5 wk old dd - red mark on back of head - from sleeping?

[nomoreheels]

Hello, have done a search for this on previous threads but couldn't find anything similar (or i'm not using right keywords!)

DD is 5 wks. Today I noticed a red patch on the back of her head - pretty much exactly the spot her head would touch any surface when lying down, eg Moses basket or pram. It's not raw but it's definitely quite red. Not sure what to do as she must sleep on her back!

I sometimes prop her up in my nursing pillow in the day as she loves to look around, although it's still touching her head but without the same weight I guess? And I use a sling 1-2 times per week when she'll let me. Going to start proper tummy time on her play mat today as well - she's not had loads as she usually wanted to be cuddled!

Just wondering if any more experienced mums have any thoughts before I make a gp appt - don't want to be too PFB! :)

Is it at the base of her scull? where(ish) the head meets the nape of her neck? if so, it's normal and all babies have it afaik. It's a pressure mark as I understand it and usually fades as the baby gets older though my 4.6yo Dd still has hers.
Commonly called a Stork bite.

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.riversideonline.com/source/images/slideshow/fl22_salmonpatch.jpg&imgrefurl=www.riversideonline.com/health_reference/Childrens-Health/FL00098.cfm&usg=__S6cSgyld0_DZSmZUfsooyEC0PNE=&h=359&w=240&sz=10&hl=en&start=19&sig2=YEpaA3lpM3ohtScaDy_qOQ&zoom=1&tbnid=fqnvXSdnEvalZM:&tbnh=133&tbnw=89&ei=7okITqytDYWSOsG83bQN&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dstork%2Bbites%2Bin%2Bnewborn%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7SUNA_en-GB%26biw%3D1270%26bih%3D602%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=308&vpy=139&dur=7875&hovh=275&hovw=183&tx=128&ty=147&page=2&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:19&biw=1270&bih=602" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Like This?

Hi & thanks for the reply. It's higher up, more or less the middle of the back of her head,c& not as red/angry as that photo. Might be a pressure mark in another spot?

Am also waiting for a re-arranged HV appt so may wait to see her instead.

I'd try to get have her in different positions in the day so she doesn't get a flat spot - lots of time in a good sling will help if she doesn't like being on her tummy.

Could be. They vary in size and colour anyway, so it may be that it's just in a different place on your Dd. your HV will be able to tell you and reassure you too. Also RitaMorgan gives good advice re avoiding a flat spot/head. Both my Dc's slept on their tummies, so I didn't immediately think about that.

She's on her tummy on her mat now & I will use the sling more - I have a baby bjorn & a stretchy one. Will hold out for HV visit to get it checked out further.

Thanks both! :)

My DS2 had eczema as a baby and his skin was very dry and sensitive. One a long car journey once he howled all the way, and I couldn't figure out what was wrong, but once we arrived the back of his head was raw and bleeding despite the lining of the carseat seeming quite soft.

A sheepskin liner that I moved between the car and buggy sorted him out, and we carried on using it for ages, as they're sooooo nice. I didn't use it in the cot though, the jersey cotton sheets seemed soft enough, but there's no reason why you couldn't.

Might be worth a thought? I can recommend the Bowron ones, available from Amazon. They're shaped to fit around a 5 point harness but have no slots to slide straps through, so they're easy to swap between carseat and buggy.

HV was not that helpful and said she had no idea what it was. I'm just going to get it checked out at her 8 week immunisation appointment in 2 weeks' time, as it's not that red now and doesn't appear to be causing her any pain.

Jojay, I will look into that liner - sounds good! She's not in the carseat very often though (no car) but I'd use it in her carrycot.