is it bad for a newborn to lie with their head on one side most of the time?
OK, maybe this is a dumb question, but I'm worried:
Our baby girl sleeps with her head to one side, so that she can see me in bed, I guess. She's 11 days old.
Her cot is by my side of the bed. It's an arms-reach co-sleeper cot and it's great so far - she's right by me but not in our bed, where she wouldn't fit and might get squashed or something. So she seems to mostly end up going to sleep looking in my direction and she stays that way. I guess she can't move her head enough to turn it to the other side yet, and she doesn't seem to stay balanced looking straight up - her head just goes to the side.
Is it normal, for a baby to sleep with their head on one side so they are looking over their shoulder? Will it harm her to sleep that way until she has the muscle strength to move her head about and support it more? How long until they can hold up their heads anyway?
It's worrying me because I know that I'd be uncomfy sleeping like that all the time. I'd get a sore neck. Maybe it's different for babies?
Its common for new borns to favour one side over another and there head will naturally roll that way - but as their neck gets stronger they will start to turn both ways.
Tenar, DS has been doing the same. He's 4 weeks today and favouring his right side. Even when I put him down and have his head facing left, he will end up facing right a few minutes later. Doesn't matter where he is, in his cot, carseat, bouncer. Wish I could help, but it seems we have the same problem here. I'll be asking my Dr at our 6wk check up, but will also mention it to the MCHN next week as well.
Sounds pretty normal to me. BUT If they continue to favor one side as their neck gets stronger you will need to have them assessed for a torticollis (see your gp/physio). Essentially it's when one set of muscles on their neck is stronger/shorter than the other. My DD did this and we had to do a few little exercises, put toys on the non-favored side, and that fixed it. Doesn't become more noticeable until their necks are stronger tho!
if you think she is doing it to look at you, put her in the cot with her head at the other end, so that she has to lie on that side.
Its worth getting it looked at by chiro/physio/osteo for torticollis as MD has mentioned.
Rayray - oh yes - Osteopath! In fact we took DD to osteopath to get her reflux sorted out around that time and I think it might have been the osteo that fixed it in the end. I had forgotten...! LOL
I guess I'll ask the nurse about it at our two-week appointment next week. In the meantime, will try to sleep DD in the pram bassinet sometimes (something I've been wanting to do anwyay, to get her used to the pram in stages), and place her so her head goes the other way.
Ive noticed my DS favours one side alot too...seems like its pretty common tho! We have our 6 week check tomorrow so I will mention it to the doctor! He will move his he to both sides during tummy time, but it seems a struggle to go to his "off" side, and that flat spot he has developed looking shocking lol poor little thing!
So sorry I have no advice other than what the other girls have said about mentioning it to your Dr/nurse next visit...maybe try putting a noisy toy on the off side too...
Definitely worth checking out with chiro/osteo etc as our DD1 could not rotate her head to the L - and had quite a flat spot on her skull - several adjustments by the chiro fixed it up but it took some time for her skull to round out again. Good luck.
is it bad for a newborn to lie with their head on one side most of the time?
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