How to avoid flattning of the head?

Question

If the safest place to put a new born to sleep is on their back how to do avoid there head being mishaped and flattened in back?

Answer 1

Babies are born with soft, pliable skulls. If your baby spends a lot of time on his back, he could develop a flat spot on the back or side of his head. This is called positional plagiocephaly.

First, try to make sure your baby spends plenty of supervised time on his tummy while he's awake. Tummy time helps strengthen a baby's back and neck muscles. You may want to try putting your baby on his tummy for only a minute or two at first.

Stronger neck muscles will allow your baby to move his head more during sleep, so it won't always be resting in the same position. (If your baby has torticollis, ask your doctor to teach you neck-stretching exercises that will help relax your baby's tight muscles.)

You may want to put your baby down to sleep with his head at different end of the crib each night. Your baby will probably turn his head to look out into the room, shifting the pressure onto the side of his head. Alternating sides each night will help prevent one side from flattening.

If your baby's already developing a flat spot, try placing him at the opposite end of the crib to give the flat side a break for a while. To help improve your baby's neck mobility and keep his head turned away from the flat spot, you can place a mobile on the side that you want him to turn toward.

If you're bottle-feeding, the same strategy applies: Alternate sides whenever you feed — so if his head was on your left one time, position it on your right the next time. And if he's already developing a flat spot, choose a feeding position that won't put pressure on that spot.

Raising the side of your baby's mattress a bit by putting a towel or blanket underneath it will cause your baby to roll his head away from that side. (Don't put blankets or towels in the crib with your baby — this would increase his risk of SIDS and suffocation.)

Finally, pay attention to how much time your baby spends lying in a car seat, stroller, infant carrier, bouncy seat, or infant swing — anywhere he may be putting pressure on his flat spot.

Instead of having your baby recline for much of the day, hold him upright or play with him on his tummy instead. (You can also slide a rolled-up towel behind his shoulder when he's sitting, so the other side of his head will rest against the back of the seat.)

If you're concerned that your baby is developing a flat spot on his head, talk with his doctor. The earlier the condition is caught, the more easily it can be addressed.

If the above measures don't seem to be working and your baby's head has developed a significant flat area, he may be referred to a pediatric neurosurgeon or pediatric plastic surgeon for evaluation. A helmet or band could be needed to correct the problem.

Helmets can cost as much as $4,000, however, and many insurance plans don't cover them. Prevention and early treatment are much better options.

Answer 2

There are pillows you can buy at babiesrus that have a hole in them so that the babies head has room to grow.. There about $20 or so.. My son had the same problem. Worked like a charm.. Oh and it is okay to put the baby on its side with a sleep positioner, I do it with mine but if your not comfortable with that def. try the pillow. I think there called Boppy Noggin Nest. Good luck.

Answer 3

The safest place is on their back. Both of my kids slept on their stomachs and neither had flat head. Or you could simply switch him/her to its side put pillow behind back and let him/her sleep on side. Rotate between sides. that way no flattening will occur.. gl

Answer 4

The key is to carry them when they are not sleeping. Both of my kids slept on their backs, but i wore them in a sling most of the rest of the time and neither had a flat head.

i think the condition arises from babies that spend too much time laying down, in cages or buckets, when not asleep.

Answer 5

Our son had a horrible flat spot by 4 mos. due not so much to putting him on his back for sleep to avoid sids, but more because I always held him the same way and I held/hold hima LOT. Try to remember to swap the arm you hold the baby with as often as possible.
By the time they're 6 mos..(mine's 8 mos. now) they'll be on their belly more and starting to try and crawl..the spot will work itself out.
You can't hardly see my sons anymore.

Good Luck!

Answer 6

You can try to tilt the babies head to the side a little bit. What I do is use wedges for sleep and rotate my baby every night ( that sounds weird). One night on her right side , the next on her back, and then on her left side. I think that helps.

Answer 7

Rotate which side of their head that they are laying on, and give them lots of holding and (awake) tummy time. Too many hours a day in beds, carseats, bouncy seats, and swings will make the problem worse. I hope that this helps.

Answer 8

My mother always said to say the baby down with their head laying a different way each time you put him to bed. My children didn't seem to have much trouble with that, but this is what my mom and grandma always said.

Answer 9

Neither of my girls had this problem but that is because they rolled to their sides. Also, when I held them, I always held them upright so there was no pressure on their heads. Not to mention the tummy time.

Answer 10

placed on your hair up and you ought to bathe your hair in a tea tree shampoo because it repels lice. My sister had lice for 5 months. I used the shampoo for the time she had them and that i did not get them.