FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Jan. 26, 2017) -- There is no question that the first weeks of an infant's life can be a challenging time for parents. Between late-night feedings, sleep deprivation and mountains of laundry, parents can sometimes feel overwhelmed by the demands of caring for their new loved one.
What some parents don't realize is that the first three months of life are also very challenging for their infant.
Babies must adjust to a transition from a cozy, dark and quiet environment to a wide-open world full of light, movement and loud noises. The introduction of these new stimuli can make it difficult for a baby to get adequate rest and can leave parents feeling frustrated or insecure in their ability to soothe their child.
Family Advocacy Program staff members with the New Parent Support Program have resources, classes and tips that can help Soldiers and Family Members, said Stacey Fry, the program's lead home visitor.
One class that is designed specifically for parents of infants up to 3 months of age, a "4th Trimester / Newborn Safety Class," is held monthly at Army Community Service, Bldg. 4330, Conway Road. The course focuses on teaching skills to help make parenting during these formative months easier for parents and infants alike.
"The 4th Trimester is a term coined by Dr. Harvey Karp," Fry said. "He feels that during the first three months of an infant's life, they are still really in the fetal stage, and he focuses on what we can do to calm and soothe infants during these early weeks of life."
Erin Pusateri, a home visitor with the program, said that parents often do not understand how nervous system development works in infants, and they are upset when they cannot quiet and soothe their baby.
"Sometimes parents feel like they are doing something wrong when their baby is having a hard time calming down or sleeping," she said. "We are here to teach them skills that will help their baby get the rest they need, while helping parents gain confidence in their ability to care for their child."
Fry said this is where a method called the "5 Ss," a skill taught in the course, can be very useful.
"The class focuses on what Karp calls the 'calming reflex' and teaches parents how to help their child feel secure and safe," Fry said.
The first step to calming a baby, she said, is swaddling. Fry said that sometimes babies will initially resist being swaddled, leading parents to believe that it is not an effective method for their child.
"At first, some babies may fight being swaddled, but with their arms and legs free, they aren't developed enough to control their limb movement," she said. "They will startle and throw their arms up, bat at their own faces and sometimes scratch themselves. Swaddling prevents them from doing this."
Pusateri, who worked as a labor and delivery nurse in the past, explained that once a baby is swaddled properly, it creates a feeling of security. The parent can then move on to adding the remaining skills of the "5 Ss" theory -- side-positioning -- where a parent holds their infant on their side rather than flat on their back, shushing (or white noise), sucking (nursing, feeding or with a pacifier) and swaying. While parents may have to employ all five skills, some babies only need one or two of these methods to calm and become more restful.
"Once they have learned to use these skills, their baby is happier, and it helps parents to build their self-esteem, which in turn helps with the other aspects of raising a child," Pusateri said. "Other things fall into place because they feel confident that they are providing what their baby needs."
While teaching calming techniques is a primary focus of the course, infant safety is also a major component, Pusateri said. While placing babies on their backs to sleep has dramatically decreased incidents of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, further action must be taken to ensure an infant is safe while sleeping.
"We teach parents what a safe sleep environment looks like," she said. "On television, you see these cribs with pillows and fluffy blankets and bumpers and toys. We talk about what development skills their child has at a given age and explain why having these things inside the crib is unsafe."
Winter car seat safety is another very important topic that the two teach.
"It's cold outside and parents are -- of course -- dressing their babies in warm clothing, but what parents may not realize is that it is unsafe for a child to wear puffy clothing in their car seat," she said.
Children need to wear tight-fitting clothing in order for the safety harnesses on their car seats to work properly in the event of an accident.
"We emphasize that, while children shouldn't be wearing big, puffy clothing in their car seats, it's important to make sure that they are kept warm while parents are moving them to and from the car," she said.
Other topics that the class covers include proper car seat installation and harness positioning, household safety and shaken baby syndrome.
In addition to the monthly course, New Parent Support Program staff members also conduct voluntary home visits. Interested parents can request visits beginning in the prenatal stage until the time their child turns 3.
When a military Family has a baby, staff members from FAP deliver "baby bundles" with donated goods and educational resources to parents, along with a form asking if they would like an in-home visit. Health care providers, staff members from the WIC (Woman, Infants and Children) program and other community members also often encourage parents to take advantage of the resources offered through FAP.
Fry said that parents should never be afraid to reach out when they need additional guidance or resources to help making parenting easier.
"It can be very hard to reach out and say 'I'm not sure what I am doing,'" she said. "We want parents to know that a lot of people feel that way, and it's OK. We are here to support them, whether it's with a home visit, in a class setting, or by providing books and resources that they can use."
While the "4th Trimester / Newborn Safety" program is designed for children 3 months of age and younger, Fry emphasized that the Family Advocacy Program is there to support parents throughout all stages of their child's life.
"They host 'Terrific Toddler,' and they have resources to help during the middle and teen years," she said. "The staff know that raising children -- especially in a military Family -- can be challenging, and they are here to help."
To register for the 4th Trimester / Infant Safety class, visit http://fortdrumacs.checkappointments.com.
For more information regarding New Parent Support classes and resources, call (315) 772-0748 or visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FtdrumFAP.
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