I will admit to having been somewhat uncertain about Dr. Karp's approach
until I interviewed him for an article. I really got a sense of his
compassion for babies and parents and his desire to help comfort the
miserable baby. Dr. Karp, I hope you will correct me if I am quoting you
inaccurately, but during our conversation he was clear that this is not a
prescription that must be strictly followed for all babies. Many babies are
completely happy and content if kept in a sling, for example, but for some
this doesn't seem to be enough. His method is directed to that small
percentage of "colicky" babies who keep crying despite their parent's best
efforts to soothe them.

I know I've seen some of those babies - the mothers have them in the sling,
they are walking with them, cooing to them, offering the breast or a finger
or pacifier, and the baby is spitting out the nipple and continuing to wail.
It is very frustrating. Since talking to Dr. Karp, I have suggested the five
s's to the mothers I've seen with this problem, and they've found that Dr.
Karp's more intense approach can work amazingly well.

My third child, while normally a pretty calm baby, had a strong tendency to
startle himself awake. He'd be asleep in the sling or lying in bed beside
me, and suddenly he'd fling out his arms and cry, and be hard to settle down
again. Swaddling him made a huge difference - with his arms contained, he'd
sleep longer and be happier when he woke up. Dr. Karp's swaddle does not
have the legs extended, by the way.

Teresa Pitman
Guelph, Ontario

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