I attended a local function last night, and this question was on my mind as parents recounted their experiences with newborns and calming. They thought that they were doing the swaddling wrong. Or that their child was abnormal. Not likely. They just didn’t realize that for most babies, swaddling alone doesn’t do the deal.
As a certified Happiest Baby educator, I am aware that there are a small percentage of babies that are so mellow that they might not even need a swaddle. These newborns just eat, poop, pee and sleep. Anywhere, any time. Having such a baby feels like winning the lottery. It is, and it is almost as rare. Dr. Karp estimates the percentage of “easy” babies as somewhere between 5 and 15%. Enjoy it, but do not think that baby #2 will be the same. It isn’t inherited, or your divine guidance, or that your husband is a gem. You got lucky.
Most babies are in between as far as temperament and fussiness, and need at least some of the 5 S’s. Swinging, sucking, side/stomach positioning (to calm only), shush-ing, and the swaddle. They are only occasionally fussy, and it is clear to you what they need after you know the Happiest Baby moves.
And then there are the babies that he classifies as “spirited”. You know if you have one of these. Peals of joy, but also screams that could make the sheetrock fall off the walls. If they are hungry, you’d think they were being starved. If they are tired, they are hysterical. If you don’t pick them up in time, they make it clear that you will rue the day you do that again. They are not possessed, they are expressing a combo of lack of self-calming skills, a really immature brain, and a fiery temperament. You need to do all the moves of Happiest Baby, and do them right. I can help. Read more of my posts, get Dr. Karp’s DVD, and practice the moves until you could teach my classes.
So, swaddling does work, it just isn’t the end of the story for most babies. If you have a baby for whom swaddling isn’t enough, don’t give up. Take a class, get a consultation from me or another educator, and don’t worry that a screaming newborn means a lifetime of this rollercoaster!
