Our guest on this episode of “Healthy Births, Happy Babies” is Dr. Harvey Karp, one of America’s leading pediatricians and child development experts. His celebrated books/videos, The Happiest Baby on the Block, The Happiest Toddler on the Block and The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep have teach his insights into child development (e.g. the Calming Reflex, the 5 S’s and Toddler-ese).
In this episode, we will cover:
- How Dr. Karp’s study of a tribe in Africa led him to discover “the Calming Reflex” in babies that can be initiated in any baby to help calm and soothe them.
- What the “5 S’s” are and how use them to calm any fussy, seemingly inconsolable baby within minutes if not faster.
- Information about his SNOO Smart Sleeper and the controversy around it
Resources mentioned in the conversation:
- Dr. Karp’s website: www.HappiestBaby.com
- Healthy Child, Healthy World – www.healthychild.org
- EWG – Environmental Working Group – www.ewg.org
About Dr. Harvey Karp:
Dr. Harvey Karp is one of America’s leading pediatricians and child development experts. His celebrated books/videos, The Happiest Baby on the Block, The Happiest Toddler on the Block and The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep have been translated into over 20 languages and have benefited millions of parents.
Happiest Baby classes are taught by thousands of specially trained educators in university hospitals and public health programs across America and in over 20 other nations. Dr. Karp’s insights into child development (e.g. the Calming Reflex, the 5 S’s and Toddler-ese) have made him one of the world’s leading baby and sleep experts. Several peer reviewed studies have validated his innovative observations and multiple additional studies are underway. No wonder, the NY Times applauded his landmark ideas by saying, “Roll over, Dr. Spock!”
Dr. Karp is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the USC Keck School of Medicine and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He practiced pediatrics in Los Angeles for almost 30 years. His unique ability to translate complex science into effective techniques to empower parents have revolutionized our understanding of the needs of young children.
Dr. Karp is also the founder and CEO of Happiest Baby, a smart-tech and parenting solutions company. He designed an award-winning, innovative baby bed – SNOO, Smart Sleeper. SNOO provides womb-like sound and motion to quickly boost a baby’s sleep and imitate an experienced caregiver by responding to crying with increasing levels of motion/sound to soothe infant upsets. The bed comes with a unique swaddle that prevents accidental rolling, which makes SNOO the only baby bed that keeps babies safely on the back for the first 6 months (as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics). By improving infant sleep and reducing crying, Dr. Karp’s hope is to improve parent confidence and bonding to their child and to reduce the serious health sequelae of parental exhaustion and stress, including postpartum depression, child abuse, childhood obesity, infant sleep death, etc.
For over 20 years, Dr. Karp has been a tireless advocate and a national leader in the promotion of children’s rights to a healthy and safe environment. His work has directly led to state and national laws protecting children. Dr. Karp has served as a spokesman on environmental issues for the NRDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the California Department of Health, and is a founding board member of Healthy Child Healthy World. He is currently a board member of EWG, whose mission is to protect our nation’s public health and the environment.
Dr. Karp is an advisor to Parents, Ser Padres and American Baby magazines and a pediatric expert on BabyCenter. He has appeared numerous times on Good Morning America, CNN, Today Show, The View, Dr. Oz, etc. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Time, Newsweek, LA Times, Parents, People Magazine, etc.