Baby Sleep Tactics

The Five S's

From The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp, MD

The Expert: Endorsed by the Surgeon General as well as the La Leche League, Lamaze, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Karp has been teaching his specialized calming techniques for over 25 years. His Five S's are simple and easy to employ, and each "S" triggers natural calming reflexes to soothe your baby.

His Approach: The Five S's include:

• Swaddling: "It extends an hour to two hours a night the sleep of babies, I like to tell my parents," Dr. Karp says.
• Side and stomach positioning: These mimic your baby's posture in the uterus—and also switch off Baby's Moro (falling) reflex, which may startle and wake him.
• Shushing: Reminiscent of the womb, shushing creates white noise, which is especially helpful for soothing newborns.
• Swinging: Gentle motion mimics life in the womb for Baby and, as Dr. Karp writes, "[it] turns on 'motion sensors' in [your baby's] ears, which then activate the calming reflex."
• Sucking: A reflex baby apparent at birth, sucking soothes Baby, even if he's not feeding.

Sleep-Tactic Tip: Because sucking triggers a calming reflex, Dr. Karp condones using pacifiers up through Baby's third month. (Read more about Dr. Karp's sleep philosophies, here.)