Expert Shares Tips On Getting Infants To Sleep
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- As any new parent knows, getting a baby to sleep can be a daily struggle.
A fussy, crying baby can be tough to deal with, especially when parents may be sleep deprived themselves.
On Thursday, a leading pediatrician and expert on sleep came to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh to share some of his secrets.
Dr. Harvey Karp said babies aren't actually ready to be born at nine months.
"You're ready to to have a baby, but the baby is very immature compared to baby horses, cows, other animals. They have to be born because their heads are so big," he said.
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So when babies are born, they enter what he calls the fourth trimester, and they need special care because neurologically, they're not ready for the world.
Dr. Karp said the best way to calm your newborn is by recreating the noises, movement, and environment of the womb.
He has developed the "Happy Baby Method" to help. It focuses on the five S's:
- Swaddle. Wrap the baby in a light blanket, including their arms.
- Side or Stomach. Place them on their side or stomach.
- Shush them, or play white noise.
- Swing the baby.
- Suck. Provide a pacifier.
He showed the five S's in action and stressed the "side or stomach" is for soothing your baby only, not for sleep.
Babies should always be put on their back to sleep, to reduce the risk of SIDS.
