No Cause for Concern

Many parents are shocked and disturbed by their newborn's first appearance, as many babies are born with misshapen heads and lopsided-looking faces. A baby's skull is still unformed at birth, making it remarkably pliable. Many babies have a misshapen or conical head during their first few days to a week; this deformity gradually disappears as the soft bones and skin settle into their natural places.

During later months, parents may become concerned when their infant displays a marked flatness on one side of the skull. This is a condition called "plagiocephaly" and is fairly common in babies under six months old. It's usually due to spending a great deal of time laying on their backs, facing a favorite direction. While this is slightly more severe than the normal deformities caused during childbirth, plagiocephaly rarely requires medical treatment. The flatness gradually goes away, whether through parental intervention or by the baby learning to roll over or crawl.

There are numerous products on the market designed to help cure both of these conditions in a speedy manner. Following are some recommendations for expecting parents and parents facing plagiocephaly, as well as their friends and family. These would make excellent baby gifts.

Sleep Positioners

In both scenarios, sleep positioning plays an important role in correcting a misshapen head. Giving sleep positioners as baby gifts is both thoughtful and forward-looking, as more than half of all infants experience some degree of plagiocephaly during their first year.

Small infants should never be placed on their stomachs to sleep, but it is generally safe to place them on their sides. Triangular foam sleep supports that help keep the baby from rolling backwards make for inexpensive and considerate baby gifts. There are also curved sleep positioners designed to stop infants from rolling onto their stomachs while they sleep, and semi-circular ones to help them stay in a comfortable "fetal" position.

Baby Pillows Make Great Baby Gifts

In addition to sleep positioners, baby pillows are an excellent choice where baby gifts are concerned. There are numerous types; you could even find an assortment and give them all as baby gifts, as, undoubtedly, some may get soiled or work better than others.

Most of these support pillows work in the same basic manner: they attempt to reduce the pressure placed on the skull by the cot mattress, by raising the baby's head off the mattress without changing its basic position. As baby gifts go, this is not only a thoughtful and potentially necessary accessory, it's also an unusual and practical piece of baby bedding.

Home Remedies

The number one home remedy for a misshapen head is tummy time. You'll probably be given blankets and toys as baby gifts, as well; lay out a blanket, roll your little lopsided one onto their tummy, and prop up a few of those many baby gifts for them to look at. Plenty of tummy time, in conjunction with the baby gifts recommended here, will get your baby's skull back to a normal shape in no time flat!