The 5 S's for Settling Your Newborn
Hello & a warm welcome to the blog!
Today I'll be sharing the "5 S's" for soothing a newborn baby. I learned about these during my training in newborn photography and having seen the benefits of these techniques in my own work over the years, I wanted to share them with all parents! These tips aren’t just for calming your baby when they are crying, they're also helpful in getting them off to sleep too :-)
TIP #1: SWADDLE
Swaddling your baby recreates the womb environment where your baby always felt safe and secure. It also increases sleep and decreases the startle reflex. Note that swaddling is no longer safe once your baby can roll over.
Parents often tell me that their baby doesn’t like to be swaddled, but wrapping for a newborn photoshoot is a slightly different technique and I’ve yet to meet a baby that doesn’t respond well to it! ;-)
TIP #2: SIDE OR STOMACH
Hold your baby on their stomach or side while supporting their head and neck. While it is safe to hold a baby on their stomach or side, never place them down to sleep on their stomach or side.
Note that during your newborn photography session, we pose babies on their back, side and tummy (depending on how comfortable your baby is in each position) for a variety of photographs in your gallery. Your baby is always being observed and they are not left in any position for a prolonged period of time. Newborn posing should only be carried out by a trained professional who can do this safely.
TIP #3: SHUSH
The ‘shushing’ sound can be very calming for babies and white noise like this can help them to sleep. Surprisingly, silence can actually be more unsettling for babies! The shushing sound mimics the loud noise of your blood flow when baby was inside the womb, so it can be very comforting for them to hear. If you get tired of making the ‘shhh’ sound yourself, you could try using a white noise app or a device specifically designed for this purpose.
TIP #4: SWING
Remember that life in the womb involved a lot of movement! This jiggling around every time you moved was calming for baby so swinging from side to side can help to replicate that feeling for them. Always support your baby’s head and neck during this movement.
TIP #5: SUCK
Sucking lowers baby’s heart rate, blood pressure and stress levels. Even if your baby has recently had a full feed, allowing them to comfort suck when they become unsettled (particularly during a photoshoot) is honestly one of the best ways to help your newborn to feel calm and relaxed.
So there you have it! If your baby isn't crying due to feeling hungry, having wind or needing a nappy change, then these 5 S’s could be just what you need to soothe your little one. These techniques are being taught in hospitals and parenting clinics across the world, so definitely worth a try :-)
Hit the button below for a gallery of cute newborn babies that I've photographed right here in Glasgow!