I told myself I wasn't going to jump in on this discussion again, but I find I need additional info. (If you think we've hit the "beating a dead horse --or  nearly dead horse," feel free to email privately.) But would someone mind forwarding the citation(s) with page numbers in which Dr. Karp refers to the 5 Ss (or anything else) as his/a "method" or implies the ideas he shares are "rules"? I'm probably missing these references in text, but all I've ever read or heard him refer to them as are "techniques" or "skills." Plus, everything I've read or heard him say seems to promote parent-infant relationship building vs. "plastic parenting" concepts, so I must be missing something...

Also, I'm having problems following discussions of these techniques as the marketing of age-old concepts. Heck, BF is an age-old concept and there's not much new under the sun, yet some of us seem to find plenty to write/talk about it. Perhaps because a reorganization or different perspective of the same old, same old provides something really useful to a new audience that is unfamiliar with the material and a different way of thinking about old info for a more seasoned audience. What is wrong with reorganizing "old" strategies and offering them in a new format for an audience of new parents who live/cope in a culture of nuclear families and often have had little experience with babies? 

These techniques/skills/strategies/whatever (but not method/not rules) work, and I've talked to a number of mothers who've told me these techniques "saved" BF for them -- they were ready to blame their babies' frequent and vociferous crankiness on the BF. These were sleep-deprived parents whose babies' were gaining and otherwise fine, many of whom spent days -- and nights -- with one or two babies velcroed to them, but whose babies were still not finding the close contact comforting at various times of the day.

I'm also intrigued but the swaddling discussion. What evidence indicates babies want their hands so free -- or not? Freedom in utero where baby is in fluid, and gravity is not an issue, seems quite different. Also, the newborn tends to move toward the body's center/midline; when not in skin2skin contact with mother/another, it would seem that appropriate use of a hand-down swaddle may actually help the newborn organize and assist with a gentle transition to a world governed by gravity. Our culture may be more familiar with free-hand-swaddling, but there are cultures in which snug swaddling with arms down is more the norm. So who is right and why? I'm the oldest of 7 and grew up with a baby on my hip. Women in my family used a looser, hands-free swaddle, so that's what I did with my babies--all five, in spite of the fact that it seemed pretty useless. 

I was a product/victim of my socialization and I must admit that I was somewhat appalled and concerned when I first learned about this snug swaddling technique. But it works for many babies. I've certainnly not seen babies "fight" it and, if a baby would, the parent or health professional should recognize that it may not be a strategy to use -- at least currently -- for the particular baby. But the more usual response I've noted is behavior associated with physical relaxing.

Everyone is entitled to their thoughts on this or anything else, but I feel concern when it seems that "labels" are being applied when the author him/herself does not use the label. (Reminds me of Dr. Frederick Leboyer and the Leboyer "Method"! He literally cringed during a lecture when expressing how frustrated he felt that people were calling his ideas, e.g. the body temp water experience immediately after birth as a "method" when all he wanted was to enlighten people about making the transition from womb to world a more gentle one.) I also feel concerned -- for myself as much as anyone -- when I let my own cultural bias or socialization interfere with learning something new -- or simply a new way to do an old thing. And that last goes double ditto if I'm finding myself making assumptions about others'  motivations -- whether of those sharing techniques or those implementing such. 

Again, if anyone has any refs written by Dr. Karp himself that allude to the techniques he's written about as a "method" or "rules," please forward. Thanks. 

Karen

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