Stopping a newborn baby from tearing down the roof with his or her cries seems to be nothing short of a miracle. This is why millions across the world are in awe and rightful admiration of this wonderful pediatrician who, back in 2015, went viral on YouTube.
The “baby whisperer” as he has been nicknamed released a video that demonstrated how exactly you can calm your infant within minutes with a miraculous hold. This video (not surprisingly) gathered over 6 million views in just a few days of its release (as of now it has over 51 million views).
Dr. Robert Hamilton who works at Pacific Ocean Pediatrics in California became a rockstar among parents across the world when he released this video back then. When interviewed, he confessed that this video was a result of his patients urging him over and over again to share his secrets online.
As the views blew up, he admitted that he was humbled by the response and never imagined himself to go viral. Now let us get to the juicy bit- the miraculous ‘technique’ that Hamilton describes in the video. He calls it the ‘Hold’ and you’ll soon understand why.
How to Perform the ‘Hold’:
Step One: Slowly pick up the baby who is crying. Gently fold his or her arms across their little chest and maintain it there.
Step Two: Use your hand to ensure that your baby’s arms are in place after they have been folded. Place your hand such that you can hold your baby’s chin as well using the same hand.
Step Three: Using the bulk of your palm and not your fingers, support the baby’s bottom. Use your dominant hand so that you get a better hold and a stronger grip.
Step Four: Make sure that you are holding your baby at about a 45-degree angle. Now in this position, rock him back and forth, up and down- however, you want to do it. But do it gently.
You can spice up step four by giving that baby b utt a shake but make sure that you don’t change the angle much so that it is easy to hold the baby in place. And wait. That’s it. Your baby will 100% have stopped crying after this. They feel comforted and because, as Hamilton said in an interview, you’re practically swaddling them, they feel safe.
The Logic Behind ‘The Hold’
The logic behind this as explained by the doctor is that babies, especially infants less than 3 months old for whom this technique is recommended, are just out of the womb. The womb is a tight, small space that encloses them keeping them safe and secure in their little world.
The ‘hold’ essentially recreates the feeling of being in the womb for your baby, for whom the big wide world is still very strange and new.
This video received acclaim from pediatricians across the world, not to mention super grateful parents. Hamilton said that he had been using this technique to calm crying babies down for decades. However, he mentions in the videos that this might not work on every baby, especially if the baby is crying because they are ill or hungry.
Using the ‘hold’ can be a simple and effective way to narrow down the reason behind your little one’s distress!
Dr. Wendy Swanson from Seattle, who is an active blogger, mentioned how this technique was an effective tool in giving parents hope when their baby is upset. She also said she hoped that this video went more viral- well that wish was granted! Hamilton happily announced that this was his Christmas gift to all parents.
Yes, it was, baby whisperer.