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Should I Worry About my Baby’s Flat Head?

Marcie Jones Leave a Comment

My baby’s head is really flat at an angle on the back right side of his head. Should i be concerned?”

The bones in babies’ heads are really soft, so if your baby lies down or sleeps in the same position for hours in a row, that’ll lead to flattening on one side. There are a few things you can do to help. One is to strengthen your baby’s neck muscles with plenty of tummy time — at least 30 minutes a day. You don’t have to place him on the floor for tummy time, you can also lie him on your chest or lap, and the 30 minutes does not have to be all at once. Try taking 5-10 minutes an hour to lie tummy-to-tummy and/or play on the floor together. Carrying him in an upright soft carrier while you walk around will also be better for his neck tone than a reclining stroller will. For times when you’re working in the house and need to put he baby down, try keeping him upright in a swing or high chair instead of in bed, a car-seat carrier or bassinet. He’ll naturally want to watch you, so as you move around the house your baby’s neck muscles will get a workout too. At four months you can also build neck and torso muscles by giving him time in an exerciser or bouncer.

When you place your baby down to sleep, also try putting him facing the opposite direction than usual: he’ll be inclined to turn his head to look out into the room.

Your baby’s flat spot should be mostly gone by four to six months or so, if it’s still there ask your pediatrician about it.

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