your baby," he said.

"Your offending is unpremeditated, spontaneous, it was certainly a serious example of recklessness but was not an example of malice."

The court heard the woman's mental health had stabilised and there was a low likelihood of re-offending.

The woman was convicted and sentenced to a two-year good behaviour bond.

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