Have you heard of the 5's to soothe baby?
It is typical for young infants to get fussy in the evening, sometimes referred to as "the witching hour." Their enormous pace of mental and physical development takes a toll on them and are often clingy and upset after a long day of intense stimulation.
This may be common, but it is not easy! Crying and fussiness can take a toll on the mental and relationship health of growing families. In studies regarding this issue, pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp coined the 5's to help soothe babies by using techniques that mimic being in the womb.
1️⃣ Swaddle
Babies LOVE to be swaddled! I always say that I feel like swaddling is typically an underrated tool for soothing baby. Here is a post I have written specifically about swaddling. I could rave about swaddling all day. You don't want to swaddle your baby ALL day for proper hip and physical development, but it is an invaluable tool for sleep or fussy babies!
If all else fails, swaddle the baby!
2️⃣ Suck
Sucking to me, is also a key factor in soothing bay. Sucking is an innate reflex that infants begin practicing even in the womb. They come hard-wired to find comfort in sucking. The sucking reflex is scientifically proven to decrease stress, lower blood pressure, regulate heart rate and even decrease the sensation of pain.
3️⃣ Sush
It feels instinctive to be very quiet and tip-toe around a baby, but the womb is a noisy place! Shushing baby or playing white noise recreates the noisy environment of whooshing blood and organs functioning.
4️⃣ Swing
Up until birth your baby has spent their entire lives being rocked and jiggled in the womb through all of your daily movements. The sudden stillness can be jarring when they are used to the comfort of movement. Swinging or jiggling in small, fast rhythmic movements, while supporting baby's head can remind them of the comfort of the womb.
5️⃣ Side or Stomach
Babies seem to preference the stomach or side positioning, probably due to the fact that they were curled up with contact on all sides in the womb. When they are laid down on their back, they can feel very exposed and vulnerable. This technique can be used by holding baby on your arm or on your shoulder, or on their side with belly facing you. You only want to do this while alert and holding baby, the safest way to sleep is on their backs!
The foundation of the 5's by Dr. Karp were used to create the SNOO! The SNOO responds to baby using increasing motion and shushing, while keeping them safely swaddled on their back. If you are interested in using the SNOO with your baby, but don't want to or can't justify the large cost on something you'll only use for 6 months top -- Rent one from us! The SNOO smart bassinet is highly regarded as the #1 infant care item! It intuitively reacts to baby to shush and rock back to sleep. Studies have shown that the SNOO can add 1-2 hours of sleep for babies, helping parents feel more rested and less mentally strained.