The case of my baby’s ‘Gol’ head

My baby is not round. For those who couldn't make it out from the post’s title, I am referring to his head.

Even before the baby was born, I was being showered with advises.  One topic in particular which seemed the most popular, among aunties advising me, was how to get a ‘gol’ (round) head! 

Here are some of the most ridiculous suggestions I was encouraged to pay heed to:

Place the baby's head in a 'saucer' during naptimes

The reference was indeed made to the actual saucer, that belongs to the tea set family; and believe me they were dead serious when one of the aunties went on and on about how perfect the shape would be with the smaller circular dip within the saucer providing the perfect base for a perfect shape. 

'maybe mommy thinks I'm her fancy porcelain - only not a doll and part of her cutlery'

Mummify the baby's head

Frankly speaking, i never really understood the mechanics as to how this would've worked if by mistake I tried. Apparently you're supposed to wrap a piece of cloth, or bandage around your baby's head, and tie it at either end of the crib so the baby's head stays in a specific position to minimize chances of the occurrence of flat spots. 

wtf?!

If this practice is adopted on a large scale by all the mothers unanimously, it could very well become part of the Olympics;  which mother manages to hold her baby's head positioned the longest!

'I am the kid who was tied as an infant. I am addicted to bandages now'

Mould the head manually

As if the head is a piece of dough, just waiting to be kneaded!

'is .. this .. helping .. mommy?'

'Hold-the-mould'

Now this technique is highly strenuous and requires the require-er (in most cases the mother or the nanny) to hold the require-ee's (always the victimized infant) head in a way that the only the tip touches the flat surface. This is not 5 minute routine; it demands a daily input of at least 3 man hours. 

And oh, please note that during this hours there should be minimal movement.

'WHAT IF I NEED TO GO PEE?!'

However, as much absurd the aforementioned advises may seem, there were a few that did make some sense and have helped quite a few mothers:

Using a pillow filled with beans or sand

Beans or better, sand, are materials that spread uniformly within the pillow and give the baby's soft skull a delicate base to ease the head onto it. The skull then takes a natural round shape without forcing pressure.

The traditional 'gol takiya' (baby pillow)

The foam filled circular pillow has a depression in the middle to provide a resting space for the still-forming head. The space in the middle allows head growth while the baby sleeps. To me this seemed very similar to the 'saucer'; only that the takiya  (pillow). in this case is much softer and less lethal.

now who wouldn't want to sleep on such an adorable little thing!

To investigate further into the science of a 'gol' (round) head, and how to get that perfect round head for your baby, stay tuned for my next post!