The Happiest Baby on the Block

So years ago my father sent out an email to the children (there are seven siblings) and tells us about a story he heard on the radio (it must have been NPR) about The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer. I read it, of course (Dad suggests good books) and we were hooked. It talks about the Fourth Trimester (how many of you have heard me use that phrase? It's from there!) and the five S's of soothing (swaddle, sway, shush, suck, side lay.) I remember Kit, in an exhausted fog as he swayed side to side with our swaddled baby, asking me "What were the other S's??" As I pointed out to him, this has become that central to our concept of ourselves as parents, even if we forget an S while we're tired. 😉

I cannot summarize it, as there is SO MUCH good information and it's one you'll refer back to with the same baby and with subsequent babies. I just learned they offer a class that a certified instructor will come teach you about what it is, how it works, and how to do it. I wish I had that, and a refresher class with each new baby! It's a one time class, not like a full childbirth preparation course but a focused newborn class. I think it would be better to read the book while you are expecting (and take the class and watch the movie, if you can!) and then have the video on hand postpartum to refer to... but it would be really good to have someone that could come sit down with you (like a Happiest Baby doula!) to help you refine your technique after the baby comes.

Here is the video, which is brilliant as you can have that visual reminder while you're practicing soothing - The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD.