If you’ve been looking for ways to prevent flattening of your baby’s head, or help reverse flat spots that are already visible, you have probably come across many baby pillows and other products that can be used to assist you. It can be confusing to understand what products you really need and select the best ones for your baby.
In this article, we’ll talk about what types of products are most useful for preventing and treating this condition.
Products for night time sleeping
Your baby will spend a lot of time sleeping on his or her back while sleeping at night, and it is also a time where the baby is subject to the risk of SIDS, so this is probably the most important time to worry about.
Most baby pillows are not recommended to be used when your baby is unsupervised because of the risk of SIDS, so your options are limited. The only breathable pillow option I know if is the Mimos Pillow, which used to be available only in Europe (it has a European Safety certification as safe for children 0-3 years). This is a really comfortable pillow and since it’s breathable you don’t have to worry about suffocation.
If your baby sleeps in a crib, one of the best products I’ve seen (as well as used myself, although I didn’t get it until my baby was older) is the Lifenest Sleep System by Ubimed. The Lifenest fits securely on top of your crib mattress and has a mesh insert where the baby rests which has some give to it, and therefore does not put any pressure on a single spot of the baby’s head, but actually cradles it.
Products for naps and playtime
If you are able to supervise your baby during naps, you have a lot more options for products to use that are safe. The Clevamama Clevafoam baby pillow (full review here) is a great one, and I used to use this all the time when my son was on his play mat. It dissipates the pressure from a hard surface because it is made up of memory foam. It has a washable cover which is nice. My son still uses it as a pillow, it’s super comfortable for him. They even have a toddler version now!
Another product that I had and loved was the Babymoon pillow (read full review here), which can take the pressure off a flat spot (the “no pressure” method of repositioning) because of its ring-shaped design. It can also be used as a neck support in the car seat or stroller for your older baby or toddler. The Boppy Noggin Nest 
Products for use in the car seat, bouncy seat, stroller, or swing
If you spend much time with your baby in the car, it is important to make sure that the car seat is not putting pressure on the back of your baby’s head. If your baby’s head is already showing signs of flattening, it is important to limit your use of bouncy seats and swings, but there are certainly times when you need to put your baby somewhere safe so you can do other things (like shower and prepare dinner!). Therefore, it’s important to find a way to make sure the flattening is not made worse if your baby is in them.
The Babymoon pillow can also be used in a swing or bouncer, but I found it is a little too large to use in a car seat, since it will push your baby’s head too far forward. The Clevamama pillow can also be used if your baby is in a more reclined position, but it won’t work in a more upright position like the car seat.
In the car, I used the Summer Infant Snuzzler (a photo is on the left – it’s just like the Kiddopotamus Head and Body Support), and really found it did a great job to keep my baby’s head safely supported. He was small when he was born and really needed extra support in the car seat, which I also used in my Bob stroller so he was in the car seat quite a bit. I just kept my Summer Snuzzler in the car seat all the time and used other products at home.
The Boppy Infant and Toddler Head Support is very similar but has more neck support with these little wings that go on each side of the neck. You would only need one or the other. These products do not affect the safety of the car seat in any way.
The Boppy Noggin Nest Head Support
The Tortle Baby Beanie 
Although this product was not available when my son was being treated for flat head syndrome, I have a couple of friends who were able to review the product for me and report back. See the full Tortle review here. One thing to note with this product is that it’s important to get the fit and size right, and the manufacturer recommends buying multiple sizes to accommodate your baby’s head as it grows (it’s very reasonably priced though).
You will likely only need one or two of these types of products for use in the car seat, stroller, and in seats and swings at home. Most of them are inexpensive and you may find for convenience and also to vary the pressure on the head, it’s better to have two or three different products.
Infant Seats
As your baby gets a little older, you will definitely want to use an infant seat as much as possible, as this keeps the pressure completely off the baby’s head. It also helps the baby gain trunk strength, and they just love being able to sit up and see the world in a new position. Infant seats are also great for feeding before your baby is really ready for a high chair.
There are two really good options for infant seats. The Bumbo Seat is a classic and a popular choice. It’s a nice single molded design that’s easy to clean. The downside is that it’s a little expensive, and you have to purchase the play tray separately, which makes it cost even more, and the tray doesn’t have any toys on it so you have to purchase those separately as well. Another problem is that babies outgrow them really quickly so the use is limited.
The infant seat that I used and really loved is the Summer Infant 3-Stage SuperSeat
Another advantage is that it has an insert on the seat that you can take out so you can still use the chair as your baby gets bigger. It also converts to a booster seat, which is lightweight and great for travel. For less money, I think it’s a lot more versatile than the Bumbo.
Note: for safety, it’s recommended that you use these seats on the floor.
Exersaucers and Activity Centers
As your baby grows and develops, you’ll want to find ways to continue to keep the pressure off the head during play time. Exersaucers or activity centers are a great way to do that. Doctors and developmental specialists are advising against walkers and bouncers these days, but an exersaucer is a great way for your baby to safely have fun.
It’s a lifesaver when you need to put your baby someplace safe while you do something else (like make dinner!). I had a very similar activity center to the Baby Einstein Neptune Activity center (mine was also a Baby Einstein but I don’t think they make that model anymore). My son and I both absolutely loved it, it kept him occupied for ages! We started using this when he was about five months old, and at fourteen months (he is not walking yet) he still loved it and never got bored with the toys.
Wraps, slings, and carriers
Wraps, slings, and carriers are a great way to keep pressure off the back of your baby’s head, and also to keep your hands free while you do other things! For more information on these products including how to use babywearing to prevent or treat flat head syndrome, please see our article on this topic. Here are some of the most popular ones:
Balboa Baby Dr. Sears Adjustable Sling
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More to come….
I’ll be posting more information here about other useful products.
In the meantime, please leave a comment and let us know what products you’ve found helpful and which ones just a waste of money!
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is available for purchase on Amazon. Other colors are available as well.
. Many parents have reported success in reducing pressure using the Noggin Nest as part of their repositioning strategy.