[Submitted Question]

My eight week old son favors his right side. He will always turn his head that way and dislikes turning it to the left. Should I talk to his pediatrician about this?

[WombToBloom]

My oldest son had a similar issue and ended up with a slightly flattened head on one side - we talked to the doctor, got some recommendations and were able to alleviate the problem. Have you tried using a velcro sleep positioner? It can be helpful in keeping your baby in a position other than his favored position.

You should also do as much as possible to get him to look toward the side he isn't favoring. Put him to bed in the opposite direction, so that he looks to his left when you appear at the side of the crib. Place a railing toy like the Fisher Price Lights & Sound aquarium to his left in the crib. Even change his direction on the changing table.

When he's playing on his back with you, lay down on the side he doesn't usually look toward or put all of his toys in that direction. Change the way you habitually hold him to encourage him to look toward the side he doesn't usually turn to. This will all help to train and relax his neck muscles.

In rare cases, there may be a physiological problem such as a prematurely fused growth plate on the skull. You should talk to your doctor about this issue for sure - if only to make sure that your baby doesn't end up with a flattened head but also to check that his growth plates and fontanelles are still open.

[Chesapeake Birth]

This is not uncommon. If your breast is engorged he may have trouble latching on that side. Or it could be he just needs to see a chiropractor for a gentle infant adjustment. Sometimes they have sore muscles after birth or they are just accustomed to lying a certain way in the womb. You can also try different feeding holds. Even lying in bed with him beside you so he can latch that way. The chiro is safe and even my twin grandchildren had adjustments at 10 weeks. One for head tilted to the right and the other for tender lower back when you burped her and it also helped with their refux!!

[InnerSerenity]

I would definitely recommend Craniosacral therapy for a child favoring one side. There is a real possibility that the baby needs some adjustments of the fascia which can move the bones out of place just a small bit, but enough to cause such.

CranioSacral Therapy is a light touch therapy that is done with the hands to address restrictions in the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Imbalances or restrictions in the cranialsacral system may negatively impact the nervous system and may cause a variety of disturbances in the body. CranioSacral Therapy is a gentle way to correct those restrictions so the body can release the effects of stress naturally and heal itself.

Even the most natural of births may be stressful for the skull and spine of the baby being born. Some research strongly suggests that the birth process may be responsible for many brain dysfunctions and problems caused by central nervous system imbalances. Because CranioSacral Therapy is so gentle it can be performed at birth or within the first few days of life to potentially reduce a wide variety of newborn and childhood problems, many which are not apparent until your child is of school age. Problems of head shape, small fontenelles, and skull bone override may also be corrected with the application of CranioSacral Therapy.

Here is an article on how birth can affect babies and how Craniosacral therapy can help them Applications of CranioSacral Therapy in Newborns and Infants, Part I | massagetoday.com

[noellemcilwaine]

Originally Posted by WombToBloom

My eight week old son favors his right side. He will always turn his head that way and dislikes turning it to the left. Should I talk to his pediatrician about this?

Yes, you should mention this... He may have torticollis. AKA a tight muscle in on side of his neck.... Physical therapy will work it out...
Let me know what they say.....

[bellabirthing]

i agree with the other posters, yes ask your doctor, think about cranial sacral and physical therapy and perhaps gentle chiropractic as well. many babies with this issue can be helped in a few treatments and you should see improvement right away.

[kellybancroft]

I would ditto the Cranial sacral therapy. My son favored nursing lying on his right side and i found the cranial sacral work to help with this.. Good luck

[laboroflovedoula]

a visit to a chiropractor who specializes in infants may also be a good choice to determine if he has an alignment issue.