6 Week “Regression”- Part 2
In part 1 we talked a bit about why this regression- or progression- happens. This week we will talk about what to do when this happens. We can start with the 5 S’s.
1- Swaddled- sometimes babies get overwhelmed by their limb movements and just need to feel contained for a little bit
2- Sucking- on pacifier or nursing or a bottle
3- Swinging- short bursts in your arms or supervised in a baby swing
4- Shh-ing- it’s not to tell them to be quiet, that can be a very soothing noise for new babies who are used to the noises of the womb
5- Side position- being held in the side position can be very soothing
Combinations of these 5 techniques are what will be the most calming and soothing to any newborn who is upset, even during this “purple crying” period of 6-8 weeks old. The best part is, you can easily teach them to any of your loved ones who want to help you through this time.
Why have I talked about these techniques in multiple blog posts now? Because they work. If your baby is crying too hard to take a pacifier, try a combination of swaddling, shh-ing, and swinging until they are calm enough to suck on a pacifier or bottle or nurse. If your baby really likes the side position, you can bounce (swinging), hold them in a side position, and swaddle them.
Another plus about the 5 S’s is that you don’t need anything fancy to do them. A swaddle and pacifier, sure. But you do not need a $1500 SNOO to do them for you. You can do them with a $15 swaddle and pacifier from the hospital. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does work.
On the other side of 8 weeks, crying comes down from that peak and things feel a little easier to breathe again.
At this point, baby still is not ready for a schedule, but by keeping wake windows short- 60-90 minutes, you can keep your baby from getting overtired until 16 weeks when you can implement a real schedule.
When you’re ready to start a schedule, you can get on my schedule and we will take the guess work out of helping your baby learn to sleep the best they can. Head to my Work With Me page for pricing and to schedule a discovery call.
