Many of my babies were born with lots of hair. By the 2nd month, however, it was easy to see which way they liked to lay, because all of their hair rubbed off where their little heads touched their beds. I was always grateful that hair loss was the ONLY thing that happened, because I know of many parents who also have to deal with the shapes of their babies heads changing due to laying flat in their cribs.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “pediatricians have seen an increase in the number of children with positional plagiocephaly, or positional skull deformities (flat head).” ubiMED, a leader in pediatric products designed to ensure babies’ safety, comfort, and hygiene, created The Lifenest Sleep System—the next generation of baby mattresses which helps prevent Flat Head Syndrome.
This baby mattress was shorter than a typical mattress, so I was able to place it in my portable crib as a mattress for my newborn son. (It can also be used on top of a standard-sized crib mattress.) The LifeNest is soft, and has a mesh, breathable center that allows air to circulate through and also provides a cradling "nest" for baby's head to lay. Because the mesh area acts as more of a hammock than a flat surface, baby can turn his head from side to side and safely sleep on other areas then just the back of the head. This puts more even pressure on all sides, and helps to reduce the flat-head issue.
Close up of the "mesh" area of the LifeNest |
The LifeNest mattress also allows air to circulate safely around baby -- even if they happen to roll over. With all the fears of SIDS today, this can really ease a parent's mind.
The mattress is safe to use with babies up to 20 pounds, or 5 months of age. It's also perfect for smaller babies (like ours, who weighed less than 6 pounds) and preemies! A specially-designed protective cover can also be purchased separately for the mattress to help keep it clean.
While I'm not a fan of all of the complicated sleep solutions for babies on the market, this product seems like a sensible buy. It's under $150 and offers many features beyond the "flat head" prevention. (And for those who really do want to find a product for that purpose alone, it's obviously much more affordable than the corrective therapies on the market for positional plagiocephaly; helmets for babies and the required doctor visits can cost in the thousands!)
Get more info on the LifeNest Sleep System at the UbiMed website. Or check out the video below:
*Sample received to review. Opinions are 100% my own.
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