There’s good news on the topic of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) – it’s down!  Since the widespread info drive of various health authorities, parents now know that babies should be sleeping on their backs.  As a result, far fewer babies are perishing from SIDS.  But sleeping on the back brings a problem of its own with it – flat heads.  Although this is usually only a cosmetic problem, if it becomes very serious then your child may need to wear a special helmet to straighten out their head.

So what’s a parent to do?  First of all, make sure you baby sleeps on his or her back.  A flat head is a very small issue compared to SIDS after all.  And there are a few tips you can follow to minimise or even completely eradicate the problem of flat head. 

• Change the position of your child’s head during sleep.  Say your baby usually sleeps with his or her head pointed left, make sure that ever now and then the head points right (for example).
• Position your child so that when they wake, he or she can see what’s going on.  If a baby can see movement, then he or she is likely to follow it and be alert, moving the head frequently.
• Try to introduce your baby to ‘Tummy Time’.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all babies spend some time lying prone on their tummy each day.  Start with a couple of minutes a couple of times a day, and build up as your child gets stronger.  Great for preventing that flat head, and great for baby’s muscles too.

Remember that it’s not just a cot than can cause the head to flatten.  Spending too much immobile time in a carry cot or chair can also bring on the same effect.  So remember the key principle of Tummy Time and have fun with your baby.