I remember when I brought my son home from the hospital. I had no idea what to do when he cried! I was overwhelmed with so many emotions and so very tired and sleep deprived. After 27 years of parenting and 15 years of photographing newborns, I have finally got the hang of this! Dr. Harvey Kelp developed a technique and talks about it in his book The Happiest Baby on the Block. I use these 5 “S” techniques in my studio every day with newborns and they are sure to work for you!
#1 “S” SWADDLING - This recreates the snug feeling they had in the womb. A warm wrapped baby is a great way to decrease fussing and increase sleep!
#2 “S” SIDE LYING - Holding a baby on their side or stomach or over your shoulder will help calm them down. However, this is not a safe position for sleeping.
#3 “S” SHUSH - White noise is the best way to mimic what your baby heard in the womb. You can find a “white noise” app from the iPhone app store. We also love “The Baby Susher” from Amazon.
#4 “S” SWING - There was a lot of movement while in the womb! Create small movements like bouncing up and down or moving side to side. Remember to keep your movements small and support the baby’s head and neck while rocking
#5 “S” SUCKING - Bring out the pacifier! Many babies will relax into deep sleep when they are sucking
All of the 5 “S’s” will help keep you baby calm, relaxed and ready for sleep! I hope these techniques will help you and your newborn sleep, especially for those late night wake up calls. You can read more information and find a link to Dr. Kelp’s book on his website: www.happiestbaby.com
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