To soothe fussing, parents can turn on their baby’s calming reflex using 5-steps that imitate the womb sensations that babies love. Those are swaddling, the side/stomach position (only to soothe crying, never for sleep), shushing, swinging and sucking.
The 5-steps are referred to as “the 5 S’s” in Dr. Karp’s classic book/video, Happiest Baby on the Block!
Parents are often encouraged to give their babies these calming S’s by:
- Going for car rides
- Taking a walk using an infant carrier or stroller
- Even turning on a hair drier!
You can comfort your fussy baby with several of these soothing sensations by putting them in SNOO. (And, it is safer and less polluting than going for a car ride at 2 AM.) These tricks often put fussy babies in a calmer state within minutes.
If your little one is not calming, they may be hungry, overtired, in need of a diaper change or is over 3-4 months of age.
See the video below for a demonstration of 4 ways to soothe babies:
Happiest Baby does not provide medical advice. Please seek the advice of your
healthcare provider if you have questions regarding a medical issue.
*Certain features and access are exclusive to the Premium Subscription of the App.
