It can be stressful and challenging to understand what your new baby needs in order to calm them down. In fact, you might be going absolutely bongers in the process! We all deal with fussy babies and that’s challenging on a good day, let alone when you’re sleep deprived and stressed with other things life is throwing your way.
“Parents are often overtired and desperate to find ways to quickly comfort their baby, especially fussy babies who cry often for long periods of time,” says Carole Kramer Arsenault, RN, author of Newborn 101 and founder of Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny. “To help calm and soothe a fussy baby, parents can try womb-like techniques, often referred to as the 5 S’s coined by Dr. Harvey Karp: Swaddle, Side-Stomach Position, Shush, Swing, and Suck.”
Keep reading for Kramer Arsenault breakdown of this effective technique.
Swaddle
“The tight wrapping of swaddling mimics the feeling of being inside the womb. Babies should be swaddled when they are fussy or tired because it can provide comfort and increase sleep duration. Here’s a detailed video on how to swaddle and the benefits.”
Side or Stomach Position
“Babies should only sleep on their backs because it reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). However, many babies prefer to be held on their side or on their stomach over your shoulder while they are awake. When your baby is fussy during the daytime try holding them on their side or stomach.”
Shush
“The womb is actually very noisy and babies like this soothing noise. Therefore, babies do well with white noise that mimics the sound heard inside the womb. Parents can also make a “shushing” sound while rocking their baby.”
Swing
“While inside the womb babies get used to rocking and jiggling often when their mom moves. Fussy babies often need movement to calm down.”
Suck
“Babies are often calmed by sucking, and calm easily with a pacifier. Another option is using a clean finger for your baby to suck on.”
