How Do I Fix My Baby's Flat Head?

Large disclaimer for our story: I am not a medico and cannot suggest you use any of the methods or products listed in this post. Data shared is non intended as medical communication.  If you are concerned with your child's head shape, consult with a physician.

**In that location is an updated post with photos of Emmy'south caput at 22 months at the bottom of this page!

I'll never forget the moment that the scan of my child'southward head popped up on the screen. HOW had I not noticed how flat it was? And it wasn't only apartment, it was kind of crooked.

The mom guilt started to wash over me instantly.

The pediatric therapist who had taken the images of Emmy's caput asked if I had noticed her favoring one side of her head while sleeping. Um, no? Well maybe? I couldn't be sure.  I mean I had watched her sleep so many nights, how had I not noticed something like this?

Turns out that Emmy had a tightness in her cervix that caused her to favor facing her left side while snoozing. This acquired her brain to abound through the path of least resistance, resulting in a sort of burl on the right side of her head.

The photo beneath compares a normal babies head shape to Emmy'southward head.

The pictures spoke for themselves. Something had to exist washed to help our sweet girl.

It was recommended that Emmy be placed in a Doc Band, aka, a babe helmet. The band would be worn for a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of iii months. We contacted our insurance visitor to encounter what our out-of-pocket cost would exist… a whopping $2,800! The adept news was the price would go towards our deductible. Bad news- there was only a calendar month and a half-ish left in the yr!

While we were willing to do what we needed to for Emmy, we also didn't want to be rash with our spending. We consulted with the PT and asked if waiting until the first of the year to start Emmy in her band would be a bad thought. He advised united states of america that an additional time would non cause great harm, but he suggested nosotros practice some exercises to assistance Emmy in the mean time.

I left the medico's office that day with a listing of instructions on how to aid Emmy get straightened out. I was a mama on a mission!

Tum time

Before the proposition to put Emmy in a helmet, we did about twenty minutes of breadbasket fourth dimension a solar day. I had causeless this was enough. When I asked her the PT who completed her browse  how much nosotros should exist doing moving frontward he responded with "25 hours a twenty-four hours is also much".

So from there on out, nigh every minute that Emmy was not sleeping or nursing was spent on her tummy. Like alot of babies, Emmy was not a fan of just plain former tummy time on the floor. Her PT had advised that whatsoever position where Emmy's caput was going against gravity would be beneficial to her. And so whatever time at dwelling was spent rotating between a few different "tum stations".

I would set her upward on the boppy pillow with a books and toys shut by.  When that got dull I would movement her to where she was laying on her tummy on top of my chest and nosotros would make giddy faces at each other. I would also cross my legs and lay her across them while we read a volume. I would carry her effectually the house superman style.

Nosotros were constantly moving from room to room to go on things interesting. Tummy time outside on a blanket was a huge hit and she could ordinarily do that for twenty minutes straight! We besides started using this water mat which was just fascinating for Emmers. Mirrors like the i below are also a bully mode to keep a cranky tum time baby occupied:

Emmy never spent another infinitesimal in her infant swing. We had previously been using a travel organization for her stroller just switched to i that she could sit upwardly in if we were on the become versus laying in her car seat.

Nosotros fabricated an endeavour to brand sure every minute was beneficial to her head.

Her muscles did need a interruption every now then and that is when we would move to neck stretches. But besides that, it was tummy time all day, every twenty-four hour period.

Neck Stretches

The tightness in Emmy's neck the caused her to favor one side needed to exist loosened. Luckily for Emmy, this was easily done during play time or by mom and dad property her. The play fourth dimension stretch: I would lay Emmy on her back and place her favorite toy on the right side of her body. I would sit down on her right side too to proceed her neck stretched in that direction. We would play similar this for fifteen minutes or and so before rolling over and going back to breadbasket time. This was done multiple times a day.

The Football Hold: We were able to concord Emmy a sure way that would actually get her cervix muscles stretched out. Unfortunately I practice non have a photograph of me doing this with Emmy, but I do have this wonderful example photo the doctor provided me with. I will say that this i takes do. Jay and I would take turns holding Emmy while the other i looked at this picture to make certain it was beingness done correctly. Nosotros would exercise this one a few times a 24-hour interval, but it was the least performed exercise over the month and a half.

Crib Adjustments

I did alot of enquiry in the days after seeing Emmy's scan on products we could purchase to help her. I read countless reviews and looked through a ton of before and after photos. Nosotros concluded up purchasing a Merry Shop Head Shaping Pillow.

Now earlier anyone freaks out that I put a pillow in my child's bed, let me give y'all some facts. Emmy was five months former when nosotros began using this production. She had yet to roll over and she inappreciably fifty-fifty moves once she hits the mattress. If she was a busy torso type sleeper, I would probably take decided against this production. Second, the pillow is made from a heavy retentiveness foam type material that caused it to stay put pretty well.  We took the pillow with us on long car rides, on vacations, basically every where that Emmy would be sleeping.

An alternative that Emmy's pediatrician recommended was taking a roll of foam like this one and cutting a small area to go nether her crib sail where she lays her head. He suggested to put the bumpy side downwards and this would help correct her flatness.

Nigh 2 months afterward we began using the pillow, Emmy started throwing information technology from behind her head at some point in the night. We were worried she could start to have some flatness again and then we ordered a DockATot. While a DockATot is technically designed to help babe sleep meliorate, information technology does take a lot of benefits to help with plagiocephaly.

With the DockATot, the area where a baby's head rests is on a slight incline and not touching the mattress. It basically creates a little hammock for their caput where in that location is no pressure and the head can take and hold its proper shape.

While the DockATot is a bit pricey, it was still much cheaper than a helmet. We ordered the Grande version which can stay with a babe until they are iii years old. You can come across the ownership options here.

I'thou pretty sure information technology's the reason Emmy sleeps 12-14 hours a nighttime. 🙂

As soon as the New Yr began, nosotros scheduled a six calendar month cheque upwardly appointment for Emmy. The doctor examined her head and told usa a helmet was not necessary. I virtually cried tears to joy! He advised us that her head nonetheless had a mild flat spot, but nowhere almost severe enough to need correction through the Doc Band. He advised we continue our efforts nosotros had been making over the past month in social club to brand sure nosotros stayed on the path towards a round little baby caput.

Is a helmet right for your child?

If your babe has been recommended for a Doctor Band or another form of baby helmet, know that so many other moms are in your same position! in 1994, the Back Is All-time campaign was launched by the Us National Constitute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) at the U.s.a. National Institutes of Wellness. Before this fourth dimension, it was common for mothers to identify babies on their tummy to sleep in order to prevent choking on spit upwardly. Since the entrada, there has been a HUGE increment in the baby helmets.

There is nevertheless alot of argue on the subject field and whether or they are completely necessary. Some argue that it is strictly corrective, while the doctors who prescribe the bands normally cite scary issues such as jaw and nasal complications as the child grows.

I know many people whose children have been in or are currently in a Doc Ring. I also know many mothers who were told it was needed and went completely against the decision and their kids are still beautiful as can be. That'south the hard part about being a mom. The decision is yours to make for your family.

We decided nosotros would do the helmet but at a time that made sense financially for our family. In the mean time we did what the doctors suggested and the results were more we could have ever imagined! Then if you are hither searching for an answer on what practice to near fixin' your kids apartment, I don't have i for y'all. Know that I, like many other mother in this situation, spent many nights lying awake wondering what to do. The decision you make for your child will exist the right one.

UPDATE: due to the amount of emails I receive about this topic, I accept written an update on Emmy's head shape! You tin can read the mail here or by clicking the photograph below.

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