The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff. The The Happiest Baby (THB) program has been reviewed by the CEBC in the area of: Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (Secondary), but lacks the necessary research evidence to be given a Scientific Rating.

• Type of Maltreatment: Physical Abuse
• Target Population: New parents, grandparents, teachers and healthcare professionals.

THB explains that the current culture’s conceptualization of the first three months of life is flawed. In many ways, newborns are not fully ready for the world at birth, they still need a protected environment filled with rhythmic, monotonous, entrancing stimulation...a fourth trimester. It teaches five simple methods of activating the “calming reflex” by imitating the uterine sensory milieu - the "5 S's" - Swaddle, Sidestomach position, Shush, Swing, Suck. Laboratory research has demonstrated that elements of this program, including swaddling, sound, and movement, improve the quality of sleep and promote greater arousability, which may protect against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). This program promotes good parent-infant bonding and aims to assist in the prevention of a number of severe and life-threatening consequences of infant crying. These consequences are marital stress, Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), Post-Partum Depression (PPD), Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), excessive use of Emergency Room/physician time, overly aggressive medical evaluation and treatment for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), and perhaps even in the prevention of obesity.

• Certify all educators in The Happiest Baby program.
• Provide all patients/clients with The Happiest Baby DVD + the Soothing Sounds White Noise CD (many programs also provide a large swaddling blanket).
• Teach the concepts of the “missing 4th trimester,” the “calming” reflex and the 5 S’s. Parents are informed about Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) and are advised to walk away or get help if they feel they are losing patience or getting angry, but in general parents who get THB training develop great competence during the first week or two of a baby’s life. This allows them to be very good at calming the baby before the colicky crying period begins to trigger such frustration and anger.
• Discuss and demonstrate precisely how to do each S (the technique is critically important to avoid mistakes and frustration and to allow the intervention to be maximally effective).
• Have parent demonstrate their competence on a doll or their baby.
• Have the parent use the white noise CD at home during crying bouts and all sleep periods.
• Have the parents re-watch the DVD after the baby is born…during early crying episodes…and in the presence of any other adults/teens who will be helping care for the baby. This reemphasizes the important points of the technique at the “teachable moment.” It also helps prevent incorrect application of the principles and mitigates the State’s or the organization’s liability by making The Happiest Baby DVD the last information given.
• Emphasize the importance of skill building and boosting the competence of male caregivers. Men are excellent baby-calmers. This program has been included in the curriculum of the National Fatherhood Initiative.
• Able to be used in programs for high-risk babies/families (e.g., NICU, drug withdrawal, low SES), teen parents, fatherhood programs, military, Post-Partum Depression sufferers, Shaken Baby Syndrom prevention, foster or adoptive parents, and training Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, nurses, lactation consultants, housestaff, child life workers, etc.

The Happiest Baby (THB) was not designed with a child component.

The Happiest Baby (THB) was designed with a parent/caregiver component that addresses the following presenting problems and symptoms:

• Expectant parents or parents of newborns, especially those who experience crying babies, sleepless babies, breastfeeding failure (women unable to feed because the baby is crying or who want to give up nursing because the baby has begun to fuss more), etc.

The Happiest Baby (THB) was designed to be conducted in a group setting; but has not been tested for use in a group setting.

Recommended group size:

Groups of 1 to 6 couples

Recommended Intensity:

A single 90-minute class prenatally; may offer a follow-up postnatal class (or just postnatally if the population cannot be captured prenatally). The program is designed so that all participants receive two parenting tools (an educational DVD and a CD of white noise). For high-risk patients, there should be 90-minute home visits and/or telephone follow-ups.

Recommended Duration:

One class for most new parents. A Home visit and follow-up phone calls at one week, three to four weeks, and six to eight weeks post-partum for high-risk parents.

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Adoptive Home
• Birth Family Home
• Community Agency
• Group Home
• Hospital
• Outpatient Clinic
• Residential Care Facility
• School

This program does not include a homework component.

The Happiest Baby (THB) does not have materials available in a language other than English.

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

This is a home study certification, but enrollee must have access to a DVD player.

One year of patient/parent education experience or a medical professional degree.

There is not a manual that describes how to implement this program; but there is training available for this program.

Training Contact:

• Harvey Karp, MD
  The Happiest Baby, Inc.
  www.thehappiestbaby.org
  education@thehappiestbaby.org
  phone: (310) 476-4440
  fax: (310) 440-4401

Training is obtained:

At home: DVD and reading-based with a test requiring passage at the 90%.

Number of days/hours:

Five days for 40 hours total.

This program has been reviewed and it was determined that this program lacks the type of published, peer-reviewed research that meets the CEBC criteria for a scientific rating of 1 – 5. Therefore, the program has been given the classification of "NR - Not able to be Rated." It was reviewed because it was identified by the topic expert as a program being used in the field, or it is being marketed and/or used in California with children receiving services from child welfare or related systems and their parents/caregivers. Some programs that are not rated may have published, peer-reviewed research that does not meet the above stated criteria or may have eligible studies that have not yet been published in the peer-reviewed literature. For more information on the "NR - Not able to be Rated" classification, please see the Scientific Rating Scale.

Child Welfare Outcomes: Not Specified