Let’s be honest- having a newborn isn’t always total bliss. I’ve had 4 and as beautiful and wonderful as it may be, there were definitely times when it wasn’t so pretty. Even the most angelic looking babies have their moments. One of the books I read with my first baby was Dr. Harvey Karp’s book The Happiest Baby On The Block. It’s not always easy to know what these sweet little babes need when they’re crying or fussing. That’s where Dr. Karp’s technique of the 5 S’s come into play. Each one is equally important and something each new parent should consider as their go-to when soothing their children.
Let’s break it down:
- Swaddling: A warm, wrapped baby up the first step to a calming method. Swaddling is great to decrease fussiness and increase sleep for a newborn. Swaddling makes them feel warm and secure- just like they were in your belly. There are tons of swaddlers out there but Aden & Anais is my favorite!
- Side Lying: This method is not for a sleeping baby- back is always best for that- but for a baby that just needs to mellow out. Holding a baby on its side, stomach or even over your shoulder can help calm the baby to slowly relax.
- Shushing: I can personally attest to this one! My 3 year old still sleeps with a white noise machine in his room. The key for babies is that the white noise should be continuous through the night. I learned the hard way that the little sleep sheep that turned off in 90 minutes was causing more of a problem for my son than it was helping. White noise mimics what your baby heard while in your belly. You can get a white noise machine or download an app for your phone.
- Swinging: This is another one we used all the time in our house. The swing method is great to create small movements to soothe baby like gentle bouncing or moving side to side. Just remember to keep your movements small and support the baby while rocking.
- Sucking: I know there are different views on pacifiers but sucking is a great way for baby to relax and just lean back and move into a state of tranquility. Sucking helps the baby focus and stay calm.
All of the 5 S’s help increase a babies mellow state of relaxation while simultaneously increasing their sleep. Sleep is very important for a baby, so keep in mind the 5 S’s when trying to soothe your baby back into a deep sleep, especially for those late night wake up calls.
During all of my newborn sessions, I routinely use the 5 S’s to help soothe babies, especially swaddling and white noise. I let the baby “lead” the session and I always allow plenty of time for feeding, diaper changes and snuggling.
Hope this helps you and your little one get a little more sleep tonight!
