Is Your Baby's Flat Head From a Tight Neck?

There are so many reasons why a baby should receive body work after birth. If you have seen child birth, you know how grueling it can be, regardless of the method. And even before birth, baby is curled up tight in utero in who knows what position and for how long? Hopefully baby had lots of space to move around while in mom's stomach, but with our sedentary lifestyle, this very well may not be the case.

I wrote about Madison's birth story over here. She was not a small baby. And while her head wasn't exceptionally large, her shoulders were. She actually had shoulder dystocia requiring a 180 degree turn (McRoberts maneuver) over from me during labor and some extra help from our midwife. I also suspect this was why she had difficulty turning her head to the right for the first three months after birth. I am so thankful for the skills I have, because she finally was able to gain full range of motion of her head to both sides equally after three months of regular chiropractic adjustments and soft tissue work. THREE MONTHS. I suspect she would have been a candidate for a torticollis diagnosis and possibly plagiocephaly (asymmetrical head) had I not recognized and treated this early on.

From my experience with Madison and seeing babies in my practice, I noticed often that a child's asymmetrical head doesn't always correlate with lots of time on his/her back (although sometimes it does, especially if baby sleeps for long stretches of time). Although, it's well known now that the back to sleep campaign has increased the rates of flat head spots, there are lots of factors and things we can do as parents or caregivers to ensure baby's head shape is optimal for brain growth and to reduce tight neck muscles.

1. Get adjusted. From birth. Regardless of obvious issues. Chiropractic is a great option for ensuring baby develops well inside and out, especially if your chiropractor has additional training in pediatrics. My additional training has been through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, who I have trained with for over 10 years now. They even have a list of chiropractors on their website. Adjusting babies and children is very different from adults. Reflexes are different. Needs are different. Techniques are different. If you have questions or concerns, don't hesitate to ask! When a baby is adjusted, many of the factors contributing to head shape can be caught early, like joint dysfunction, tight neck muscles and decrease range of motion (they're all related).

2. Pay attention to side preferences. Your baby may prefer to sleep with it's head turned to one side. I find this is especially obvious if they sleep in a carrier or on your chest, they may often look in one direction. They may not be able to look as far in one direction. They may prefer to nurse from one side over the other. They may lean to one side in their car seat. These asymmetries in movement can create an imbalance in development and affect baby's head shape.

3. Minimize containers. Things like car seats, bouncers, swaddles, bumbos. Some people even include baby carriers here. I usually don't include baby carriers here because they can typically move their arms and head freely, but I agree that hip and leg movement will be limited. Anything that prevents your baby from moving through their full range of motion and capabilities or puts them into a position they cannot hold themselves (like sitting, standing or jumping when they cannot sit, stand or jump), can and will affect development in some capacity. If they already have a muscle imbalance, joint dysfunction or asymmetrical range of motion, putting them into positions or limiting their full range of motion, will only amplify the issue. It's no different from us as adults. If you cannot hold a backbend, and then you put yourself in a device that holds you in that position for any amount of time, do you think you'll be better off in the end? Yes, I get it, you need a break or need to drive somewhere. Okay. Go ahead. But, for optimal development, this needs to be limited as much as you can. Find your favorite blanket. Lay them on the floor. Carry them into the store in a carrier or in your hands rather than the car seat. Pick and choose your battles.

4. Notice sleep position. It is well documented that when babies sleep on their backs or in car seats for long stretches of time, they are more prone to poor head shape. Lucky (or unlucky) for us, babies don't often sleep for really long stretches of time, but if and when they do, they may stay in the exact same position for that sleep. And when their head is soft and malleable, this can cause flat spots, tight muscles and dysfunction through the spine. And if they always sleep on the same spot, for all of their hours of sleep, this can become a real issue. If you are noticing they are sleeping in the same position, see if you can modify or change it slightly. You can also have them nap in the carrier, on your chest or in your arms.

5. Expose baby to as many different positions (and places) as you can. Hold baby on both sides, spin, go upside down, rock, all of the things! More varied movement equals more balance muscle stability, better brain proprioception and more fun! And get outside. There are so many more fun things to see outside than inside - this can also foster more range of motion and eye movement.

One of the most awesome things about babies is that the adapt quickly. The sooner you notice these imbalances and address the, the quicker they resolve, usually with less invasive interventions. Take care of yourself so you can take care of your baby! You both deserve it.