When your newborn is fed, changed and cuddled but still will not settle, it can be difficult to know what else to try. This is where the 5 S’s for baby sleep can be incredibly useful.
The 5 S’s are five soothing techniques commonly used with newborns: swaddling, side or stomach holding, shushing, swinging and sucking. The approach was developed and popularised by paediatrician Dr Harvey Karp and is designed to recreate some of the sensations babies experienced before birth.
The important thing to remember is that the 5 S’s are not a rigid sleep method. Your baby might love being swaddled but dislike a dummy. Another baby may calm almost immediately with movement and white noise.
As with everything in baby sleep, your baby’s individual temperament matters.
Quick answer: The 5 S’s for soothing babies are Swaddle, Side or Stomach position while held, Shush, Swing and Suck. They can be used individually or together to help calm a fussy newborn. Side and stomach positioning are only for soothing while baby is awake and held. Babies should always be placed on their backs for sleep.
What are the 5 S’s for babies?
The 5 S’s method includes:
- Swaddle: wrapping your newborn securely
- Side or stomach: holding your baby on their side or tummy while soothing
- Shush: using repetitive shushing or white noise
- Swing: providing gentle, rhythmic movement
- Suck: allowing your baby to suck at the breast, on a clean finger or on a dummy
These techniques are particularly associated with the fourth trimester, the first months of a baby’s life when they are adapting from the womb to a very different environment.
Newborns are suddenly experiencing light, space, changes in temperature, unfamiliar sounds and much more freedom of movement. The 5 S’s attempt to provide familiar sensations such as containment, movement and repetitive sound.
Let’s look at each one.
1. Swaddling
Many newborns find swaddling calming because it provides a feeling of containment and can reduce the effect of the Moro, or startle, reflex.
You may notice your baby falling asleep peacefully only to suddenly throw their arms out and wake themselves. Swaddling can reduce this disruption during the newborn stage.
A swaddle should be secure around your baby’s upper body while still allowing enough room for their hips and legs to move naturally. Avoid overheating your baby and never use weighted swaddles.
When should you stop swaddling?
This is important: stop swaddling as soon as your baby shows signs of attempting to roll.
Some babies begin working towards rolling earlier than parents expect, so the decision should be based on your baby’s development rather than waiting for a particular age.
A swaddled baby should always be placed on their back to sleep.
2. Side or stomach position
This S can be confusing because safe-sleep guidance recommends placing babies on their backs.
The distinction is simple:
Side or stomach positioning can be used for soothing while your baby is awake, supervised and securely held. It is not a sleep position.
For example, you might hold your baby tummy-down across your forearm or against your body while gently rocking them.
Once your baby is ready to sleep, place them on their back on a firm, flat sleep surface. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends placing babies on their backs for sleep.
3. Shushing
A completely silent bedroom may seem peaceful to us, but newborns have spent months surrounded by sound.
Repetitive shushing can therefore be surprisingly calming.
You can make a gentle but noticeable “shhh” sound yourself or use continuous white noise. When your baby is very upset, a barely audible shush may not capture their attention, so you may need to begin more noticeably and then reduce the intensity as they calm.
If you use a white noise machine, keep the volume at a safe level and avoid positioning the device close to your baby’s head. The American Academy of Pediatrics cautions against excessively loud white noise because of the potential risk to hearing.
4. Swinging and movement
Think about how much movement your baby experienced before birth. Every time you walked around, changed position or climbed stairs, your baby moved with you.
It is therefore unsurprising that many newborns find movement soothing.
You can experiment with:
- gently rocking in your arms
- walking while holding your baby
- rhythmic swaying
- gentle bouncing
- using a baby carrier appropriately
The key word here is gentle. Your baby’s head and neck should always be properly supported, and a baby should never be shaken.
Movement is also a good example of why you do not necessarily need all five S’s. Some babies are incredibly responsive to motion. Others prefer being held quietly.
Watch your baby and adjust accordingly.
5. Sucking
Sucking is a natural soothing behaviour for babies, which is why feeding can be such a powerful way of helping a newborn calm and fall asleep.
Depending on your baby and feeding situation, sucking may mean breastfeeding, sucking on a clean finger or using a dummy.
If your baby is showing signs of hunger, however, soothing techniques should not be used to delay a needed feed.
This is especially important with newborns. Before assuming your baby simply needs help settling, consider whether they could be hungry.
How do you use the 5 S’s together?
You do not need to perform the five steps perfectly or in exactly the same sequence every time.
You might start by checking your baby’s basic needs:
Are they hungry? Is their nappy clean? Are they too hot or cold? Could they be overtired? Do they simply need closeness?
If those needs have been addressed, try layering soothing techniques.
For example:
Swaddle → hold on their side → shush → gently rock → offer sucking
Your baby might settle after the first two steps. Another baby may need several techniques simultaneously.
Over time, you will probably discover your baby’s favourite combination.
That is far more useful than trying to follow a formula simply because it works for someone else’s baby.
Do the 5 S’s help babies sleep?
They can.
The 5 S’s are primarily soothing techniques, rather than a method for teaching independent sleep. However, helping a newborn become calm can naturally make falling asleep easier.
This distinction matters.
A newborn needing rocking, shushing, feeding or cuddling to fall asleep is not doing something wrong. Newborn sleep is immature, and young babies need significant support and regulation from their caregivers.
The goal at this age is not to create a perfectly independent sleeper. It is to help your baby feel safe, calm and supported while gradually learning their individual sleep patterns.
What if the 5 S’s don’t work?
Sometimes they simply will not, and that does not mean you are doing anything wrong.
First, go back to your baby’s basic needs. Consider:
- hunger
- a wet or dirty nappy
- trapped wind
- being too hot or cold
- overtiredness
- overstimulation
- wanting physical contact
- illness or discomfort
You can also change your combination of soothing techniques. A baby who becomes more frustrated when swaddled may respond beautifully to walking and shushing.
And sometimes your baby will cry despite everything you try.
If your newborn is persistently inconsolable, seems unwell, is feeding poorly, has a fever, appears unusually sleepy or you are concerned about their crying, contact your paediatrician or healthcare provider.
When should you stop using the 5 S’s?
There is no need to suddenly stop all five techniques at a particular age.
Your baby’s needs will naturally change.
Swaddling is the exception because it has a clear developmental safety limit and should stop once your baby shows signs of trying to roll.
Other elements can remain useful for much longer. White noise may continue to form part of your baby’s sleep environment. A dummy may remain soothing. Rocking and cuddling may continue to help during difficult periods.
You can gradually reduce support as your baby needs less of it.
Frequently asked questions about the 5 S’s
What age are the 5 S’s most useful?
The 5 S’s are particularly useful during the newborn stage and fourth trimester. As babies mature, many naturally need less intensive soothing.
Do I have to use all 5 S’s?
No. Some babies respond to one or two techniques, while others benefit from several being combined. Observe your baby’s response rather than trying to complete all five every time.
Can my baby sleep on their side after I soothe them?
No. Side or stomach positioning in the 5 S’s refers to holding and soothing your baby while supervised. Place your baby on their back for sleep.
Can I use the 5 S’s if I breastfeed?
Yes. The 5 S’s do not replace feeding and you can absolutely continue breastfeeding responsively. If your newborn appears hungry, offer a feed rather than trying to settle them with the other S’s.
Are the 5 S’s sleep training?
No. The 5 S’s are soothing strategies. They do not require leaving your baby to cry or expecting a newborn to settle independently.
Your baby may need their own version of the 5 S’s
The biggest takeaway is not that every newborn needs five specific things to fall asleep.
It is that newborns often need help regulating and settling, and different babies respond to different kinds of support.
One baby may need movement. Another may love swaddling and white noise. A sensitive baby may become overwhelmed by too much stimulation and need a much calmer approach.
Learning what works for your baby is more valuable than trying to recreate someone else’s routine.
If your newborn is difficult to settle, naps are becoming stressful, or you simply cannot work out what your baby needs, you do not have to keep guessing.
Book a free 15-minute discovery call with me, and we can talk about what is happening with your baby’s sleep and what kind of support may be helpful for your family.