I have a confession…I am obsessed with the Happiest Baby on the Block DVD. It was my middle of the night lifesaver when I had my first little one. Dr. Harvey Karp is brilliant! He has come up with 5 easy and sure fire ways to calm a fussy baby. He even makes it easy to remember them all. The techniques are called The 5 S’s. The theory is that human babies are born “prematurely” – being entirely dependent on the parent and still requiring/desiring a womb-like atmosphere. I’ll paraphrase each S, but make sure you get the DVD or Instant Video to see the baby whisperer, Dr. Karp, in action!
- Swaddle – Dr. Karp’s swaddling technique is called the DUDU (Down, Up, Down, Up). This is the miracle wrap that saved me as a parent. And you should see my hubby whip up the best baby burrito you’ve ever seen! The absolute best blankets for this tight swaddle are Swaddle Designs. They have a lot of darling patterns to choose from. Here are just a few of my favorites. [show_lookbook_widget id=”195402″]
- Side/Stomach position – Babies should ALWAYS sleep on their back, but when calming an upset baby, a side or stomach position can be very soothing.
- Shush – A loud, rhythmic shhhh sound close to the infant’s ear mimics the sound they hear in the womb and calms almost instantly. This sound machine does the work for you. Or I love this sound machine.
- Swing – A bit of a jiggly motion (imagine you’re lightly bouncing on an exercise ball), will also mimic the feeling of the womb. You can also place the baby in an infant swing. Here are a few amazing swings. [show_lookbook_widget id=”195405″]
- Suck – The sucking of pacifier or breast is extremely soothing for newborn babies. Make sure to get a dentist approved binkie if you plan to keep it past the first few months. I love these cute ones with fun sayings and symbols on them, plus they are the dentist approved shape and come with a protective cap!
There were times I felt like I was doing all 5 S’s at once, but IT WORKED! I will forever be grateful for Dr. Karp and his brilliant soothing techniques. Have you tried the 5 S’s? Did they work as well for you as they did for me?
I need to read the book!! I am soooo glad you told me to watch the video….I hope the 5 S’s work on my baby!!