Flat Spot Baby, What To Do With Him?

[Play Care]

I agree with using a baby carrier, and putting him on his tummy every time you do have to put him down - even if he screams. I know a friend who was advised by her doctor to use gentle massage to help mold her baby's head (but her daughter had been stuck head up under her ribs for her pregnancy and had a flat back and huge bump on her forehead) My own child hated tummy time and would just lay there and scream (like the kind of scream that makes the neighbors call the police ) - not even trying to move her head/neck so I know how hard it is to put them down that way. Maybe if you have older kids, enlist their help in chatting to baby and making silly faces to entertain (making it clear they are not to touch/pick up baby) I guess I would put this is the "this is good for you and it hurts me more then it hurts you" category::

In my experience some babies are just more prone to flat spots and they do not always correct themselves, despite changes in position and keeping baby off their head in awake time and he may just be one of those kids.

[MCC]

Thanks for all the advice/input! I think I will just talk to mom and tell her I will do the best I can to reposition him/move him around/and do tummy time, but that he will be on his back at times during the day for short periods.

Thanks again!

[3amazingkiddos]

The best thing you can do is reposition and offer tummy time, screaming or not. It's impossible to keep a child that young off the back of their head. My son had a horrible flat spot due to torticollis, he wore a helmet and was never bothered by it.

[Heidi]

Can you let him sleep on his side, with a doctor's note?

You could put him alternate each nap, right then left, then right then left. If you put him up against the side of the pnp, facing into the pnp, he the risks would be minimal.

In our state, the regs. say back-to-sleep except with a doctor's written prescription.

[Unregistered]

I have a child like this who isn't to be on her back unless she is sleeping or getting changed. At first, she hated being on her tummy and would scream. She got used to it after a week and finally stopped crying. She is totally fine now and doesn't need a helmet.

[MCC]

Can you let him sleep on his side, with a doctor's note?

You could put him alternate each nap, right then left, then right then left. If you put him up against the side of the pnp, facing into the pnp, he the risks would be minimal.

In our state, the regs. say back-to-sleep except with a doctor's written prescription.

In my state, we are not aloud to use PnP for sleep, but I could prop him against the side of the crib. He does roll to his side if he falls asleep without the swaddle, but that is only about once a week right now. We are really trying to get him out of the swaddle so he can move around more when he's sleeping.

Any tips for breaking the swaddle?

[MCC]

I have a child like this who isn't to be on her back unless she is sleeping or getting changed. At first, she hated being on her tummy and would scream. She got used to it after a week and finally stopped crying. She is totally fine now and doesn't need a helmet.

This is encouraging...Thank you!

[Heidi]

In my state, we are not aloud to use PnP for sleep, but I could prop him against the side of the crib. He does roll to his side if he falls asleep without the swaddle, but that is only about once a week right now. We are really trying to get him out of the swaddle so he can move around more when he's sleeping.

Any tips for breaking the swaddle?

Sorry, can't help with the swaddle. My experience has been that sooner or later they break out, then roll over on their tummies, stick their tushies in the air, and snuggle in for a long nap. ::