Calming a fussy baby can become overwhelming. However, Dr. Harvey Karp created the 5S's to help calm and soothe your baby when he or she cries. While implementing the steps may take some time, babies and you can benefit from the process. Each step has a familiar feel to what they experienced in the womb.
The 5S's are swaddle, side position, shush, swing, and suck, and are meant to be completed in that order.
Swaddling- This recreates the feeling baby had in the womb, where they were all nice and snug.
Side position- Here, you hold your little one on their side or on their stomach.
Shush- the "SHHHH" sound is the sound babies hear when they're in the womb, so it comforts them. You can do a loud "SHHHHH" or use the white noise on the sound machine.
Swing- Because you are trying to comfort your baby, you want to use fast, tiny motions. Be sure not to swing them more than inch in either direction and support their head.
Suck- Here you can offer them a pacifier or your finger to help them calm down.
How to Swaddle:
Things to Know When Swaddling
Swaddling ends between 3-4 months or when baby starts rolling on his or her stomach.
Swaddles help keep the Moro reflex (the jerking motion we see our babies do) under control, allowing them to sleep better.
Once they are too big to be in the swaddle, you may move onto a sleep sack. Sleeping Baby and Nested Bean offer great options for both.