Flat head - help

Flm0819

Hi Mamas...if your Lo has a flat spot, what is working for you? I live in NJ and Early intervention will not be coming out for another month...I was thinking of taking her to a chiropractor in the mean time. Thoughts?

lazyreader

A flat hat for the noggen!

kidding. i have no "useful" thoughts.

kimberpoo

I'd say don't worry about it?    lo's head will round out as he/she gets older. ask your doc if you are really concerned, but a baby chiropractor doesn't sound like a great idea. make sure you are getting lots of tummy time in and hold lo more during the day...any activity where he isn't laying down works. also make sure you aren't setting him on too hard of a surface for too long of a time, like don't put him on the floor for hours (sounds weird but who knows what people do). if you are using a chair/swing/whatever during the day see if it has proper support and soft surfaces where lo rests his head.

but really, flat spots are normal and they grow out of it. ask your doc when you see him if the flat spot is really bad.

jlb1023

My son has a mild flat spot on the back of his head.  While completely normal I agree with other posters about tummy time, activities, sit me up chair, etc.  My son isn't a fan of tummy time so I will be baby wearing more often than I already do.  I also bought (but have not received yet) the boppy noggin nest.  It's about $15 and there a pretty good reviews about it.  

pepperedmoth

I'm in the don't worry camp, but to make it go away I'd agree with babywearing and time spent prone.

My LO does indeed spend a lot of time on his back on a hard surface; while awake he is pretty much either playing on the floor (90% of the time on his back and 10% on his belly) or being worn in my wrap. He naps in a RnP but doesn't like it when he's awake. We have no other devices (chair, swing, bouncer, what-have-you).

He has no flat spot, which I think is because of babywearing. We are doing more time prone as he gets stronger and can actually play and enjoy that, so maybe that's part of it too.

babylimas

Will has an extreme flat head and I have been told no chiropractor by his pedi, his cardiologist and his EI. So I would go with no.

It will get much better as your LO becomes more mobile. Just work on tummy time and encouraging not lying flat. It will get better soon!

dannie2011

A chiro can only help if the baby has tight muscles that is restricting turning her head. If you always put baby down in the same way in the crib change that. Think of the crib with a head board and foot board, if baby always sleeps with her head up at the head board turn her around so her head is at the foot board. She will turn her head to face away from the wall so she sleeps on the other side of her head. 

KTtheWife

I hope no one minds that I post as I'm just a lurker so far, but I have some experience with a baby with a flat head. My almost two year old son had a really flat head when he was about 3 months old. I bought the boppy noggin nest and put it in the rock n play. His head started rounding out right away. His head looks completely normal now. I don't know if it was the noggin nest that helped or just him getting older and spending less time on his back. I've used the noggin nest from day 1 with my March baby though, and her head is not flat at all. Good luck!

LittlePigeon

I agree on limiting back time during the day. My LO prefers to sit up or "stand" with our help than lay down. I carry her around or hold her upright much of the day. Don't stress! It will even out!