The magic 5 S's

When my daughter was about 6 weeks old, a friend of mine lent me a copy of the DVD The Happiest Baby on the Block . Our daughter isn’t terribly fussy, but there were times when we had trouble consoling her. We were so impressed as we watched Dr. Harvey Karp take seemingly inconsolable babies and reduce them to putty in his hands!

Essentially, the DVD presents 5 techniques for soothing your newborn. They are referred to as the 5 S’s which trigger a calming reflex in your baby. If you can master these simple techniques, you will be able to successfully and confidently soothe your baby. It takes some practice and patience, but it works when you get the hang of it. Depending on the severity of your baby’s crying or discomfort, using one or all of the techniques will provide the results you are looking for – a happy, content baby, or at least a baby who isn’t crying her face off.

I think learning these techniques has been the most helpful to my husband who does not have the benefit of pulling the Mom card when our daughter starts to lose her marbles. The techniques have given him the confidence he needs to take care of the baby when I’m not around. He doesn’t feel helpless if I am out of the house when she decides to have a melt down because he knows just what to do and how to do it. 

The techniques are also helpful in relaxing your baby prior to putting him or her to bed – which is an added bonus. Using the 5 S’s is part of our bedtime routine and it ensures no false starts in sending our little one off to La La Land. 

It’s working for our daughter, and that works for us!

- Kim