By Sr Teresa Hayward ( RN, RM, Lactation consultant, Infant & Paediatric Nutritionist, Baby Sleep Consultant)
Trying to calm a fussy, crying baby can feel overwhelming at times for all parents, but especially when you feel like you have done everything you can, and theyre still fussing.
What’s importat to understand is that to your baby, you are their safe place, and they rely on you to help them to cope with any stresses they may feel in the first few months of life. So although they may not calm down in your arms, you are still doing exactly what they need by providing them with comfort and security when they are upset.
Using The Five S’s to Soothe Your Baby
The Five S’s are a series of steps that help to calm even the fussiest of babies. While you can use it with older infants, this technique is aimed at babies up to three months old. During the 4th Trimester parents should do everything they can to replicate a womb-like experience for their baby because life on the outside is quite a significant change for them!
What are the Five S’s?
The Five S’s include swaddling, side or stomach position, shushing, swinging, and sucking. To help your baby effectively calm down, it is best to go through each of these steps during the period of fussiness. Periods of fussiness can occur at any moment throughout the day but often tend to peak in the evenings. This is often referred to as the witching hour by parents as it seems that nothing you do works to bring calm your baby down. The Five S’s can be a valuable set of tools once you have ensured that your newborn’s basic needs are met (not fussy because they need a feed, a change in temperature, a new nappy, etc.).
Swaddle
The first step in this process is to swaddle your baby. Swaddling provides several benefits, from helping re-create that snug feeling they had in the womb to controlling their moro reflex. You should only swaddle your baby during fussy and sleep periods. Babies need plenty of time with their hands and feet free to explore their surroundings and practice using their limbs.
Side or Stomach Position
The next step in the Five S’s process is holding your baby on their side or on their stomach. You only want to practice this position while holding your baby during awake times and not during sleep periods. This position can help bring comfort to your baby. Babies spend a great deal of time on their backs until they learn to roll over around four to five months old. So the feeling of being on their tummies without the pressure and hard work of tummy time can be very relaxing and soothing for them.
Shushing
Shushing also helps to re-create familiar noises your baby heard in the womb. Contrary to what we might think, it was actually quite loud in there! To effectively do this, you can get up close to your baby’s ear and shush over and over. This is also why white noise during sleep periods can be helpful to soothe your baby.
Swinging
It is a fact that babies can regulate better while in motion. After all, they were constantly in motion for nine months (give or take) while in your womb! It is suggested that you gently swing your baby with small movements side to side and never while upset or angry.
Sucking
Babies have a strong suck reflex in the first few months of life. Before babies are old enough and coordinated enough to find their own hands and fingers, the urge to suck (and the soothing effect that it has) can be satisfied by a dummy or by nursing. In the early months of a baby’s life, a dummy can be a useful tool when no other soothing techniques work.
Be consistent in your efforts and find what works best for your baby!
When using the Five S’s, remember that you may need to cycle through this process several times until your baby calms down or even falls asleep! If your baby is becoming more upset or not calming down, stay calm and consistent. Know that eventually, your baby WILL stop crying. Some babies simply have a fussier disposition than others.
It is very effective in the newborn stage with enough consistency and persistence, but for some babies, you may still see they have trouble at certain periods of the day. The evening especially can be a peak fussy period for babies in this stage. Remember that ultimately you know your baby best, and all babies respond to soothing techniques differently. Once you find what works for you and your baby, it is best to continue to follow their cues!
If you are struggling with a fussy baby, please feel free to contact me for assistance.
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