Baby Just Wants To Rock Bounce and Sway

Testimonials

"There were nights when the boys were inconsolable. No matter how many times I burped them, checked their diaper or tried to feed them, they continued crying. But thirty seconds bouncing on a Swiss ball in their pattern brought them peace.
If you are a father and worried about how to hold your child or scared about what to do when Mom is not around, do this. It works and brings you closer to your child."

Oscar Metcalf

"I was meeting with a friend, a store owner, one day. She had her 2 year with her. The baby started fussing when a customer came into the store, so I took her aside to distract her while her mother took care of the customer. I stood behind her, took her hands in mine and started rocking her side to side, just for fun and she immediately calmed down and starting laughing. I remembered what Pat had taught us in one of her talks and realized that I just fallen into this as a way of calming the baby. So I stopped and she started fussing again. I tried forward and backward and that had no effect. So back to side to side and the laughter and smiles started up again and she was calm. Interesting eh?"
Mary Ford

"I am a grandmother of 5 and since I bought the baby rocking sheet and applied the simple tricks, I have been the most popular grandmother. When it's time to put the babies to sleep or if they are fussing, I use the easy techniques and it's a miracle, it works every time. Sometimes the simplest things are the best medicine. I would recommend it for any parent or grandparent."
Lucie Halle

Crying, fussy baby?
Baby is inconsolable?
Is baby tense and not feeding properly?
Holiday plus visitors and now baby's routine is all shot?

Most of us know people who are able to soothe and comfort any child. They smoothly switch the way they are holding the child and the way they move until they find the way that works. And they do it automatically! You too can develop the gift to do baby magic. It's all in how you move with a baby in your arms.

From birth, each baby intuitively knows which way she/he wants to move. When baby Mary was upset her parents tried patting her back and jiggling her up and down. Neither of those worked. Mom and dad quickly learned that sitting in a chair with Mary cradled in their arms and rocking back and forth calmed her down. Then they had Joshua and it was a different story. Sit and rock baby Joshua in a rocking chair and his fists would clench, his toes would curl up and he'd get more and more tense until he was screaming. But dad could sit on a big exercise ball with baby Joshua snuggled against his chest and bounce them both up and down and Joshua would calm right down, relax and drift off to sleep.

I was talking recently to Louise, a new grandmother. She was leaving the next day to visit her first grandchild and the new parents who were overwhelmed and not getting nearly enough sleep. We talked informally just long enough for her to get the idea of letting the baby teach her what movement was needed. Once Louise arrived at her daughter's she quickly figured out her granddaughter's first step and soon had her sleeping peacefully. Mom and dad appreciated the rest. They had been trying to jiggle the baby up and down or rock in a chair with her. This little one wanted to go side to side. The grandmother showed them the secret and got her first Grandmother's Gold Star. Next for this family is to have the baby teach them her full 3-Step Pattern.

There's a 3-Step Pattern?
Yes. Each baby has his/her own 3-Step Pattern using: head to toe, belly to back or side to side movements. Using your baby's own 3-step process is a way to activate your baby's own neurological processes so s/he can more easily sail through the normal developmental stages. Figuring it out and using it, is a way to respect and value your baby's innate sense of what works and is needed for her/him. As your baby moves through the 3-Step Pattern, the message your baby gets loud and clear is "I am safe. I am protected." And your baby gets it at the core of his/her being, well below any conscious level.

Your baby will give you lots of clues and your baby is easily and smoothly able to teach you. Your task as the parent is to pay attention and figure out what your baby is saying.

A tense baby will display some or all of these signs: curl up the toes, clench the fists, tense the muscles in the body, arch the back, have rigid arms and legs, breathe fast, cry. The more upset the baby is the more of these signs the baby will display. A relaxed, happy baby has open fingers and toes, hands and feet that are relaxed, arms and legs can be moved easily, muscles throughout the body are soft and sometimes the baby seems to get a lot heavier.

Once you figure out your baby's 3-Step Pattern life gets better for all. Get it wrong and you have a yelling, crying, tense, upset baby (and parent). Get it right; you have a calm, quiet, laughing, relaxed, curious baby (or even a sleeping one sshhhhh).

Click here to download the complete instructions for free.
You will need Acrobat Reader to open and print the file.

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Become a Practitioner

Are you a pediatric nurse, doula, lactation consultant, pre or post natal care provider, pediatrician, day care provider, community health worker, alternate health practitioner or other professionals working with parents and babies? Add 'Rock, Bounce and Sway' to the services you provide your clients and increase their quality of life now and into the future.
Click here for certification information.
Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I am doing the correct movement?
Baby will either relax or become more tense. If baby's tension level decreases = continue that movement. If baby's tension level increases = switch to a different movement.

How long do I continue with one movement?
Continue the first movement until baby melts; and then switch to the next movement in the pattern. If there is a smooth transition, continue; if not, go back one step. The length of time can vary on any step and from day to day. Be sensitive to baby's body language and look for smooth transitions.

Baby is twisting or torquing instead of staying straight, what am I doing wrong?
It could be that baby is in the right somatic (i.e. belly to back) but wants you to Bounce or Sway or Rock instead. Make sure baby is properly positioned with their body in line with the movement.

When should I be doing this?
Any time you want a calm relaxed sleep state for baby do Step 1 Foundation. Any other time you are holding baby do the full pattern.

What about "Shaken Baby Syndrome"? Can this harm my baby?
DO NOT SHAKE BABY. Baby is always held in a protected position. The degree of the movement can vary from subtle to more distinct according to baby's needs AND must never be jarring or rough.

I've tried the process, why are none of the movements working?
Relax yourself; baby picks up on your tension. If the above suggestions have not worked for you and baby, contact us.

Suggestions for Solo Play:

Head to Toe =
trampoline, jolly jumper, seesaw, jumping on bed

Belly to Back = rocking horse, swing, ride-on-toys, doing push-ups

Side to Side = spinning in exer-saucer, sitting sideways on a swing
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Baby Just Wants to Rock was developed by Patricia O'Reilly.
Patricia O'Reilly is president and founder of Metamorph Us Inc. Trainer, consultant, coach, her focus is to give people practical tools so they can succeed.

Instructions, complete with full colour pictures showing possible positions to hold your baby, are available as a laminated chart. To get your copy or for more information,
Contact us.

The 'Baby Just Wants to Rock' handbook is currently in production.

Check out www.metamorphus.com or pmoreilly@metamorphus.com.

Fun links for you and baby

Copyright MetamorphUS Inc. 2009