The Happiest Baby on the Block

One of the first books I read about raising a baby was called The Happiest Baby on the Block. In between morning sickness and exhaustion, reading it made me feel more prepared for parenting and confident about how I would care for my child during the first three months. The book not only explains how to create a "womb-like" experience for baby, but also why it works so well. It made sense to keep baby in a familiar environment at first. Plus, the two world cultures that continue to practice the techniques experience no symptoms of colic in babies. Not to mention, the baby on the cover of the book looked as happy as any I had ever seen!

Dr. Harvey Karp recommends techniques for building trust to reassure baby in her new home. He suggests using the 5 S's and consistently responding to baby's needs throughout the first three months. Of course babies need to be fed and changed, but after that you can comfort them with the cuddle cure- a combination of the 5 soothing suggestions detailed here. It's a challenge caring for a newborn, so I appreciated having a set of instructions that would ultimately help build a connection with my baby.

Now that Hannah is four months old, I'm happy to report that she is undoubtedly the happiest baby on the block. She's confident expressing her needs and responds appreciatively after they are met. I feel lucky to be the one who gets to feed her, change her diapers, and lull her to sleep because it has helped build a strong bond of trust between us. Our house is regularly filled with coos, giggles, and the sounds of excitement. It makes me the happiest Mommy on the block!