5 S's to Calm Your Baby

One of the hardest things about being a parent is hearing your baby cry.  You wish you knew why they were crying and what you could do to help them but I've discovered that it is hard to figure out what your baby needs.  While I was pregnant I watched a video clip on Oprah with Dr. Harvey Karp, author of The Happiest Baby on the Block.  Dr. Karp's famous 5 S's have helped hundreds of mothers calm their babies.  I didn't have time to read the book but I did learn about his famous "5 S's" to help calm your baby.  The first 3 S's are my favorite and I think they work the best.

1) Swaddling. 
My baby LOVES to be swaddled.  Now, at 3 months old, she won't go to bed without being swaddled.  I love the swaddle because then her hands don't knock the binky out so that she wakes up.  I also like that she can't scratch her face while in the swaddle.  Don't know how to swaddle?  I didn't either...Here is a click to show you how to swaddle:
 http://www.adenandanais.com/learn/howtoswaddle.aspx

I just use a normal, thin blanket to swaddle my baby but you can buy a special swaddle from Target, Walmart, or Babies R Us.  Dr. Karp says that swaddling provides 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."

2) Side/Stomach position. 
"You place your baby, while holding her, either on her left side to assist in digestion, or on her stomach to provide reassuring support. Once your baby is happily asleep, you can safely put her in her crib, on her back."

3) Swinging. 
Ok, I swear by this one too.  My baby's swing has been a life saver!  She falls asleep in it every night.  Babies love the swinging motion because it reminds them of the movement they felt while in your womb.  If you have to splurge on one thing to buy, buy a swing!

4) Shushing.
Dr. Karp says that babies feel calm and safe when they hear the shushing sounds because the noise mimics the noise in the womb.

5) 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."

* You won't always be able to stop the crying or figure out what's wrong but remember: you won't ever go through something that you can't handle.  Being a mother is in your nature, in your blood, and you have those motherly instincts.  Believe in yourself and know that you've got this!