I spend my days working with babies, so literally every day I'm asked by parents how they can help babies flat spot and head shape. It's why I decided to create this course to help parents.
But what then happened is that practitioners loved it and bought it as well. Sometimes to work with their own kids but more often because it gave them another way to treat babies in their clinic.
And of course it also is a superb course for being clear on explaining clearly to parents what you are doing when you are treating there precious baby!
The information below was written for the 'Parent Page' but as a practitioner you may find it useful so I have left it here for you.
The single most important thing to know about head shape is that it didn't just happen overnight, it will have taken weeks for baby's head to become the shape it is today and sometimes it's even been changing for months (if baby was pushed up against you in the womb).
That's very important, because it means it will take time for it to change back to how it should be, so it's absolutely vital that you help baby by getting a routine going so that every day that head shape can change a bit more.
Bet you thought you were busy before you became a parent! But now you know what busy truly is. And so I'm sure you'll agree that the routine had better be quick, easy and uncomplicated!
But it's no good having a routine if it doesn't work, however it's also not good to spend weeks researching one as that time could be spent helping baby. So let's simplify things:
1. Find out what you need to do
2. Make that into a daily routine
3. Try it out to see if it works.
(And by works I mean does it take too long or does baby not let you do it etc.)
As an osteopathic doctor a lot of your advice gets ignored as people just want to get on and live their life. Many years ago when I first started practice I thought this was just weak human nature, but after a while I realised that most of us are just giving rubbish advice! It's not that it's wrong advice it's just that what we ask patient's and parents to do is too hard to do or you simply don't have time to fit it in to your day.
That's when I started paying more attention to what actually worked and I started quizzing parents for feedback on how they went with what I was giving them.
It was a long process of tweaking and polishing and it did take about 10 years but I'm now really confident that what I tell parents is a mix of what is not just effective but just as importantly is easy and quick to do - in fact some of it you can even do watching TV!
Right so let's get down to building your routine. The routine is going to have 4 elements to it
Holds
Props
Stretches
Baby Does It
All 4 are important but don't think of it as too much to do as each element makes the other 3 more effective and easier to do,
So for example if you just used a prop like a pillow then often baby pushes it away or it irritates their neck and effects their sleep and it can take a long time to help them. But if you do the other 3 elements as well it vastly increases the speed of change from that 4th element the pillow
HOLDS - this is about getting baby off the side of the head that's flat or uneven so it can round out properly as it grows. But it's also about using gravity to stretch the muscles on the side of the head that's flattened.
There are lots of holds you can use - these include holds when you are standing, sitting, having baby on your lap, or holding them in a side lying position. Of course you can do these at anytime, so take a load off and be the perfect parent by doing them while watching TV! Pictured is just one of these holds.
But one word of warning do these holds slowly and carefully and stop if baby doesn't like them. In the diagram you'll see we want baby's head to drop with gravity, but their neck is so tight that they aren't doing this. So if we held this baby longer in this position it would distress them and that's not good.So with your baby look for what's right and adjust your position to give the right amount of support.
PROPS - when you are too tired to hold baby, or when they are tired enough that they'll sleep you need a prop, it says what it does - it props baby's head the way you want it and takes pressure off the flat side.
There's lots of different pillows you can buy and then there's also the free option of using a rolled up hand towel.
Whatever you use always make sure of safety as often baby will try to turn back to the side they prefer, so you must ensure that during the night that there's no possibility of the prop restricting their airways.
With props I have found that if you combine them with your holds and stretches they work very well. This is because very often flat head comes with tight neck muscles and when we just use the prop to move the head the neck muscles complain and it's too much for baby and they have disturbed sleep or simply push onto the prop in order to get back to their comfortable side.
STRETCHES - I''ve yet to see a flat head where baby didn't have tight neck or back muscles. If you gently stretch these out for baby it will hugely speed up the changes in the head. It's the most important part of changing the head but it's the one most parents don't know about. It's also one that you need to be shown - which is why we filmed a set of stretches in clinic as video instruction (see below).
BABY DOES IT - there's lots of little tricks for getting baby to move more and turn there head off the flat side. Put whatever baby loves on the side you want them to move to, light, music etc but remember what does baby love most of all? - You !
So do start to use all 4 of the elements right now as you can do this at home for free.
But this is also where it can come unstuck, it's like anything that you are doing for the first time, it can be hard at first, so don't give up you will get this with a little practice.
But if you are struggling or would simply like to fast track your ability to help baby today then you'll definitely benefit from the online video instruction that we have developed.
This is a quality course flimed in clinic with specific baby footage of these skills being taught. Because of the development that's gone into it I'm not able to provide it for free but I have deliberately set the price very low ($47) to not exclude anyone due to lack of money.
I've worked with parents for a very long time so I know that explanations often aren't enough, and what really works best is demonstrating what to do. That's what this course does, as it uses video footage of babies in our Well Child Clinic so you can see step by step exactly what you need to do to help baby.
That's the beauty of video. it's why even the parents who received the in person demonstrations in our clinic use this course, it's watch and rewatch anywhere, anytime, all you need is internet access.
14 videos that will teach you the specific knowledge and skills needed for you to help baby with their head shape and with any tight neck problems (including torticollis).
The course is accessible 24/7 via any internet connected computer, phone or tablet and can be watched and rewatched as many time as you like.
The course only costs $90 and will show you how to get the best from holds, props and stretches, but it will also teach you:
With regard to Holds, Props and Stretches it will use video footage demonstrations on babies so you can specifically see the following
Click through the checkout page below and you can get access immediately to the video course and get started helping your baby today
We have created this course from our hearts, it draws on years of experience in clinic working with babies as well as in teaching and mentoring parents and that's why we believe you will love it.
But if having purchased this course you feel that it wasn't right for you then simply email us at [email protected] within 7 days of purchase and we will simply refund your money.
We have an established clinic and an established teaching academy, their reputation is of the utmost importance to us and their success is based on word of mouth referral and that's why your satisfaction with this course and the way we interact with you is so important to us.
Dr. Jonathan Evans, a Registered Osteopath, practices at the ION Well Child Clinic in Australia.
Dr. Evans trained in London, England at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine where he graduated in 1987 with 1st Class Honours.
Since then he has working extensively with new mums, babies and children both in New Zealand and Australia. use this link if you would like to read more of his articles on babies and children.
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