What Are the 5 S's And How Do They Work?
Dr. Harvey Karp is a well-known pediatrician that has long had a
passion for understanding colic and crying. Since 1981 when he
received the prestigious Ehrmann Fellowship to study colic and
crying Dr. Harvey Karp has been one of the leading experts of
finding relief for babies that suffer from the mysterious
condition known as colic. Dr. Harvey Karp is also an advocate
for breastfeeding, and has written a very famous book entitled
The Happiest Baby On The Block.
In his book The Happiest Baby On The Block Dr. Harvey Karp
teaches parents the 5 S's to help parents learn how to calm
their baby. The 5 S's are helpful when your baby is crying,
suffering from colic, or just feels uncomfortable. The world is
a scary and overwhelming place for a new baby, but with the help
of Dr. Harvey Karp new parents can learn how to quiet the cries
of their babies in very little time. The combination of all five
elements will help you and your baby get through your first days
and weeks better than you ever thought possible.
What are the 5 S's?
They are:
* Swaddling. This is the art of snuggly wrapping your baby to
provide warmth and security. Babies are often calmed when they
are wrapped tightly as this sort of mimics the way the baby felt
in the womb. Swaddling is one of the most effective ways to calm
and quiet your fussy baby.
* Side/Stomach position. The side/stomach position is the best
way for your baby to sleep in his or her crib. Not only is it
the safest, it's the most comfortable for your little one. If
you put your baby to sleep in this position him or she is less
likely to work their way out of the wrapped blanket.
* Shushing. Most parents do this; they just don't do it loud
enough. The shushing is the normal "shah" noise that we all
instinctively make when a baby cries, but babies really do like
this noise. This noise mimics the noise in the womb, so babies
will feel calm and safe. Dr. Harvey Karp has demonstrated that
doing this noise right next to the baby is often very effective.
* Swinging. Swinging, whether it's in the arms of the parent or
in an infant swing, swinging is highly effective in calming a
baby. Again, swinging motions are comforting to the baby because
they are similar to the way the baby would move from side to
side in the womb when the mother would walk before birth.
Swinging is a great way to calm your baby!
* Sucking. Sucking often allows babies to work out their
aggression so it is a great resource for parents that are trying
to calm their agitated baby. Sucking can be done on a pacifier,
bottle, or the breast. Sucking is natural and babies are often
able to work out gas and colic pains through sucking.
The 5 S's seem too easy to actually work, don't they? But, these
are all effective ways to calm your baby, just ask any mother
that has several children or any mother that has purchased Dr.
Harvey's book. If you haven't tried the 5 S's with your baby
yet, what are you waiting for? It'll be the best thing you've
ever done for yourself or your baby!