I am new..Needing advice.. :-(

[Guest guest]

I am denei, 23 years old from the Philippines, a first time mom, a single mom

to my 5-month old baby (she turned 5 months last Oct. 30). I gave birth through

Emergency Cesarean Section due to dystoxia. I am proud to say she's beautiful,

active and perfectly fine if not only because of her head. She has developed a

flat head (I think it is what they call Brachycephaly – for it's flat on the

back of her head). For a month I have been solving this problem alone. I have

noticed it when well; she's about 6 weeks old. I was not really worried during

that time because I thought it would go back to its proper shape. I was not also

aware it might cause a problem. One of my cousins told me before that my baby's

head is very big so I asked the pedia about it but she sad it's just fine so I

disregarded what my cousin have told me. Last month I was not able to bring my

baby to her monthly check up.

Day by day I noticed that her head is not really big but FLAT. I researched

online and found out some advices about repositioning the baby so for almost a

month now I have been placing her on her tummy (well I still end up carrying her

because she cries everytime I do that). I try to reposition her on her side

during night time (she's still learning how to roll over). I see limited changes

and I am not contented. I am always hurt everytime my relatives tell me " YOUR

BABY'S HEAD IS SOOOO FLAT! " .(she almost looks like the first baby in the pic

above). Maybe because they don't know how my heart is crying as a mother.

I really wanna help my baby have a perfect round head. I don't want her to blame

me in the future for not doing my best to treat her head but how can I do that

when I don't even know if that " positioning helmet " exists in the Philippines

and if by chance it is, I am sure I would not be able to afford it. There isn't

that much insurance here in the Philippines. I am just a single mom and I can't

even afford to bring her to her monthly check up. Hopefully I could get back to

work next month and seek for a little help from doctors but I am afraid she'd

already be 7 months during that time.. (sigh..)

I am getting worried. I am looking for any support group that can be able to

advise me on what to do, or offer any financial aid. If you could give me

advice, help or any assistance, could you please email me at

fejudinaesabado@...? I would really appreciate any assistance you could

give me.

As of now, I am still doing my best to reposition her, but I know she'll have

self-confidence if she'll have a perfect round head. I believe

positioners/helmets aren't just for cosmetics. I don't want to regret in the

future. Good thing I found this site. I hope you could help me today and if in

time I'd have the chance to help parents with this kind of predicament, I

certainly will. Thank you very much..

[Guest guest]

Hi, I am american but now living in india. I see kids with plagio/brachy here

but don't mention it since I know banding is not available. It is sad that all

kids can't get this, but also I can understand there are bigger problems in

health care so it isn't a priority in many places.

As for you baby I don't think there is likely to be much beyond repositioning

that you can do. Have you looked at the files are for repositioning tips? You

want her off her head as much as possible, and when she is on her head you want

her resting on the prominent area. You can use a baby carrier. Also try a sock

full of rices under her shoulder to tip her a bit off her flat spot. You can sew

it to her pajamas so it won't move around. She should get some natural rounding

as she gets older, but it may not change the overall proportion of her head

(extra width etc). If you want to post some pictures of her head it might be

possible to give you specific advice. A top view often shows the plagio/brachy

the best.

Also tummy time is important for developing upper body and neck strength too

(not just for flat heads) so it is important to put her on her tummy and get her

used to it. Try placing her on a bright colored mat and playing with her while

she's on the floor to distract her (get down on your tummy and look in her eyes

etc).

-christine

sydney, 3.5 yrs, starband grad

>

> I am denei, 23 years old from the Philippines, a first time mom, a single mom

> to my 5-month old baby (she turned 5 months last Oct. 30). I gave birth

through

> Emergency Cesarean Section due to dystoxia. I am proud to say she's beautiful,

> active and perfectly fine if not only because of her head. She has developed a

> flat head (I think it is what they call Brachycephaly – for it's flat on the

> back of her head). For a month I have been solving this problem alone. I have

> noticed it when well; she's about 6 weeks old. I was not really worried during

> that time because I thought it would go back to its proper shape. I was not

also

> aware it might cause a problem. One of my cousins told me before that my

baby's

> head is very big so I asked the pedia about it but she sad it's just fine so I

> disregarded what my cousin have told me. Last month I was not able to bring my

> baby to her monthly check up.

>

> Day by day I noticed that her head is not really big but FLAT. I researched

> online and found out some advices about repositioning the baby so for almost a

> month now I have been placing her on her tummy (well I still end up carrying

her

> because she cries everytime I do that). I try to reposition her on her side

> during night time (she's still learning how to roll over). I see limited

changes

> and I am not contented. I am always hurt everytime my relatives tell me " YOUR

> BABY'S HEAD IS SOOOO FLAT! " .(she almost looks like the first baby in the pic

> above). Maybe because they don't know how my heart is crying as a mother.

>

> I really wanna help my baby have a perfect round head. I don't want her to

blame

> me in the future for not doing my best to treat her head but how can I do that

> when I don't even know if that " positioning helmet " exists in the Philippines

> and if by chance it is, I am sure I would not be able to afford it. There

isn't

> that much insurance here in the Philippines. I am just a single mom and I

can't

> even afford to bring her to her monthly check up. Hopefully I could get back

to

> work next month and seek for a little help from doctors but I am afraid she'd

> already be 7 months during that time.. (sigh..)

>

> I am getting worried. I am looking for any support group that can be able to

> advise me on what to do, or offer any financial aid. If you could give me

> advice, help or any assistance, could you please email me at

> fejudinaesabado@? I would really appreciate any assistance you could

> give me.

>

> As of now, I am still doing my best to reposition her, but I know she'll have

> self-confidence if she'll have a perfect round head. I believe

> positioners/helmets aren't just for cosmetics. I don't want to regret in the

> future. Good thing I found this site. I hope you could help me today and if in

> time I'd have the chance to help parents with this kind of predicament, I

> certainly will. Thank you very much..

>