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So now we have to worry about our baby head preference among other things
Something I have learned recently is that whether you are a new parent or jumping back on the merry-go-round again, you will always worry about your kids and find something to worry about. Now little miss is over a month old and we have settled into the shock of having another baby around the house I am starting to remember all of the things I used to worry about: is she eating, sleeping, pooing (yes that’s a thing) enough, is she too hot or cold, do her eyes look wonky to you? There are an array of things to consider with a newborn but one I am quite familiar with is baby head preference.
What is it?
Baby head preference is when a baby prefers to turn their head one way over the other. With the little dude, he had it slightly when he was a baby and we had to correct it and it seems little miss is developing it too. If left unchecked it can turn into torticollis which is a total preference for one side and can lead to neck muscle spasms as well as developmental problems. Also, leaning constantly on hard surfaces in the same place can cause the skull to flatten and leave a flat head.
What Causes Head Preference?
The good news is, it’s not because we are crappy parents! (yay!) There are a variety of different reasons from difficult deliveries leading to slight muscle strains causing babies to favour a particular side, underdeveloped muscles or even furniture layouts and where you put your baby in a room. Other causes could be:
- Muscle Weakness – This is a catch 22 because they may not have developed evenly (or a muscle could have been strained at birth) leading them to use only one side which strengthens one side, meaning they then only use that side.
- Prolonged sitting in car seats or high chairs – Many babies are soothed by car seats, bouncers, rockers or even the high chair but if they are sitting in the same position for a long period of time and they are only looking in one direction it can contribute to it significantly and also lead to the flattened head.
- Cot Position – Babies don’t have very good eyesight so they are drawn to bright lights, pretty colours and patterns so if you put the cot against a wall you need to be careful how you position them. If a window or colourful pattern is only on one side, that is the side they will look and they will ignore the wall, leading to head preference.
- Feeding – For those who bottle feed it can be more comfortable one way or the other but this can contribute to them preferring one side as they associate it with being fed and therefore turn that way when they are hungry.
How To Recognise It
It’s pretty easy once you know how to look for because it is exactly as it sounds, they favour one side. Spend the day taking photos (more excuses to snap cute pics that I don’t need!) and paying attention while they are awake or asleep and look at what side they are looking, resting and putting their chin down to. If you go through all of the pictures you may find, like me, that they are all looking the same way. It’s not the end of the world and definitely no reason to panic as there are simple, non-medical ways you can help that will adjust it in time, as long as you recognise it and make small adjustments now, it’s not a big thing at all.
How To Deal With Baby Head Preference
- Cot Rotation – Rotate babies in their cot so they have to look in different directions. If you notice they have a favourite toy or mobile, fix it to different areas of the cot.
- Feeding – If you are breastfeeding try new positions that don’t put as much strain on the neck or a particular side and if you are bottle feeding make sure to use both sides.
- Tummy Time – This allows the neck to be a bit more free and relaxed so that they can work the muscles, particularly when trying to lift their head.
- Towels or Cloths – When in a car seat/bouncer/rocker, turn your baby’s head slightly to the weaker side and use a rolled up muslin or cloth to support the head and neck to stop them turning it back. *Be sure not to do this for long periods of time as both sides need to be used (otherwise you will create the same problem on the other side!)*
- Talk to a Doctor – If you are concerned or your baby is refusing to turn their head to the other side at all, even with gentle repositioning, talk to a doctor as it could be the cause of an underlying issue or a neck injury.
*Never try to force your baby’s head or neck, it should naturally allow you to reposition their heads, if it doesn’t there is another issue at play and you should discuss this with a doctor immediately. If you have any concerns, always seek the advice of a doctor, midwife or health visitor and professional and they can discuss a personalized action plan with you. Babies with other conditions may not have head preference and it could be a sign of another underlying issue.*
15 comments on “Ways To Deal With Baby Head Preference”
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I’ve never heard of Baby Head Preference before! Although I’m actually quite glad I didn’t know it was a thing when my two were babies, as I was worried sick about everything else. I definitely didn’t need any additional stress 🙂
Louise x
This is a must read for mums especially for new mums. Head preference should not be taken for granted.
Very useful information! I hadn’t heard of this before but I’ve just shown this to my cousin who has a 4 month old daughter thanks for this xx
I had no idea that baby head preference was such an issue but the idea of cot lights creating a preference does make sense. Thank you for warning us x
I have never heard of this before, but so important to be spreading awareness. I am off to share as it is something that all parents need to know x
My little boy had this when he was a baby and one side of his head was flat, luckily it resolved itself with a bit of intervention x
Eliza had this and we had to see a chiropractor to help fix it as she was born with her arm at the side of her head
Never knew this… We have another one on the way to certainly will be looking out for it this time x
Everyday I learn something new, I know seen parents turn there babies heads every so often because they say our child ‘prefers’ to sleep on the left/right etc. Now I can understand why they do it.
Oooh this is so interesting! My daughter held her head to the left and as a result we ended up at an cranial osteopath as her skull developed a little oddly!
This is such a great topic to discuss. I had not even thought of it. Thanks for sharing it , looking forward to more posts .
This has been really informative, as I’d never heard of this. I hope it helps lots of parents to prevent, or recognise this condition.
I’ve never heard of baby head preference! Goodness, or is it because it’s years ago since I’ve had anything to do with babies 😉 I can’t even remember what my daughter used to do anymore 🙂
Very interesting, I remember my sister mentioning something about this in regards to her little one so I’ll be sure to show her this post!
This is really interesting. I have never heard of it before – I didn’t notice it with my daughter anyway. If I have any more I will definitely be looking out for it.