We have started a new project: Operation Round Out Reese's Head. Ever since Reese was born, she has not wanted to turn her head to the left side. We noticed it almost as soon as she was born, & we tried to encourage her to turn to the left by enticing her with toys. We would also try to turn her head after she fell asleep. Nothing really worked. On the rare occasion we were able to turn her head or entice her to turn the left, she would move it right back. After worrying about it for a couple of weeks, we kind of gave up & quit worrying so much about it, figuring we were just being overly paranoid new parents. Well, we're now realizing that we weren't being overly paranoid, and we should have kept being persistent. Reese has developed a pretty decent flat spot on the right side of her head. :(
I took her to the pediatrician to have it checked out on Friday. The pediatrician said that Reese has torticollis, which basically means twisted neck. He said that it is fairly common, & can be caused by the way the baby was positioned in utero, or can be caused by some trauma during birth. He said it's really common to see it on the right side because the left shoulder is typically delivered first, and the right side usually endures some stretching in the process. It affects the sternocleidomastoid muscle, for all of you fellow head & neck anatomy/dental hygiene nerds. :)
He confirmed that the flatness of the right side of her head has become "moderate". He said that this has become really common ever since the "Back to Sleep" campaign started. Kids spend SO much time on their backs now (naps + 12 hours of sleep at night + playtime), that it's causing a lot of cranial problems. But SIDS has been reduced by 40% since the start of the campaign, so it's still a really good thing. Anyways, Reese's head has gotten a bit flat, & it's time to start working extra hard to get it corrected. He showed me how to massage her neck & do some stretches to help to relax that muscle & make it easier for her to use the right side of her neck. He said that we really need to keep her from laying on the right side of her head as much as possible. We have started holding her in our right arm (which is really awkward, but we're getting used to it). The doctor suggested that we roll up a washcloth & just barely prop up her right side so that her head falls to the left more easily when she is sleeping (and she has successfully slept with her head turned to the left 2 nights in a row now). We were already doing quite a bit of tummy time, but we're doing even more now, & we borrowed a Bumbo chair so that she has another activity that keeps her off her back. She loves the Bumbo chair, & she looks like such a big girl in it!
The pediatrician is going to re-evaluate her head at her 4 month appointment mid November. If there hasn't been much improvement, he is going to refer us for physical therapy to work on her neck muscles. If that doesn't help, he is going to refer us to a cranial specialist for further evaluation. But, the good news is that he feels that we still have plenty of time to get this corrected, & he thinks that it will improve quickly if we start working really hard at all of these things. I am counting on it getting better quickly, & that none of those other things will be necessary. :)
On a happier note, we took Reese on her first weekend getaway last weekend. We went up to Galena with Matt's family. We stayed in a house at Eagle Ridge with his parents, brother, aunt & uncle, & 2 cousins. Reese did great for the 2.5 hour drive both ways, she was an angel while we walked around town & went out to dinner. She slept great at night even though it was the first time she had slept away from home. The fall colors were gorgeous in Galena, & we had a great time. It was so fun to hang out & play games with everyone after Reese went to bed. Before we went into town on Sunday morning, Matt's mom gave Reese a cardigan & hat that she "whipped up" last week. They looked too cute on her!
Here's a picture of the whole crew. Yes, we had our baby in a bar. We're those kind of classy parents. A nice couple even gave up their seats so that Reese could belly up to the bar.
I know it's hard to believe that this blog post STILL isn't over. This is my final thing to share, I promise. Last week, we took Reese out to a pumpkin patch to get her first pumpkin. Unfortunately, we went around sunset & the sun was practically blinding her. She was also a little cranky, so it was kind of a bad combination. We (of course) had a quick photo shoot, & then gave the little monkey a break. She's going to be thrilled next weekend when we carve her pumpkin & attempt to put her inside for another photo shoot. :)
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