How to Have the Happiest Baby on the Block

Today, Christina Munoz stopped by for her monthly pregnancy guide segment.  She was joined by Lisa Stipe of Nanny for Newborns.   Lisa demonstrated the 5 S's of soothing a crying infant, using 6-week-old Zachary Dupins as her model.

The 5 “S's” for Soothing an Infant

1. Swaddling - When swaddling you should to make sure the blanket is tight around the infant. This will give the baby the continuous feeling of touch, like they had in their mother’s womb.
2. Side positioning - To side position your baby: place your baby, while holding him/her, either on his/her left side to assist in digestion, or on his/her stomach to provide reassuring support.  Once your baby is happily asleep, you can safely put him/her in her crib, on his/her back.
3. Shushing Sounds – Most women who have had, or are expecting, a child know everyone has advice. One truly useful bit of advice is to always have “white noise in the room with a sleeping baby. While in the womb babies hear a constant swooshing sound. White noise can come from any number things around the house. New moms have been known to use everything from fans of vacuum cleaners. Other people just buy a white noise CD.
4. Swinging – Another result of the transition of the baby going from the womb to world is the need to swing. While they were in their mother’s womb every step mom took swung them. This is part of the reason new parents will use rocking chairs, infant swings, bouncers and even a ride in the car to calm their child.
5. Sucking – According to babyslumber.com, "Sucking has its effects deep within the nervous system, and triggers the calming reflex and releases natural chemicals within the brain." This is why most parents never leave home without a bottle, pacifier or both.

Christina is due in mid-October, so we plan to have one more of these segments. 

If you are a parent, what are the things that you wished you knew before you had your child? 

Or, if you are expecting, what is on our mind the most, or is the most confusing, about the pending birth of your child?

If you would like to contact Lisa about her services

you can go to her website www.NannyForNewborns.com

or call 1-877-NANNY-USA (626-6987).