Dr. Harvey Karp's 5S's – a magical albeit research-backed technique for calming a crying baby—have been a sanity saver for millions of parents across the globe since 2002 when Karp first published his international bestseller The Happiest Baby on the Block, and subsequently released CDs demonstrating the technique and mimicking the sounds that soothe an agitated infant. For years skeptical parents, anxious and exhausted from babies screaming through the night have been turned into baby whisperers using Karp's discovery of the baby "calming reflex" and the 5S's that initiate it:
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The Swaddle
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Positioning baby on his Side or Stomach
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Using a gentle, consistent Swaying or giggling movement
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Making a very loud Shushing in the baby's ear emulating the sounds of the womb ("It's a low, low rumble and its very loud," Karp explains)
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And, finally, once they are calm, encouraging their infants to Suck themselves to deeper level of relaxation and calm
Why does it work? In a nutshell, explains Karp, a newborn is not quite ready for the big wide world. He needs the sounds and stimulations of the womb to feel most calm, secure and sleepy. As Karp theorizes, if babies could stay in utero for 12 months they would –and they'd come out far happier and calmer. Unfortunately, Karp says, the evolution of the human pelvis makes a "fourth trimester" impossible. It's up to parents to simulate the conditions inside mom that their babies miss.
Crazy as it sounds, it works. Karp can calm a screaming baby almost instantaneously by re-creating the snug fit, gentle bounce and loud placental sounds of the womb using the principles he outlines in The Happiest Baby on the Block.
But Karp, a pediatrician, doesn't leave parents hanging once their child has moved on from infancy. Karp saw thousands of toddlers in his pediatric practice and in order to examine them he needed to develop a way to reduce their tantrum behavior and get them to cooperate. Thus was born his second best-selling book The Happiest Toddler on the Block. In it Karp outlines what he calls "some pretty counter-intuitive" methods for meeting your tantruming toddler where they are — and stopping the behavior within minutes.
Karp's techniques for calming babies and toddlers work so well he could have just as aptly titled both books The Happiest Parents on the Block. And on September 15, he will share his secrets for happiness with Seattle parents.
All proceeds from Dr. Karp's visit to Seattle will benefit Postpartum Support International of Washington. At least one in ten new mothers experiences various degrees of Postpartum Depression. With treatment and a combination of support, therapy, and/or medications getting through PPMD is possible . The goal of the local organization is to help families overcome the effects of Postpartum Mood Disorders (PPMD) through early identification and treatment, thereby ensuring a healthy environment in which both mother and baby can thrive together. Dr. Karp's visit is in conjunction with "Whole Care for the Whole Family," the Postpartum Support International's 25 th annual conference for professionals and care providers.
IF YOU GO
Harvey Karp, MD, FAAP, Lecture to Benefit Postpartum Support International Washington
When: Thursday, September 15
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Red Lion Hotel, Seattle, WA
Ticket Price: $20 – $35
Phone: (206) 441-0191
Age Suitability: None Specified
Purchase Tickets Online by clicking here: Brown Paper Tickets
