Flat head - 6 month old!!

[Pp3000]

My baby is 6 months and we've noticed that her head is quite flat on the right hand side which is what she usually sleeps on and her ears seem misaligned.

She used to only sleep on her back with her head to the right but recently she's been turning to sleep on her side (the left hand side) and front during naps and at night.

I've read up on the helmets you can get to correct this flattening but I was wondering if now she's started to move off her preferred side in her sleep that naturally resolve itself? She's not sitting by herself yet during the day but I'm increasing the amount of tummy time and supported sitting she does in the hope this will help.

Does anyone have any experiences of baby heads filling out after 6 months or should I go for the helmet?! I don't know whether positioning/ tummy time/ supported sitting can help after 6 months

From what I've read GP/HV rarely recommend the helmets but I've booked a GP appointment to see what they say anyway

I feel like I should have noticed and done something earlier!!!

My first son had this issue- we used a Lilla Kuddis pillow to help with the flat head. Also, when holding him, try to position him away from his preferred side. Lots of tummy-time too.
I'm not sure helmets are used a lot in the UK.

Hopeful bump!

My friend looked into getting a helmet for her son, the nhs in our area wouldn't fund it and it would have cost her £2k which she didn't have going spare. She did lots of tummy time/ he was sitting up more and her sons head is not flat at all now (he's 5yo).

Can’t recommend the sleep curve mattress enough. My ds1 started to develop a flat spot and this mattress helped so much! You wouldn’t know now at 2 years old. Just put sleep curve into google and you’ll find their website! I felt so awful when I noticed my sons head at about 4 months but I think it’s so common! Try not to worry x

My daughter had the same problem. I used various pillows - the Mimos one was best. But pillows are pointless once they start moving around in bed as the never stay on. We did some physio to loosen her neck muscles, tummy time, lots of swimming, and used sling rather than pram. Once she started sitting up - and most importantly rolling onto her tummy in bed - we noticed a gradual improvement. She’s 4 now and her head is almost (maybe not 100% yet) symmetrical - noone would notice it a all. I have no idea if the helmets work but they seem pretty brutal - I think with a few interventions like we did things will even out in time. It makes me mad that no one warns you about this when they’re born, it’s so stressful! My second daughter has a perfectly (quite comedy) round head because from day one I made sure she alternated the direction she faced in her cot.

The NHS don't fund helmets as there is no independent evidence that they are any more effective than repositioning.