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Original poster

My baby's head is a strange shape and it makes me sad that I notice it

104 replies

Pinkflipflop · 03/03/2013 12:08

I have posted lots on here since my ds arrived over 4 weeks ago but I haven't been able to write about this before.

My ds has a strange shaped head, it almost looks like its oblong at the back, like he has a cyclists helmet on. It's not perfectly round, like I thought all babies heads are.

It makes me feel like I am picking faults with him by even writing this down. I'm not I love him to bits but his head looks funny. We have raised this when he was born, he has been checked out by doctors and they say there is nothing wrong with him, measurements are all fine but it looks funny to me. His head is fine when you look at him from the front but when you see a side profile of him or look at him from the back, there is an oblong shape to the back of his head.

I feel disappointed that his head doesn't look perfect. I feel disappointed with myself for noticing. I'm a teacher, so I'm worried that he will be teased at school. I can't believe I worried about this already as he's only 4 and a bit weeks.

What else can I do? The specialist nurse we took him to when he was a week old, said enjoy him, he's perfect. The said his hair will cover it, or he can wear a hat! So clearly she could see something was unusual.

Sorry, I'm rambling.

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sleepyhead · 03/03/2013 13:32

Still normal!

tethersend · 03/03/2013 13:34

DD1 had exactly this. The doctors in hospital even brought a team of students round to look at it!

I had an Elcs as she was breech- they think her head was that shape as she was squashed up in my ribs. It was a normal shape again within a month or two.

We called her the hammerhead shark

tethersend · 03/03/2013 13:34

Was your DS breech, pink?

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Original poster

Pinkflipflop · 03/03/2013 13:34

Will probably, happily have to admit that I'm perhaps a touch paranoid. Possibly I am studying my boy too closely?

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strawberrypenguin · 03/03/2013 13:34

pink I can't see your profile (I'm on my phone) but are you saying that from the top looking down on him you think his head looks 'long' front to back? Kind of boat shaped? Not trying to scare you here (and given that everyone who can see the pics says its normal its probably not) but my DS has a condition called craniosynostosis it basically means that a suture between his skull plates has fused early. My DS has Sagittal Craniosynostosis which sounds like what you are describing. Most doctors don't pick it as its relatively rare. PM me of you like.

Original poster

Pinkflipflop · 03/03/2013 13:35

Yes, he was breech? How did you know?

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sleepyhead · 03/03/2013 13:35

I've seen 3 pictures now and honestly, honestly, honestly nothing that would have crossed my mind as in any way abnormal. He's lovely!

If he looks like a 4 week old baby when he starts school then yes, you may get some comments. But it's far more likely he'll look like a 4 yr old boy

Original poster

Pinkflipflop · 03/03/2013 13:36

Just saw your other message, you had a breech baby too?

Hammerhead what??! Oh my word, that sounds horrific!

OP posts:

strawberrypenguin · 03/03/2013 13:36

Can you feel a ridge don the centre of his head? Are his fontanells (sp!) open or closed?

ProphetOfDoom · 03/03/2013 13:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Pinkflipflop · 03/03/2013 13:37

Thanks sleepy

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Sunshinewithshowers · 03/03/2013 13:38

Looks perfect xx

Original poster

Pinkflipflop · 03/03/2013 13:38

Yes there is a ridge on the centre of his head, is that bad?

How do I know if the fontanelles are open? They just feel soft?

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FannyFifer · 03/03/2013 13:41

Head looks lovely from that angle as well, I honestly can't see anything strange at all about his head, really I can't.

RobinSparkles · 03/03/2013 13:42

He is beautiful with a beautiful head. His head looks a lovely shape to me but I agree that it does change as they grow.

MajaBiene · 03/03/2013 13:44

Honestly, his head is fine, not even particularly long at the back. If the fontanelles are soft they are fine. Take him to the HV if you are worried just to set your mind at rest.

strawberrypenguin · 03/03/2013 13:45

Feeling soft is good if you can feel the dip they are open. The ridge may mean his sagittal suture is more closed than it should be at 4 weeks. This is only a maybe! Kind of tricky to do an Internet diagnosis but if you are worried places take him to a doctor and say 'craniosynostosis' to them.

Again please do PM me anytime if you are worried/ want to talk if it is.

RobinSparkles · 03/03/2013 13:46

The ridge on the centre of his head is his fontanelle. It's supposed to be soft (it's also called the soft spot). If you stare at it you can see it beating.

VisualiseAHorse · 03/03/2013 13:47

From the picture, that head is very normal!

It may just be the way his head/skull was being squeezed during labour which can give babies an head that isn't rounded. My younger brother looked like a cone-head for about 2 months!

VisualiseAHorse · 03/03/2013 13:47

Oh, and he is GORGEOUS by the way. I'm very jealous :)

monkeyfacegrace · 03/03/2013 13:49

at this thread. You realise that by the time you get onto your second/third baby, you will laugh at these pfb worries

Sorry, not being mean, just really, honestly, you are overthinking this

Original poster

Pinkflipflop · 03/03/2013 13:49

strawberry I googled unusual shaped heads on babies and I was convinced he had something called scaphocephaly.

I have been in a panic over the last few days. Have mentioned to hv and got him checked at hospital but they say he's fine.

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ShipwreckedAndComatose · 03/03/2013 13:49

That is one seriously cute baby!!

My first dd was born by Caesarian and her head looked perfectly normal.

However, my second DS was born by natural birth and had the best cone head you've ever seen plus a lot of swelling. luckily, he was my second child and I had chilled a bit by then.

I remember those bounty people coming round and taking a photo but I knew full well that I was better off waiting a while for it to all shift around before getting 'the photo frame' shot

celebrate your healthy baby and all the things that make him unique to you, including his lovely head and head shapes do change.

FannyFifer · 03/03/2013 13:50

I have been trawling my photo to try and find a pic of DD head as it looked the same and was absolutely normal, can't find one at the mo, grrr.

Original poster

Pinkflipflop · 03/03/2013 13:50

Thanks for the lovely things you are all saying about him btw, hope you aren't just being nice!??

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