Life With A Baby - Flat Head

Tuesday, August 09, 2011 12:28 PM

Message # 672450

Janne

We are looking for a baby pillow to prevent/correct flat head syndrome. Any one know of where to purchase one. I called Shoppers Home Health and they do not carry them. Anyone try to make their own?

Thursday, August 11, 2011 8:51 AM

Reply # 673964 on 672450

Katherine

Depending on how old your baby is, you should be able to shape it while he sleeps, try placeing his head in a different position. The reasoning behind flat head is that baby is always laying down, always in a car seat and never had his head moved to a different position. Also try lots of tummy time, get him off that head

Thursday, August 11, 2011 4:44 PM

Reply # 674200 on 672450

Janne

Thanks Katherine. My baby tends to favour one side over the other. Just looking to encourage symmetry. Physio has helped alot.

Monday, August 15, 2011 2:52 PM

Reply # 676931 on 672450

Debbi

I've seen a heart-shaped pillow ("Baby Moov Love Nest") that is meant to help with this issue. I cannot comment on its use or effectiveness, though, as we did not get one.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011 9:40 AM

Reply # 677442 on 674200

Robin

Janne wrote:Thanks Katherine. My baby tends to favour one side over the other. Just looking to encourage symmetry. Physio has helped alot.

Hello,

My daughter used to be the same. She favored sleeping on one side for several months and we were starting to get a little concerned that her head was getting flatter on one side. However, once she was able to move around more she started to switch sides on her own and symmetry has returned. We did not use any pillows.

Robin

Wednesday, November 09, 2011 11:20 PM

Reply # 746416 on 672450

Angie

Hi Robin - my son's head is flatter on one side as well, same as your babies (favours one side). Just recently I noticed that he would sometimes flip and fall asleep on his tummy or sometimes on his side. Just wondering if it's okay to leave him on his tummy since I have been turning him back on to his back - little paranoid here...

Thanks!
Angie

Last modified: Wednesday, November 09, 2011 11:21 PM | Angie

Tuesday, November 15, 2011 12:53 AM

Reply # 750220 on 674200

Chelsea

Janne wrote:Thanks Katherine. My baby tends to favour one side over the other. Just looking to encourage symmetry. Physio has helped alot.

I have the same problem with my daughter. Her head is really flat on the back. We put her in the car seat way too much when she was a newborn, and since then we haven't been able to get her head reshaped. I'm glad to know about the heart shaped pillow now. I hope it's not too late, as she is already 8 months old.

When you say "physio helped", do you mean regular visits to the physio? That must be expensive. Are there exercises or massages that the physio taught you to do that helped? Thank you Janne.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011 11:06 PM

Reply # 751120 on 746416

Robin

Angie wrote:
Hi Robin - my son's head is flatter on one side as well, same as your babies (favours one side). Just recently I noticed that he would sometimes flip and fall asleep on his tummy or sometimes on his side. Just wondering if it's okay to leave him on his tummy since I have been turning him back on to his back - little paranoid here...

Thanks!
Angie

Hi Angie,

I always placed my daugther to sleep on her back. She slept that way for a long time but then discovered new positions. So once she was able to roll and change positions on her own I just let her go. I think the 'back to sleep' is the best in the beginning but once she could move on her own I figured it was important to let her get comfortable. Of course I had to check many times for the first while...I was a little paranoid too.

Take care, Robin

Monday, November 21, 2011 7:54 PM

Reply # 756344 on 672450

K	Does flat head correct itself? My pediatrician says it does, along with tummy time and sitting up.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 11:44 AM

Reply # 756962 on 672450

Janne

Our baby's head is starting to round out. He had quite an extreme "point" on his left side because he favoured the right side. He received physiotherapy and after he was able to move his head to the other side it did started to round out but not completely (yet?). It's been 3 months since and there has been a big improvement. I am sure tummy time has helped. At the time we thought it would never round out but his doctor assured us that it would since the bones do not fuse until around 12 months.