An Undershared But Important Newborn Development Tip
Feed every few hours, use a carseat, put baby on his back to sleep...
No doubt you’ve received a bunch of instructions, warnings and advice (solicited and not) as you’ve prepared for parenting a new baby.
But there’s one newborn development tip you probably won’t hear until it’s too late. Watch the video or read on to learn the tip...
An Expert Perspective for your Baby's Development
In my work as a pediatric Occupational Therapist, I've received advanced training in baby development including head shape and neck issues of infancy. So when I say parents don't hear this tip until it's too late, I mean until they are seeking professional help for their babies' head shape or neck tightness problems (Plagiocephaly and Torticollis).
Which brings me to the essential newborn development tip to start today:
Turn your newborn baby’s head often in the first two months of life.
And when I say often, I mean...
-turn when putting baby down to sleep
-turn during Tummy Time
-turn while baby is awake on his back
-turn while wearing baby
-turn while holding baby
Why Head-Turning Matters
Here’s a little known nerdy fact: in the first two months of life, most newborns don’t have the strength and muscle control to hold their heads centered above their bodies for very long - even when lying on their backs.
This means that those adorable little bobbleheads flop toward one side or the other. That’s totally expected! It’s a monumental feat for our little squishes to turn their heads from one side to the other. They are likely working on the newborn motor milestones of head-turning and holding the head at midline during active awake times when they’re free to move.
It’s also very common for newborns to have a preferred head position, a direction they more often turn their heads when sleeping, lounging on the back, doing Tummy Time, being held or worn upright. This is usually a reflection of how they were positioned in the womb. But preferred head positions that aren’t detected and corrected early can lead to head flattening and neck tightness called Torticollis.
So one of many, many ways we can support our babies as new parents in these early weeks is to facilitate our little ones moving out of these preferred positions through stretching and strengthening.
Now, don’t panic - this doesn’t mean you need to sign your little up for a gym membership or a personal trainer. Newborn stretching and strengthening can and should happen during everyday life and baby care.
All you have to do is gently and lovingly help turn their sweet-smelling little head toward each side often.
Avoiding Flat Head Syndrome / Plagiocephaly
Making head-turning a part of your routines helps keep your baby’s head round and reduces the risk of being referred for a baby helmet AND it will help you observe and assist with any positional preference your newborn might have before secondary challenges set in.
So when parents tell me, “I tried your head-turning tip but I feel like I’m always turning his head left because he seems to always find his way to his right,” I encourage them to focus on turning toward the non-preferred direction. And I offer them a free e-book full of my best tips and strategies for correcting head-turning preferences (CLICK HERE to get the free e-book)
So there you have it - simple, yet powerful: turn your baby's head often.
WARNING:
Facilitated head-turning should be slow, gentle and tolerated well by baby.
Do not force your baby’s head to turn if you feel tightness/resistance or if baby is distressed. Contact your child’s healthcare provider if you have questions or concerns about baby’s head, neck or development.
Avoiding The Baby Helmet
birth - 6 months // free email course
Most new and expectant parents don't understand the whole truth behind the dramatic increase of Flat Head Syndrome in babies. And part of that truth is that it can be preventable and treatable without a helmet...if you know how.
In this free email course you'll learn simple to implement but powerful tips for promoting healthy head shape and healthy development.