Happy New Year!  I just got the call...."Stay home its SLOW today", so  I
wanted to share my experience with Dr. Karp's video.  I had not heard of him
until I covered a childbirth class for a coworker, who had this special video she
wanted the class to see on the last night.  After lots of questions, a
practice and more discussion, I played the video and couples who HAD to leave early
lingered as this video played.
I took the concepts back to the Mom/Baby unit and tried them out for a couple
of days before I started talking it up....All parents want to learn how to
soothe their babies and all want to learn how to swaddle them like the nurses
do.  I have always spoken to my babies so bringing a baby into a chest and mine
is quite generous and gently shushing can be magical.  Telling parents infront
of grandmas and relatives they can't spoil a baby and holding a baby is
important is one of my favorite minute "lectures", but shushing is a real trip.
Then my PCT's caught me doing it and I started sharing with them...these are
either older ladies or nursing students for the most part....now they teach
swaddling and shushing...and watch parents gain confidence in helping calm their
babies.  I wish we could get the Newborn Channel to show the film occasionally
but that probably won't happen...but I let parents know that Dr. Karp has a
book and a video and it might be good thing to suggest when someone asks "what
can I get you".    Some of my Yuppie Moms have read the Baby Whisper but few
have encountered Dr. Karp. (Maybe he is busy with his pedi practice and doesn't
get to make talk show rounds as much as hospital rounds), but its my Hispanic
and Black couplets that profit the most....their cultures don't encourage
holding and cuddling and talking to the baby. So when you teach swaddling, also
include shushing it goes together very easily.  I really feel very sad that so
many of these new parents don't have that instinctive bond to cuddle and think
that baby should be all nice and quiet in a crib at the bedside. I encourage
the "mother bird "position....snuggled under her" wing"...so to speak...I think
nurses need to tell Moms yes you are doing it right when its in the "nest"
with mommy...either under her "wing" or in the center of her chest, not in the
crib or visitors arms...I love it when Dad is cuddling and they are snuggled
together. New Year's Resolution:  get our Mother Baby Class to cover shushing
with swaddling.
Leanne Jewell, RNC, LCCE. FACCE
SFl

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