Analyzing Karp´s Happiest Baby on the Block

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Introduction There is no greater feeling a new mother can have than a smiling baby. Every new mother struggles with making their babies happy, because they cannot speak just yet. The first form of communication they have is crying, but parent are not able to always able to figure out what the baby wants at first. When I read “The Happiest Baby on the Block” by Harvey Karp I was very intrigued. The step to making your baby happy was not only helpful, but simple as well. This book takes a psychological approach because it is so similar to the Erickson’s Trust vs. mistrust stage. I will begin by introducing the books theory, and then I will explain why it relates to Erickson’s trust vs. mistrust stage. Relationship to Child Development (Emotional, Social, and/or Physical) The method is called the five s’s which consist of the following; swaddling, side/stomach position, shush, swing, and sucking. These five steps make the baby feel like he/she is still in the mother’s womb. When babies are born they are not actually ready for the world, and should still be in the mother’s womb for a fourth trimester. The fourth trimester is from the age of birth, to eight teen months. Since we know that this is not possible, the babies first few months are known as the fourth trimester. During this time your baby is fully dependent on you, it is ok to constantly be there for them when they are crying. This helps the trust you and other caregivers. During this fourth trimester stage is when your baby will either learn to trust or mistrust you, it is crucial to teach your baby to trust you. This book will teach you how to help your baby trust you if you have a fussy baby using the five s’s method. The first step to the method is swaddling. You start by... ... middle of paper ... ...ry. By using the steps in this book it can help a stressed mother make sure that the baby’s need are met, without having to have a constantly fussy baby. When you can calm your baby down, it give you the courage to help you baby learn to trust in yourself and others. It is possible to have a happy baby. With these steps and physiological proof that it is important for your baby to trust, it is a must when it comes to the method. “Happiest Baby on the Block” was a fascinating read and it brings a whole new perspective of Erikson’s trust vs. mistrust theory into play, as well as really showing how to raise a happy and healthy child. There is truly no greater feeling a new mother can have than a happy smiling baby. Works Cited Karp, Harvey. The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Baby Sleep Longer. New York, NY: Bantam, 2002. Print.

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