I have been a Certified Happiest Baby Educator since September 2006. In the last 5 years, I have taught many families how to calm their babies, and reduce the instances of SIDS and Shaken Baby Syndrome, as well as reduce parental frustration, help breastfeeding relationships, and reduce the occurance of postpartum depression. As of June 2011, I am now contracted with The Happiest Baby as an Outreach Educator, to reach out to and train even MORE people to do the same, and add to the over 4600 Educators already in place. I can not say enough great things about Dr. Karp, The Happiest Baby and everyone behind it, and what it does to help families.
A friend of mine gave me this book when I was pregnant with my 8 year old. Back then, I never knew how much this book would actually change my life, until I joined The Happiest Baby Education Association! The website also includes a sample presentation I created a few years back (my non official business name wasdifferent) http://www.thehappiestbaby.org/images/classoutline.pdf
You can email me with any questions at happiestbaby@prenataltopreschool.com!
Are You Ready To Be A Parent?
New babies are such a blessing, but they can also bring with them sleepless nights, crying, and sometimes quite a bit of stress. We can help you become less frustrated with the baby (aged 0 to 3 months) in your care!
If you have been blessed with a baby who won't sleep or just cries and cries, then this site was created with you in mind. We are going to introduce you to simple tools which will help you relieve calm your baby and help her sleep quicker than you thought possible and will leave you and your baby less stressed and much happier.
We believe every child is a precious gift and those entrusted with caring for them should be well educated and well informed! Learn an extraordinary approach to keeping your baby happy. In our Happiest Baby class, new parents will learn step-by-step how to help their baby sleep better and how to soothe even the fussiest baby in minutes…even seconds. Our class is based on the highly effective, new approach to babies pioneered by Dr. Harvey Karp in his best-selling book and DVD.
Dr. Karp believes that babies, especially in their first few months of life, can experience "fourth trimester" issues. Babies can have a difficult time getting used to the huge amount of stimuli present in life outside of Mom's body. Their reaction to all of this is to cry and cry.
The Happiest Baby On The Block method formulated by Dr. Harvey Karp, addresses these issues by helping you learn how to effectively recreate the environment of the womb, outside of Mom's body. Once you have learned the steps, you will be able to alleviate some, if not all, of your baby's colic symptoms.
Each class session includes:
- The 5S's developed by Dr. Harvey Karp
- The Missing 4th Trimester: The theory that babies are born 3 months too soon
- A take home parent kit for each class participant
- A question and answer session
- How to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome from over frustration
- The Calming Reflex: the virtual off-switch to crying that all babies are born with
Lessening the chances of:- Postpartum Depression
- Marital stress
- Sleepless Nights
- Having an unconsolable infant
New parents will also learn:- Why the idea that colic is due to gas pains is mostly an old wives tale
- Why keeping the house quiet may actually be upsetting to many newborns
- Why most babies get more upset in the evening
- Why it’s impossible to spoil young babies and why letting them cry it out can actually do more harm then good!
- An easy way to help infants sleep a few hours more a night
- Why fathers are often the BEST calmers in the family
- Information on how breastfeeding reduces the instances of colic, SIDS and more
THB medical cost benefit potential-
1) diminished calls/visits to MD's with crying, sleepless babies
2) fewer ER visits and follow up doctor visits
3) fewer diagnostic tests
4) fewer prescriptions of drugs
5) reduced incidence of breastfeeding failure...with resultant improved infant health
6) reduced incidence of postpartum depression...with resultant reduced missed work, doctor visits, medication, etc.
7) reduced incidence of Shaken Baby Syndrome...with resultant reduced hospital and rehab care, legal costs, etc.
8) Improved parents sleep and work ability.
9) probable reduced incidence of SIDS, too (decreased accidental rolling to stomach, swaddling increases infant arousability even in deep sleep).About Dr. Karp's Method
Dr. Karp believes that babies, especially in their first few months of life, can experience "fourth trimester" issues. Babies can have a difficult time getting used to the huge amount of stimuli present in life outside of Mom's body. Their reaction to all of this is to cry and cry.
The Happiest Baby On The Block method formulated by Dr. Harvey Karp, addresses these issues by helping you learn how to effectively recreate the environment of the womb, outside of Mom's body. Once you have learned the steps, you will be able to alleviate some, if not all, of your baby's colic symptoms.
The 5 S's:
There are 5 components to this method which, when used together, work amazingly well to calm your crying baby and in many cases help your baby go to sleep with no fuss. Using cross-cultural techniques combined with his own research, Dr. Karp has developed the "five S's system". Some babies will need all five, others just a few to help induce what he calls the "calming reflex."
- Swaddling-Tight swaddling provides the continuous touching and support the fetus experienced while still in Mom's womb.
- Side/stomach position-You place your baby, while holding her, either on her left side to assist in digestion, or on her stomach to provide reassuring support. Once your baby is happily asleep, you can safely put her in her crib, on her back.
- Shushing Sounds -These sounds imitate the continual whooshing sound made by the blood flowing through arteries near the womb. This white noise can be in the form of a vacuum cleaner, a hair dryer, a fan and so on. The good news is that you can easily save the motors on your household appliances and get a white noise CD which can be played over and over again with no worries.
- Swinging -Newborns are used to the swinging motions that were present when they were still in Mom's womb. Every step mom took, every movement caused a swinging motion for your baby. After your baby is born, this calming motion, which was so comforting and familiar, is abruptly taken away. Your baby misses the motion and has a difficult time getting used to it not being there. "It's disorienting and unnatural," says Karp. Rocking, car rides, and other swinging movements all can help.
- Sucking -"Sucking has its effects deep within the nervous system," notes Karp, "and triggers the calming reflex and releases natural chemicals within the brain." This "S" can be accomplished with breast, bottle, pacifier or even a finger.
These steps sound pretty easy, but seeing them done properly, in conjunction with each other, is the key to relieving your baby's colic symptoms and making Mom, Dad, and baby less stressed and much happier!
