Being a parent is a learning experience, and it’s okay to make mistakes and learn as you go.
Dr Harvey Karp
The new way to calm crying and help your Newborn sleep longer If you’re a new parent, you’ve likely experienced feeling helpless as nothing you do seems to soothe your baby. Your poor baby cries nonstop and you become frustrated and worn out. Well, no longer do you need to feel this way. Dr. Harvey Karp reveals that there is a remedy for colic.
Crying is a baby’s instinctual reaction and its way of ensuring that he is receiving constant care. It’s his way of telling you that he’s hungry, wet, soiled, or lonely, and he will only quiet down when you’ve given him what he needs. And while most infants typically cry for short periods, usually lasting a few minutes and totaling a half-hour a day, colicky babies can scream and yell for hours at a time, making for a parental nightmare! Colicky babies seem to cry for no reason at all and can lead to frustrated, exhausted parents.
In this book by Dr Karp, you’ll learn why babies love loud noises and vigorous movements, and how to trigger your baby’s calming reflex to become a master at soothing fussy babies. I have mentioned few tips which I liked from the book to give you an idea of what to anticipate from this book.
Tip 1: Magic of 5 “S’s
The calming reflex is the automatic reset button that stills a baby’s crying and can become a parent’s best friend. A baby’s calming reflex kicks in inside the womb. The survival of our fetuses depends on this ancient calming reflex which keeps the baby calm inside the womb. And similar to how a doctor sets off a knee reflex with a precise whack of a little hammer, the calming reflex can be triggered through a specific set of actions. These actions are what Dr. Karp considers the 5 “S’s.”
1st S- Swaddling
When you wrap your baby in a tight swaddle, your baby feels magically returned to the womb. This TURNS on the calming effect that helps them to pay attention to the other S’s. Fussy young babies lack the coordination to control their flailing arms, so if their arms are left unwrapped then they make themselves even more upset.
2nd S-Side/Stomach
Lay your child on their side or place them in your arms on their stomach. This prevents them from feeling that they are falling (Moro Reflex).
3rd S- Shushing (Shhhh….)
You have to do it as LOUD AS YOUR BABIES CRY and close to their ear. It stimulates the sound of the womb. It can be replaced by white noise.
4th S- Swaying
Newborns can be compared to sailors who come to dry land after nine months at sea; the sudden stillness of the earth becomes uncomfortable and confusing. This is why swinging, or rhythmic, jiggly movement, is one of the most common methods you can use for calming your baby. Many parents even “wear” their infants in slings to give the soothing feeling of motion with every step and breath.
Support your baby’s head and neck and wiggle their HEAD with fast, tiny movements (like you are shivering). Once they are entranced, you can move to a slower swinging motion.
You must also remember that swinging and rocking is not shaking. Swinging is a small movement you make with your baby while supporting her head and neck. Shaking, on the other hand, can lead to brain damage.
5th S- Sucking
This works best after the other S’s have calmed. A finger or pacifier works and can be eliminated after the 3rd month. Once your baby has mastered the art of breastfeeding, you should begin to utilize pacifiers to calm your baby between meals. Not only is it hard for your baby to scream with a pacifier in his mouth, but sucking also has a deep effect on your baby’s nervous system. It triggers his calming reflex and releases natural chemicals within his brain, which leads to a satisfying level of relaxation that can be triggered in a matter of mere minutes.
Tip 2: USE THE CUDDLE CURE BY IMPLEMENTING ALL 5 S’S
The FASTEST way to succeed in stopping your baby’s cycle of crying is to MEET THEIR LEVEL OF INTENSITY. Only after your screaming baby pauses for a few moments can you gradually slow your motion, soften your shushing and guide them from frenzy to soft landing.
The best colic calmers say that soothing an infant is like dancing with them in the lead. These talented people pay close attention to the vigor of their 5 “S’s”
Tip 3: Baby Massage.
In a 1986 study by Tiffany Field, massaged babies gained 47% more than babes who did not have the same touch. The same babies had higher IQ’s a year later.
- Prepare for pleasure. Warm the room, dim the lights, play soft music.
- Bring Yourself to the moment. Sit comfortably, take 5 slow deep breaths and allow yourself to be present for the experience. It’s an exchange of love in one fleeting, tender moment of time.
- Speak to your baby with your hands. Always try to keep one hand in contact with the skin and talk to them about what you are doing and what your hopes are for their life, or sing a lullaby. Let your massage strokes move in synchronicity with your calm breathing.
- Reward your baby’s tummy. Bicycle their legs then firmly push both knees to their belly and hold them there for 20 seconds. Massage the tummy in the firm, clockwise, circular strokes – starting at the right lower belly, up and across the top of the tummy, and ending at the left lower side (this traces the colon and intestines)
- Follow your baby’s signals.
Tip 4: Top 10 survival Tips for Parents of New Babies
- Trust Yourself. You are the Latest in the Unbroken Chain of the World’s Top Parents.
- Lower Your Expectations.
- Accept All the Help You Can Get
- Get Your Priorities Straight: Should You take a break or do the dishes?
- Be Flexible. It is better to bend than snap.
- Know Thyself. Share how you are feeling.
- Don’t Rock the Cradle to Hard. Know when to take a break.
- Keep Your Sense of Humor Handy
- Take Care of Your Spouse
- Don’t Ignore Depression
Tip5 : There is also a DVD with the same title which illustrates all techniques and is way better than the book which is a little verbose in nature. You can check out their DVD here.
You can check out the book here
Free Giveaways: Drop your request for the DVD in comment box, we will send to the first 100 requests at no cost.