Emmy should be wearing a Doc Band (aka a baby helmet). The band would be worn at most for six weeks and a maximum for three months. We contacted our insurance company to find out what our out-of-pocket cost was. It was a staggering $2,800. The good news? It would be used towards our deductible. Bad news: only about a month and a half left in the year. We were open to doing what was necessary for Emmy, but we wanted our spending to be manageable. The PT suggested that we consult with him and ask if it would be a good idea to wait until the beginning of the year to put Emmy in her band. The PT advised us that Emmy would be fine with extra time, but he recommended that we still do some exercises for Emmy to aid her.
I left the doctors with a list of steps to help Emmy. I was a mama on a mission!
Tummy time
We did approximately 20 minutes of tummy time per day before Emmy suggested that Emmy wear a helmet. This was all I thought. I assumed that this was enough. When I asked the PT who did her scan, he replied, “25 hours a day is too much”. From then on, Emmy spent almost all her time not nursing or sleeping on her stomach. Emmy, like many babies, was not fond of sitting on her stomach on the ground. Emmy’s PT advised her that Emmy should be in a position where gravity is against her head. Emmy spent her time at home, rotating between several “tummy stations.”
I would place her on the boppy pillow and keep a book or other toys nearby. If that became tedious, I would shift her to the position where she was lying on my stomach on top of mine and make silly faces at her. While we were reading a book, I would cross my legs and place her on top of mine. Superman-style, I would drag her around the house.
To keep things interesting, we moved from one room to the next. She loved to spend her tummy time outdoors on a blanket and could do it for up to 20 minutes. Emmers also discovered the water mat, which was just as fascinating. Mirrors like the one below can keep a cranky baby’s tummy busy.
Emmy did not spend a minute in her baby swing. We used a travel system before, but we switched to one that Emmy could use if she were on the move.
We tried to ensure that every minute was positive for her head.
Sometimes her muscles needed a break, and we would do neck stretches. It was also tummy time every day.
Neck Stretches
Emmy had a tight neck that caused her to prefer one side. This needed to be released. This was easy for Emmy to do during playtime or with her dad and mom holding her. Playtime stretch: Emmy would lie on her back with her favorite toy on her right side. I would also sit on her right side to keep Emmy’s neck straightened. This would continue for about 15 minutes; then, we would roll over and return to tummy time. This was repeated several times per day. The Football Hold: Emmy could be held in a way that would stretch her neck muscles. Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of Emmy doing this, but I have this fantastic example photo that the doctor gave me. This one is hard. Jay and I would alternate holding Emmy while Jay looked at the picture to ensure it was done correctly. This was done a few times per day but less frequently performed over the month.
Crib Adjustments
After Emmy’s scan, I did a lot of research on the products that we could buy to help her. I looked through tons of photos and read many reviews. The Merry Shop Head Shaping pillow was what we ended up buying. Emmy was five months old at the time we started using this product. Emmy could not roll over and barely moved when she touched the mattress. I wouldn’t recommend this product to a person who is a very active sleeper. The pillow is made of a thick memory foam material, which allows it to hold its shape well. The pad was taken on long car rides, vacations, and almost anywhere Emmy would be sleeping.
