3 week old has flat head already

[inkworks273]

My 3 week old sleeps with his head turned to the right and already has very obvious flattening to that side. I'm not sure what to do.

I try to turn his head once he's sleeping but he almost immediately turns it back. I've tried changing what end of the crib he lies at so he has to turn to the left to see me but he just lies facing away from me. I'm feeding him so he's turning left and starting to do a small bit off tummy time.

Any other suggestions? I've attached a photo.

Don't panic too much. My DS had similar when he was that age (and also started to develop a neck tilt).
We sorted it in about 4 weeks by getting him to turn his head the other way at all opportunities.
Dangling toys over his left shoulder to encourage him to look to his left.
If he's under a baby gym, remove anything of interest on the right and lie down on his left so he wants to turn to you.
Moving a black & white object from above him down to the floor on his left so he yurns his head.
Side lying as well as tummy time was good - any activity or positionto stop him spending 24 hours a day lying on his back.
I also made sure any relatives who were helping me out with caring for him knew what to do.
Wearing him in a for a nap sling helps, particularly a stretchy wrap kind because you can turn their head the way you want them to face and tuck the fabric over to gently hold them them in place.
I did turn his head when he was sleeping and kept checking on it and turning his head again throughout the night.

We saw our gp and she said we had caught it early and were doing everything right and within a couple of weeks there was noticeable difference and then the flat spot went completely. It feels like it's having no effect to start with but stick with it because it will work.

wearing him in a sling for naps rather.

Thank you @24HoursFromTulseHill for the very good advice. I will implement all your suggestions and see how it goes. I mentioned it to my health visitor and she didn't seem bothered at all but I really don't want him to have a misshapen head so I want to try my best to get it sorted.

Ask to join the Noggin Doctor's Plagiocephaly and Torticollis Discussion Board on Facebook. Its run by a Craniofacial surgeon. Your baby has torticollis so needs Physiotherapy and if the head shape bothers you, maybe consider the Perfect Noggin.

Thank you @Speedyshoes I've joined the Facebook group and called the physio and she's coming out to see him next week!

Have you used the Perfect Noggin? It sounds great but I'm really worried it wouldn't be recommended for safe sleep reasons.

@inkworks273
The Perfect Noggin is sleep safe.
To be safe, a baby should sleep on a firm surface - the PN is firm (actually firmer than most Moses basket mattresses). If it wasn't firm, it wouldn't work. They should sleep on their back, which they do in the PN. The surface should be flat, but flat in this context means non-inclined. Inclined sleepers of over 10 degrees are not considered safe. The PN has an incline of less than 3 degrees, so is, to all intents and purposes, flat. They should sleep alone, in their own space (ie not bedsharing) and the PN is designed to fit into most Moses baskets and all cots. There should be no soft loose items - none of the PN is soft or loose. There is no part of it which can present a suffocation risk. And finally, a baby should not be restricted in any way (ie no positioners or wedges) - the PN does not hold pr position a baby in any way. This is why once a baby can roll back to belly, you need to only use it under supervision as they could roll off it. The Lullaby Trust also recommends a mattress is waterproof, which most people tend to forget, and the PN is also waterproof.

So, all the safe sleep requirements are met. In the PN, a baby is also positioned in neutral head-torso alignment which means their airway is fully open - unlike when a baby lies on their back on a standard mattress which tips a baby's chin slightly onto their chest and closes the airway slightly. Back sleeping is associated with a SIGNIFICANTLY lower risk of SIDS than belly sleeping, but oddly it also comes with a slightly decreased oxygen saturation (this is well documented in the literature and seen in hospitals). This is why babies sleep so well in the PN as they breathe so well!

Hey, can I ask what you ended up doing? Did you get the perfect noggin? How is your baby’s head shape now?

My boy is 11 weeks and isn’t as flat as yours was but I am worried it could get worse and have been considering the perfect noggin (but going back and forth because of safe sleep)

thanks!