Avoiding 'flat head' in babies

[Bellyrub1980]

Posted a similar thread in 'Sleep' but no responses.

The truth is, I'm only really concerned about happy, healthy baby and have always viewed 'flat head' as just 'one of those things' no big deal.

However, at the NEC baby show a company called 'Life Nest' we're selling a mattress which claimed to minimise the risk of flat head and SIDS. I've done some research and there are a few similar company's selling similar products.

So, given that it might be preventable, has anyone had any experience with these products? Did they work?

bouncinbean please do not place extra pressure on mums to be with statements like that! By the nature of a newborn baby they simply don't interact much. My ds had a pretty flat head by the time he was 6 weeks old and really there was little I could have done to prevent it. Whether or not I interacted with him when he was awake (which I did) he was asleep for at least 20 hours a day to start with and was sometimes in sling, sometimes in bouncy chair but also often in pram or Moses basket.
I have 2 dd who were treated exactly the same but did not get flat heads.
Personally I would get a mattress (why not?) if I'd thought of it in advance but misinformation isn't going to help and a new mum needs rest so trying to keep a baby awake and interact with it to prevent flat head is ridiculous Imo.

My HV did a masters on this. She said if you always bottle feed on the same side it doesn't help and can make the skull a bit asymmetric.

My friend worked v hard to get her 1st child napping in his cot. He had a very flat head. Her next child is in a sling++ and his head is round.

Think the little things must add up- I'd consider the mattress as something else that may help.

My DSs head has got a bit flat, right at the back, rather than on one side. HV and GP have said it's probably in part because he has a BIG head and will almost certainly right itself when he's sitting up/crawling. My friends little girl had a really, really flat head on one side at it looks round now she's 18 months. I'm not bothering with mattresses, pillows etc. I've heard one of the Mums at a group saying it's only when babies are "just shoved in a bouncy chair" that they get flat heads. It really upsets me when people infer it's because I ignore my baby or don't hold him enough.

dc1 had a flat had despite napping on their side, lots of tummy time and sling wearing. it was pretty bad too and not helped by being completely bald until a year old.
now they are 7years old and you would never know.

it's just one of those things. it wouldn't surprise me if there is no proper medical evidence to support the claims. especially as it just has been disproven that those helmets work as well as they claimed.