Tips to Prevent Flattening of the Head in Infants

 Head flattening in babies is a very common occurrence these days, affecting 1 in 4 babies. With this increase in occurrence, comes the increase in usage of cranial helmets. This now has many parents wondering how they can prevent their baby from having head flattening so they can avoid the need for a cranial helmet! Back to sleep is definitely best, but this safe sleeping position leads to prolonged pressure on our baby’s head. There are also many things you can do during the day to limit your baby’s time spent on the back of head and prevent flattening from occurring. As a mom with an infant that had flattening, I want every parent to understand how to prevent this in their infant. So let’s talk about Tips to Prevent Flattening of the Head in Infants.

Download our free “flat head” guide here to learn more about preventing & correcting “flat head” with your baby.

First, we need to define types of head shape changes in infants. There are a few, and plagiocephaly and brachycephaly are the two most common. Plagiocephaly is the flattening of the side of the head in your infant and this is often due to your baby having a head turn preference. Does your baby sleep with their head the same way every night? Do they also keep their head this same direction in the car seat, swing, or during back play? This may mean they are at risk for plagiocephaly.

Brachycephaly, another common type of flattening of the head in infants, is flattening on the back of the head. This is usually due to your baby keeping their head straight, or mostly straight during back sleep and back play activities. This constant pressure on the back of the head can lead to this type of head shape change.

Lastly, the least common type of flattening of the head in infants is scaphocephaly. This is the result of flattening on BOTH sides of the head which results in a long, narrow head shape. This is usually due to your infant lying on either side of the head and avoiding keeping their head in the middle during most, or all, back sleep and back play activities. It’s so important to understand the different types of head shape changes, so you can PREVENT any flattening from occurring. Take this quiz to see if your baby is at risk for “flat head”.

Okay, so let’s get into the tips to prevent flattening of the head in your infant.

Tip #1: Prioritize sidelying

When thinking about how to prevent the side and back of your baby’s head from becoming flat, we must consider the equal distribution of pressure. We know our baby is going to spend pretty large amounts of time on their back, especially at night, so we really need to prioritize sidelying positions with our baby. It’s so important to ensure our babies have a variety of positioning since they will already be spending large amounts of time on their back. Sidelying positioning can be prioritized when your baby is on the floor during their wake windows and you can use a boppy, towel, or prop to keep your baby in this position. You can also prioritize this position when using a bassinet stroller by having your baby lay on their sides while in the stroller. You can also prioritize this position during feeding, whether that be by bottle or breast. Sidelying is very important in preventing flattening of the back or side of the head. This sidelying position also encourages rolling skills. If your baby exhibits flattening on both sides of the head, sidelying is a great position to encourage rolling, but midline should also be a main focus for scaphocephaly.

Tip #2: Change up tummy time

Tummy time is VERY important in making sure to prevent flattening of the head in infants. Tummy time can present it’s own challenges in our infants because they are not familiar with this position. This position also requires a lot of strength. Be sure to change up tummy time for your baby by changing the toys, support, environment, and interaction. Change up the toys your baby interacts with in tummy time to keep their engagement and encourage prolonged tolerance to the position. You can use high contrast cards and toys initially, then you can use light up toys when your baby becomes restless in this prone position. You can also support your baby in multiple ways during tummy time, like placing a boppy or rolled towel under their chest to elevate their head and increase enjoyment. You can provide more or less support by placing more or less of your baby’s chest on the pillow. Be sure to alternate this modification with tummy time directly on the floor to encourage increased head control and neck strength. Thirdly, you can change up the environment to build tolerance to tummy time for your baby. This may look like completing tummy time in the bassinet while strolling outside, in a baby carrier, or outside on a nice day. This will encourage your baby to tolerate prolonged periods of tummy time which will help prevent flattening of the head in your infant. Lastly, create variation in tummy time by changing up the amount of caregiver interaction. Get down at your baby’s level during tummy time to encourage increased tolerance and also social development. This will give your baby motivation, because they LOVE those who love and care for them!

Download this tummy time guide here to help you find comfort & confidence to navigate tummy time from birth and beyond.

Tip #3: Limit car seat and container time

Another tip in preventing flattening of the head in your infant is limiting the time your baby spends in the car seat or in containers that place pressure on the head. I know pressure on the head during these times in inevitable, but it’s so important to be conscious of how much time your baby is spending in these devices. When placing your baby in the car seat, I recommend placing your baby in a baby carrier or bassinet stroller once you have reached your destination. Once your baby is old enough to sit in a highchair, around 6 months plus, it’s important to take your baby out of their car seat when you are at a restaurant to avoid prolonged pressure on their head. Additionally, you want to be sure when your baby does fall asleep in the car, that you transfer them to their crib to prevent constant pressure on the head. This confined space and constant pressure can lead to flattening of the head in your infant. As far as containers go, it’s important to limit usage of these items to no more than 30 minutes per day. You also want to double the amount of time your baby spends on the floor in comparison to the time they spend in a bouncer, swing, Mamaroo, or other semi-recliner baby device. These tips will help eliminate prolonged time your baby spends on their back which will prevent flattening of the sides or back to their head. Want more container tips? Download my free guide here!