Being a new parent is full of challenges. Getting baby to sleep through the night doesn’t have to be one of them.

The “Five S” system has been proven to help get your baby to sleep by using her natural reflexes to calm and soothe her.

These techniques work by mimicking the womb environment that baby has become used to. By imitating baby’s former environment, you will help your baby to sleep better, longer.

The 5 S’s are:

• Swaddling

• Side/Stomach Positioning

• Shushing

• Swinging

• Suckling

Swaddling

There is a reason people have been swaddling their babies for centuries. Swaddling is a highly effective way to calm your baby and ultimately get him to sleep longer. It keeps your baby warm & secure and helps to keep your baby from startling herself with those flailing limbs when he sleeps. It also restrains the Moro Reflex, which is that involuntary spasm that you see your baby do when she thinks he has lost her balance.

Side/Stomach Positioning

The Side/Stomach positioning helps to turn off the Moro Reflex. By holding your baby on her left side you will help to aid her digestion. Some babies prefer to be held on their stomach in what is commonly called the “football hold”.

Shushing

A lot of times we shush our guests when we want the baby to sleep when we really should be shushing our babies. A mother’s womb is filled with white noise from her heartbeat, the umbilical chord, and the outside world. In short, babies don’t mind noise! Make the shushing noises by turning your baby on her side, putting your mouth up by her ear and make the “Shhhh” sound. Other alternatives to shushing include a sound machine or a CD with sounds that mimic the sounds in a mother’s womb, running a vacuum or taking a few turns around the block in your car.

Swinging

Swinging or gentle swaying motions are very familiar to your baby who has become accustomed to almost constant motion of the womb. Swinging activates “motion sensors” in your baby’s ears that trigger an involuntarily calming response from the baby.

Suckling

Suckling is one of the most natural and instinctive actions baby can do. It is very calming for them. So much so that when baby is getting a shot, suckling can greatly reduce your baby’s tears. Offering your baby the breast or the bottle can soothe them almost instantly. For that reason, you may want to implement a pacifier to help in getting your baby to sleep. If you don’t want to use a pacifier, you can always use your knuckle or a finger.

While these five things aren’t the only things to do to help in getting your baby to sleep, they have been used by countless parents around the world to help their babies become great sleepers. Just keep in mind that your baby is still adjusting to this new world that she just came into. The more you can do to help your baby adjust to this new world, the more successful you will be at getting baby to sleep comfortably through the night.