**Baby series** The 5 S System (from ‘The Happiest Baby on the Block’)

I think one of the best thing we did a couple days after coming back home with our 1st new born was to watch that video “Happiest Baby on the Block” from Dr. Karp.
It is quite scary to go back home, left alone from all those nice nurses who know everything about babies, to find your baby crying, not knowing why and what to do about it… This 5S System showed us how to calm our baby in at least 90% of the times!!! Unbelievable! The principle is easy to remember and easy to apply, and we just loved it. So here is the summary:
The first 3 months, a baby is not quite yet “in the outside environment”, what I mean by this is that to calm and reassure him/her you need to re-create the “womb environment” –> this is where he/she felt good. To do so here are the 5 methods that you can do, either one or a few or all of them at the same time. Each baby is different and you will find that yours may like some of those better than others

1. Swaddling – I loved that one. In the womb your baby used to be all tight and feel the warmth of mommy. By swaddling him/her you can re-create that feeling. For a guide on how to safely swaddle your baby you can check this video https://youtu.be/LLqfRQdUP7k. We particularly liked to use the receiving blanket.
2. Side/Stomach position – Hold your baby on his/her side (on your arm, head resting on the ear in your hand.
3. Swinging – In mommy’s womb, baby was used to be rocked all the time, as mommy moves around. By gently swinging/rocking your baby with small movements you can recreate that motion feeling. For our baby this was an important one, I guess because I was moving so much
4. Shushing sound – Ha! This is another good one. We always think that babies need calm and quiet, but actually in the womb it is pretty loud due to the blood flowing through the arteries by the baby “nest”. You can recreate that feeling by making the “shhhhhhhh” sound, quietly by your baby’s ear.
5. Suck – last resort, to my mind, but definitely a great one for a lot of babies I hear (including mine). Either by sucking a finger or a pacifier. “Sucking has its effects deep within the nervous system,” notes Karp, “and triggers the calming reflex and releases natural chemicals within the brain.”

Here you go! The golden technique! Try it at home, you will see the miracles it can make

More information on the website: http://www.happiestbaby.com/the-five-s-way-to-calm-a-fussy-baby/