The National Maternity Hospital Postnatal Booklet

Here are some helpful tips to help prevent positional plagiocephaly:• Babies must sleep on their backs (see ’Back to sleep’).• Alternate the side to which your baby turns their head each time youplace them down on their back.• Do not place any pillows, rolls or props into the cot or under the headwhilst baby is sleeping these are generally not advised and increase riskof cot death and overheating.• As your baby grows and becomes more alert they will turn their headtowards a stimulus—e.g. brightly coloured toy/light/your voice. Use thisto help encourage them to look to either side.• A mirror, toy or small mobile placed to one side can help encourage babyto turn their head to that side.• If you are feeding your baby a bottle alternate the side to which you holdyour baby to feed if you are breastfeeding ensure that they lie on alternatesides to feed.• It is important to support baby’s head when you pick them up or carrythem. As baby grows and their head control improves and neck musclesget stronger they will need less support from you to hold their head up.Carrying them over your shoulder or facing away from you—e.g. in the’crook’ of your arm or against your chest allows plenty of visualstimulation to encourage them to look around and hold their head uprightthemselves.• Until your baby develops the strength to hold his head in the middle(about 6-8 weeks) do not leave them in car seats or any other seats formore than 20-30 minutes at a time no more than an hour a day in total.Prolonged periods in sitting position where their head falls to one side cancause or worsen a plagiocephaly.Page 53