Hi Mommies! got a question for you...
My new daughter is 6 weeks old, and at her one month check up the doctor said her head was starting to flatten on the one side so to change her sleep position. We dont lay her flat to begin with - she sleeps in the soothing motions glider, because well, i'll be honest, she sleeps well there and I dont make myself worry to the point of insomnia, that she will choke on her spit up (she's a happy spitter). And frankly, I desperately need the 4 hour stretches of sleep that I am getting with her in the seat (I currently have bronchitis/strep and my first period post-baby, 15 month old who is teething and wakes up once a night, and my 9 yr old just getting over some stomach thing, and she's not great about making it to the bathroom to vomit - mommy needs a sick day - I am burnt out right now). If I have to lay her flat to fix this problem, I will obviously do what's needed. I was thinking of rolling up a baby washcloth and kind of tucking it under the one side of her head to kind of force her to look in the opposite direction, but I was a little apprehensive, as I dont want to put anything so close to her face that could make her suffocate (I am a terrible habitual worry-wart). My older kids didn't have this problem because I put them on their tummies to sleep (they are going to be 12 and 10 in the next couple months).
I know you mommies out there are so nice and offer such great advice. Let me know what you would do, or what you are doing, to fix the flat head syndrome. I am willing to accept the fact that I may be over-worrying about the washcloth tucked under the one side...
EDIT NOTE: just wanted to let you all know, our baby CAN sleep flat, and already naps flat, she just sleeps longer in the glider, so I put her in that overnight - I wasn't very clear about that, my apologies.
Thank you so much for all of your advice! I think my paranoia stems from post partum OCD and PPD, and the anxiety disorder I take medicine for. I have started using the washcloth tucked under the flat side of her head to position her face in the other direction for naps and overnight. I am not expecting a change overnight, but at least I feel better about our solution. Thanks again mommies!
Hi J.,
My 4 1/2 Mon. old son is having the same problem, if you are conserned to sleep her flat or on her side, can you nap her on her side? Alternating sides? That way you can moniter her the whole time. She is small enough for some products they have availble to keep her from moving and rolling while asleep.
I say try the rolled up washcloth, at least when you are around and can keep an eye on her if you are really worried. Worst comes to worst, she will have that helmet thing that babies wear to round their head out. But just try not to worry too much. My daughter was starting to get a flat head and I just slowly did more tummy time, which she hated cuz she was so chubby and now at 15 months, her head is perfect, I was so worried she would need a helmet, but there are worse things.
When he was just a baby, our son would be put down in his crib and just roll onto his left side. He started to get a little 'flat' on that side so we used a sleep positioner. It was a wedge (he had colic and spitting issues) with two 'bumpers' on either side of him. It was wonderful! He was slightly elevated and the two bumpers not only held him in place, but also gave him that 'closed in' feeling he had in the womb. We stopped using it around 4 months and he transitioned nicely. You can find something like this at babies'r'us.
Your other children survived sleeping on their tummies so why are you worrying about the baby? My 3 slept fine on their tummies. Doctors & experts change their advice every few years. It goes in & out of style but a flat head is forever. (My sis is a hairstylist & sees this all the time)
Hi J.,
We had problems with the swing as well. My son ONLY took naps in the swing and then did nightime in his crib. It took us 6 months to figure out that he really needed to be napping in his room in his crib. It was so hard to make that transition.
You can totally do it slowly (1 nap in the crib/bassinette) for a week or a couple of days and then move it up. He's still a good sleeper, so I don't think being in the swing for the first 6 months of his life scarred him, but it was hard on us waiting that long to make the transition.
At least when she is laying flat, you can use a sleep positioner (home-made by rolling up a blanket or store bought) and allowing her head to get "a new shape."
Good Luck,
B.
Any time a baby is laying against the back of her head - whether it be in a glider or in a crib or in a carseat - their head will start to flatten out. The best solution is to get her OUT of the "reclined" position. Easiest way to do this is to put her into a sling/bjorn (whatever works for you) and spend more time carrying her around and less time with her laying down. Plus, she'll learn to control her head/neck faster this way. It's good all around. This is a good thing to do when you go to the grocery store etc too - instead of leaving her in the carseat, put her into a sling while you walk around.
My son was born with a flat head in the back. I gave him lots of tummy time,held him often, but the wash cloth rolled up next to his head to keep him off the back of his head. Nothing worked. Today he is 3.5 and the back of his head is still flat. You can't see is with his hair all grown in but if i give him a buzz cut you can see how flat it is. There are worse things beside a flat head. Try to wash cloth.
Honestly, I'd start getting her into the crib as much as possible. Babies become very spoiled on sleeping in a swing and the longer they become accustomed to being swung to sleep the harder it is later to get them in a crib.
Our first child spent the first 6 mos sleeping in his swing and it made my life a nightmare for next 6 mos getting him to sleep good in his crib. With our daughter we decided to use the crib early and let her sleep in the swing for 1 nap per day. Now put her down at night is easy as pie.
