Calming Baby - Shh, Shh, Bounce
I met with three families this week providing postpartum doula support, and there seemed to be a common theme when trying to calm and soothe each baby. The power of “shh…shh…shh…” while bouncing. Actually, I have yet to meet a baby that does not seem to appreciate and settle when I am quietly, rhythmically offering a “shh" noise while walking or bouncing them. Harvey Karp used these techniques as part of his more elaborate solution in the Happiest Baby…. method. He also incorporated swaddling and sucking.
Babies like to move. It’s tiring carrying a baby around all the time, and when I try to sneak a sit down snuggle, the sweet baby often reacts and communicates that they would like to keep on moving. So up we go, walking and bouncing. This movement resembles their life in mommy’s tummy. As does the shh, shh, shh mimic the noisy sounds in utero.
One mommy was trying to nap, so baby and I spent much of the morning outside to give mom space and quiet. This is an amazing phenomenon - the power of being outside, fresh air, all the natural stimulation. I’ve heard so many parents talk about how much their babies love being outside. It often seems to be a win-win for the parent also, to break up some monotony of being inside.
Finally, skin-to-skin. I will most certainly be dedicating an entire blog post to the amazingly beautiful effectiveness of skin-to-skin. To summarize - this may be the most powerful and effective way to calm, reset, and nurture a baby. Strip that baby down to their diaper and place them on someone’s bare skin. Share warmth, heartbeat sounds and comfort. I notice babies respond well to my touch, such as cradling their head with my hand or stroking their skin. Besides food (for babies breastmilk and/or formula), safety and sleep, the next hierarchy of need is human touch, comfort and warmth. (Maslow Hierarchy of Needs)
This video reminds me of conversations and experiences I have had with families. https://raisingchildren.net.au/newborns/videos/settling-babies-for-sleep
What other ways have you found to calm your baby? Email me - let’s keep this conversation going! Every baby is different, and every day is different, so we all need a wide variety of techniques and ideas!
