How to Ensure Safe Sleep AND Avoid Flat Head Spots
There’s one thing about safe sleep guidelines for newborns that has really frustrated some families. With our little babies spending that many hours of their lives lying on their backs on a firm, flat crib mattress - parents are concerned that their babies could develop flat spots on their heads!
While flat spots can be present for other reasons such as torticollis, positional plagiocephaly is definitely a thing and there are actual ways that parents can counter it. How can we observe “Back to Sleep” safe sleeping guidelines and also avoid babies developing flat spots on their heads?
First, some technical terms:
👶🏼 PLAGIOCEPHALY
Flat spots on baby’s head
👶🏼 BRACHYCEPHALY
The whole back of baby’s head is flat
👶🏼 SCAPHOCEPHALY
The side of baby’s head are flat
These issues can be caused or exacerbated by the many hours a newborn baby spends lying in one place. So how can we make a difference?
👶🏼 TUMMY TIME
Plenty of tummy time where the baby is propped up and not just lying flat face down - so they have to work to strengthen their muscles. This could include propping baby up with a Boppy under your direct supervision, baby wearing, or being held upright on caregiver’s chest. Yes, holding your baby counts as tummy time.
👶🏼 REDUCING CONTAINER TIME
Pediatric physical therapists recommend 2 hours or less per day spent in “baby containers” such as swings, car seats, bouncers, etc. This can be a bit overwhelming for parents with our busy lifestyles. A parent with a decent sized commute could easily eat up that time just transporting the baby to and from daycare. When this is unavoidable, don’t feel guilty! Do the best you can to help baby have floor time, tummy time, and snuggling time when car seats and containers aren’t absolutely required to get through your day.
👶🏼 ROTATE BABY
Switch it up! Lay baby in the crib facing a different direction each time. Hold and bottle feed with alternating arms. This really helps your baby get used to turning their head in all different directions. Even a very young baby knows to turn to look at you when you come into their room to get them out of bed after their nap.
🆘 IF YOUR BABY MAY BE DEVELOPING FLAT SPOTS
Early intervention is super important! If your baby has a flat spot, avoid the “wait and see” approach. Ideally, babies developing flat spots would be seen by a pediatric physical therapist by 8 weeks of age. By 5-6 months, it’s too late for PT and some babies require corrective helmets.
The “wait and see” approach which has traditionally been recommended by many pediatric health care providers, is outdated. Quick treatment at a young age is important, as their skulls are still malleable. Once they are no longer malleable, simple physical therapy treatments aren’t as effective. Pediatric physical therapy for a newborn is incredibly cheap, easy, convenient, and non-invasive, compared to helmet treatments later on.
We recommend Brittany at Grow Physical Therapy for diagnosis, corrective plans, or even just questions and concerns! If you live local to us in Wichita, Kansas, she comes to your home. Otherwise, she is happy to do a telehealth visit with you - super convenient! She has helped many babies avoid helmets.