Flat Head Flat Head FLAT HEAD!
Ok lets face it. Zoe has a huge head, it's massive! Apparently I had a big head as a baby so I can only blame myself - or my parents. She is sporting about a 41cm circumfrence these days and it's getting flatter and flatter by the day. It's something I am super worried about. The Plunket nurse said that they eventually right themselves and I've heard that it can take up to 2 years! Here's hoping she grows a head of hair to cover the flatty side.
Zoe sleeps on her back as recommended to us by, well, society today and hardly ever turns and sleeps on the side of her head while in a nap. I can't turn her head either way since she goes down awake and when I have snuck in to do it she either wakes up or turns it back to where she wants it. I have bought a wedge thingee (2 bits of foam that prop her up on her side and help her not to fall onto her tummy or back) but she never falls asleep in it and if I put her down asleep in it she wakes screaming when her nap is up (but sleeps ok in it when she is really really tired). I want to use it more often to help her head develop properly but it's tough.
Plunket recommends tummy time while awake and for play but that is really hard with a baby that is only getting control of her head slowly. Maybe that is better for older babies and maybe that helps but Zoe doesn't last long on her tummy and I can't see how about a total of 6-8 mins of tummy time a day (2 mins each awake time) would help much?!
Would love to hear if anyone has any 'don't worry my kid's head righted itself at 6 months' etc stories as I am struggling to get any successful stories etc on the net so I can feel better about this!
Obviously back in my days as a baby no one had this problem as we were all slept on our stomachs or rotated side, stomach, side, back and so on. Damn SIDs!
Posts
Hazel had a huuuuge head too (off the Plunket scale for her age and still is) and I did notice some flattening. Not because it was so big I should add, most kids get it! Really, don't worry about it, the bone is so plastic that it rounds out again very very quickly once she starts moving around in her sleep a bit more. I used to try and get Hazel to sleep with her head on both sides evenly but she just wouldn't. When she started moving it back and forth on her own that flat spot just disappeared within a month or so. We all have kind of funny flat bits and bumps in our skulls anyways, it's just that the hair covers it up! I got all worked up about this dip that Hazel had towards the front of her skull, and even asked the doctor about it. He very politely told me not to worry. Then one day I just happened to be feeling my own skull and yeah, I've got it too! I felt a bit stupid... Anyways, speaking as a bioanthropological person, you have to deliberately mould a kid's head for several years to get it to stay in a shape, the natural round shape is very hard to get away from!
One of mine was slightly flatty headed and it righted itself. My kids all slept on their tummies (and still do) DESPITE me putting them to sleep on their backs from when they could roll themselves over about 6 months age. thats when they slept better through the night aswell.
I remember how hard it is to get them to turn their heads and my babies hated tummy time with a passion plus they used to puke everywhere..
Aria had that earlier on.. we couldn't get her to turn her head in her sleep, if we turned it she just went right back to where she had been. But one day she just clicked and started turning her head herself. Zoe will do that too! And Aria really didn't like tummy time either, but is slowly starting to like it now that she is a lot stronger.. so keep going, I'm sure the 2 mins is doing something! its actually a long time in babyland :) You're doing a GREAT job!!
Abi had a flat head too!! And it came right real quick once she got more mobile. Hers was on one side cos she liked to sleep one way! Don't stress too much about Tummy-time... as long as you encourage it, she'll get there... Abi hated tummy time for ages! Then she finally learnt to roll and there was nothing you could do to keep her off her tummy! :)
Luv Kristin
ok good! some ACTUAL stories! It's just better to hear it from other mums than to trust that the plunket nurse knows what she is talking about ya know? I've had a few rellys at one time or another mention her flat head so started to worry - damn caring about what other people think!!!!!!
thanks gals :-) notice i didn't upload a profile shot of zoe? haha no way!
The best piece of advice I was given about tummy time was that it doesn't have to be baby on the ground face planting the carpet. If they are up right and looking over your shoulder (rather than laying in your arms for example) then that counts too. Also things like laying them on your stomach/chest when you are laying on the couch. I used a swiss ball with Erin too and I just held her accross it and rocked her back and foward. She loved it! And even better it counted as tummy time! Anything with the pressure off the back of their head is all good :-)
Both of my kiddos had a certain side they preferred. And my Buggies head did have a bit of flatness to it, but I promise you as a healthy 3 and 1/2 yr old now, there is no worries. Tummy time is important. With Jellybean (who is only 6 weeks) I like to lay on the couch prop up a little, and lay him on my chest. This way I can talk to him and look him in the eyes as he lifts his head. But we also for Christmas this year bought him a tummy mat (has a little u shaped pillow for umber his belly) and a floor mirror. Do the amount of time you feel is comfortable for Zoe. No need to make her "hate" it, then you will not get anything out of it.
I know all this stuff is new and challenging, but let me just tell you it take A LOT to relly mess up this little people. You are doing great!