You see your baby's flat head. You've done tummy time and repositioning, but it isn't rounding out like you were led to believe it would. You're not imagining it, and you're not out of options.
The Perfect Noggin: The Head-Shaping Sleep Surface that creates a naturally beautiful shape
The Perfect Noggin gently encourages symmetrical head growth while your baby sleeps. No more constant battles with futile repositioning. Just affordable, safe results and peace of mind.
- Used by NHS physiotherapists
- Visible difference in as little as 4 weeks
- Complies with Safe Sleep Guidelines
- Clinically Studied
- Designed by Harvard-trained craniofacial surgeon Dr Gary F Rogers
- Anatomically correct contoured, head-shaping sleep surface
- Next working day delivery in the UK
- Shipped to the EU
25+
Years of medical expertise
15+
Years designing and developing the Perfect Noggin
5
Published peer-reviewed clinical studies
Used by 20,000+ relieved parents worldwide
Real stories from real parents: See the results and hear about the peace of mind parents achieved using the Perfect Noggin.
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“My health visitor came round today, she seemed to think it was because I did more tummy time until I told her the Perfect Noggin fixed it!! So grateful for this product, we got our sleep back and I rarely think about his head shape compared to how it was before.”
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“Started our Perfect Noggin journey at 4 months old, now just turned 6 months old and this is the result! We just used it to sleep in overnight and are so pleased with the outcome. To anyone questioning whether to buy the Perfect Noggin, it is definitely worth the investment!”
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“I wanted to share our before and after pics. The picture on the left is at 2 months, before using the Perfect Noggin. The picture on the right is today, a few weeks after we stopped using the Perfect Noggin at 5 months. No helmet for us! Thanks so much!”
The Clinically Proven Option You Can Trust
Designed and clinically tested to help keep your baby's head round and symmetrical during the critical first months of life
1 in 3 babies develop head asymmetry in the first year
The brain of a young baby grows extremely rapidly. This brain growth drives skull expansion, meaning head growth is very fast during the first 4 months of life. Babies spend a lot of time sleeping, and the safest position for a baby to sleep is on their back, as this significantly reduces the risk of SIDS (cot death).
A baby with torticollis will persistently turn in one direction and when placed on a firm, flat surface to sleep, is likely to develop deformational asymmetry – a “flat head”, or plagiocephaly. Repositioning is largely ineffective in babies with torticollis. It is impractical to expect exhausted parents to wake up every few hours to alter their baby’s head position. This is the reason parents turn to solutions which alter the surface on which the baby's head rests. The many pillows sold for this purpose are ineffective, do not accommodate head growth and are not shaped like a baby’s head. They pose a safety risk because they violate safe sleep recommendations against soft, loose items in the cot, and create dangerous neck flexion, which can restrict the baby’s airway. Eventually some parents resort to expensive helmet therapy to correct their baby’s head shape.
Developed, tested and refined in hospitals
The Perfect Noggin started in Boston as a custom moulded foam block called the “cup”. It required weekly contouring by a licensed orthotist and this created hardship for many families.
Dr Rogers then set out to create a more user-friendly design, and the result was the most extensively studied product of its kind, the PlagioCradle. The new design added a torso support for better head-neck-torso alignment, and incorporated a patented system of removable layers so parents could adjust the fit as the baby's head grew. The PlagioCradle was successfully used for over a decade before being renamed the Perfect Noggin.
The world's only adjustable, anatomically-correct, contoured head shaping surface
The Perfect Noggin was designed to overcome the limitations of previous recommendations and incorporates all the best features of its parent product. Its patented, adjustable, soft foam liners are shaped like the "ideal" head, and the platform design maintains the safest and most ergonomic head-neck-torso alignment. It is firm, flat, and has no loose components, meeting safe sleep recommendations. Quite simply, the Perfect Noggin is the most ergonomic and clinically effective head shaping surface available to promote normal cranial growth.
Designed by Craniofacial surgeon Dr Gary F Rogers
Dr. Gary F. Rogers is an esteemed academic paediatric plastic surgeon, known for his specialization in craniofacial anomalies, particularly plagiocephaly. He is certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr Rogers is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and a member of the International Society of Craniofacial Surgeons. He has authored over 220 peer-review articles and book chapters, including a number on plagiocephaly, and lectured at numerous regional, national, and international meetings.
After seeing tens of thousands of babies with plagiocephaly, Dr Rogers recognised the need for a safe, science-backed solution. So he built it - The Perfect Noggin.
You're not the first; hear from parents who were exactly where you are
Designed with Safety as the Number One Priority
Meets all Safe Sleep Guidelines. The only thing that changes is the surface beneath their head.
Back Sleeping
Lie your baby on their back in the Perfect Noggin, in line with safe sleep guidelines. The Perfect Noggin fits into your baby's cot and is a firm, flat surface on which they sleep, with no loose, soft components.
Your baby is free to move their head
The Perfect Noggin is not a positioner. It does not restrict, wedge, or prevent your baby from turning. Your baby is free to turn their head however they are most comfortable. A head turning preference (due to torticollis) should be addressed during waking hours by way of physiotherapy. Select the layer in which your baby's head lies snugly (but which is not tight).
Fully open Airway
The head cup keeps your baby's head and torso in neutral alignment, with a fully open, unrestricted airway, unlike pillows, which create neck flexion and close the airway.
No loose, soft items
A firm, waterproof surface with no loose or soft components
Proven Support When You Need it Most
The Perfect Noggin was designed and refined in hospitals long before it reached a home nursery.
The Perfect Noggin was designed in a teaching hospital by Dr Gary F Rogers. Originally called the Cranial Cup, it was tested in a real hospital setting, and over time evolved into what was called the Preemie Orthotic Device (Plagio-Cradle). Today's Perfect Noggin is the third generation: fundamentally the same design, but rebuilt to be practical for home use. Over fifteen years the appearance has changed a little bit, but the contoured head cup those early hospital trials were built around hasn't. It provides a firm, anatomically-correct surface in which your baby's head grows, while they sleep.
Read about Dr Gary F RogersStudied in Five Peer-reviewed Clinical Trials, prior to going on sale as the Perfect Noggin
6.0mm
Younger babies means more head growth and more capacity for shape change. In babies who started using the Perfect Noggin before they were 10 weeks old, plagiocephaly improved an average of 6.0mm in just 6 weeks. In babies who started between 10 and 20 weeks, plagiocephaly improved by 4.0mm. Later is not too late. Sooner is ideal.
7.7x
A prospective clinical trial found that repositioning and stretching alone would improve head asymmetry by only 1 mm. When using the Perfect Noggin, reduction in head asymmetry was 7.7 times greater. If you've been told just to turn your baby's head and it isn't working, it's not that you're not doing it right. It's the advice that's wrong.
46%→19%
In one randomised controlled trial, 46% of hospitalised babies treated with repositioning alone still had abnormal head measurements at discharge. Only 19% of babies who slept in the Perfect Noggin did. The Perfect Noggin produces significantly better results than repositioning.
83%
In a study of 23 premature babies admitted to the NICU, 86% had abnormal head measurements prior to the study start. By discharge, after sleeping in the Perfect Noggin, 83% of those babies had normally measuring head shapes. The Perfect Noggin is safe, effective and practical, even in very young babies.
Hear from 30,000+ relieved parents
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“You are doing an amazing job with this product and the advice you give out in your own (very valuable) spare time. My boy was in the Perfect Noggin for 2 months and it has done absolute wonders for his shape! I’m so so happy with the results and have been spreading the word in Australia about how amazing this device is.”
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“If you are on the fence because your baby is a little older - BUY IT. We didn’t find the Perfect Noggin until our kiddo was 4 months, but we figured it was cheaper than a helmet so we would try it anyway. We are SO THRILLED with his head shape after one month of use. Thank you SO much for making this product!”
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“My son just turned 7 months. He was rolling before this but never for sleeptime so I had some extra time to extend the use of the Perfect Noggin. THE PERFECT NOGGIN DOES WORK. 2 months of ALL sleep in this device and I think his head looks much much better! IF you are on the fence about the Perfect Noggin BUY IT!”
A helmet is costly, but you don't want to simply wait and hope. There's a third option, and it's affordable and effective.
Designed by a paediatric craniofacial surgeon, trialled in hospitals for over a decade. Now it's available for your baby at home.
- Suitable from birth. Start addressing the problem today. Early intervention produces better and faster results.
- Works even with active torticollis and a strong head turning preference. No more midnight repositioning.
- No costly helmet. No fitting visits. No awkward questions. Just gentle support at home while your baby sleeps.
- Safe sleep compliant - no dangerous loose, soft, ineffective pillows.
- Four adjustable layers that grow with your baby - no need to buy more than one size.
- An antomically-correct mould into which your baby's head grows. Designed for a naturally beautiful head shape.
Stop the Exhausting, Ineffective Repositioning Attempts
The Perfect Noggin makes it simple. The recessed, contoured head cup works while your baby sleeps, whichever way they choose to turn their head. That means you can sleep too.
Why “just turn his head to the other side” is destined to fail
It sounds so simple. But this advice fails to take into account that due to torticollis (in the case of plagiocephaly) or symmetricalcervical tightness (leading to brachycephaly) your baby prefers one position for his head because other positions are uncomfortable. In extreme cases, it is actually painful.
Your baby will not sleep with his head in a position which causes him discomfort. So at best, he will turn it back to the comfortableside. At worse he will wake, trapping you both in a sleepless cycle.
A solution that lets you both sleep while addressing your concerns
Whichever way your baby turns his head, the fully contouredhead cup will promote symmetrical, rounded growth while you both sleep. Astrong head turning preference (due to torticollis) doesn't prevent it working.Your baby can sleep comfortably, with his head turned however he chooses.
Grows with your baby throughout the critical window
Removable layers mean the Perfect Noggin grows as your baby's head grows. The head cup circumference range accomodates 99% of babies under six months, with no further purchases necessary and no adjustment visits needed. Use the Perfect Noggin until your baby can roll back to belly, or until your baby is over 4 months old, any torticollis is fully resolved and you are happy with the head shape achieved. Once a baby can roll back to belly, further flattening is unlikely.
Comfortable, supportive surface
Some babies require a few days to adjust to the new sleep surface but most parents report their baby sleeps better in the Perfect Noggin. Very young babies can still be swaddled, whereas older babies can sleep in a sleep sack or sleeping bag, or temperature appropriate clothing.
How The Perfect Noggin Works
The head cup is contoured to the ideal anatomical shape
The recessed head cup gently cradles the head, redistributing pressure away from flat spots and providing a symmetrical mould for growth. However your baby turns hs head, there are no flat surfaces against which the head can flatten.
Pressure is removed from the flat spot
Gentle pressure is placed on the rounded (or overgrown) areas of the head, creating open space for any flat areas to grow into. Grows occurs in the areas of least pressure, reducing asymmetry or creating rounding in areas of flattening.
Safely supports natural development of the head shape
Foam layers are removed as your baby grows, continuing to give flat areas space to round out into. No wedging, restriction of movement or loose, soft items which would represent a sufforcation risk.
Founder's Story
"Approximately 40% of babies who sleep on their back will develop head flattening that the parent considers to be undesirable. This is despite the most diligent parental efforts at head repositioning and tummy time. Plagiocephaly and brachycephaly often cause parents significant emotional distress, guilt and shame.
As an academic craniofacial surgeon, acquired head shape concerns are among the most common problems I see in my clinical practice. Over the last 3 decades, the problem has become more, not less common, and the pressure on parents even greater. despite doing everything "right", they see their baby's head flatten and become vulnerable to unscrupulous, baseless marketing claims.
The Perfect Noggin embodies all of the fundamental principles I have learned over two decades of scientific study in the field of cranial shape anomolies and it is, in my opinion, unparalleled in its design and application.
It's patented, adjustable, anatomically-correct surface promotes natural and symmetrical cranial growth without the need for constant repositioning, expensive helmets, unsafe pillows, or months of sleepless nights attempting to reposition.
With 5 peer-reviewed clinical studies and over a decade of success, the Perfect Noggin is the best head shaping surface you can buy for your baby at any price."
Dr Gary Rogers
Learn More About Dr Rogers
Ready to Order?
The simple way to support your baby's head shape.
Most popular
Perfect Noggin 2.0
£135.00
The Perfect Noggin 2.0 is supplied with 4 foam layers (labelled 1 to 4). This will fit a head circumference of 33 cm (13 inches) to 48 cm (19 inches). This range is appropriate for the majority of babies aged under 6 months.
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For small / premature babies
Perfect Noggin 2.0Plus
£175.00
The Perfect Noggin 2.0Plus includes an additional 2 foam layers (labelled A and B). These layers are smaller, starting at a head circumference of only 28 cm (11 inches). The 2.0Plus is designed for premature or very tiny babies, or those who have developed significant scaphocephaly (a longer, thinner head).
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Unsure if the Perfect Noggin is suitable for your baby?
Let us know your baby's adjusted age and we'll walk you through your options, so you can decide with confidence.
Contact Us
The Perfect Noggin is distributed in the UK by Contour Imports. We are a family business, with personal experience of plagiocephaly and the cost and stigma of helmet treatment.
Our mission is to educate parents on the truth of plagiocephaly, help them understand their options and empower them to make the decision that's right for their family.
If you have questions about your baby's head shape, worries over whether your baby will actually sleep on it, or you've been dismissed and told you are overreacting, please get in touch. We will give you the facts, and tell you the truth, including when the best option for you isn't to buy from us.
Elaine Garvican and James Marshall
Contact Us
Commonly Asked Questions
How does The Perfect Noggin work?
The Perfect Noggin is a sleep surface, designed for all sleep in babies who cannot yet roll from their back to their belly. The head cup of the Perfect Noggin is the “ideal” anatomical shape – symmetrical, and with a Cephalic Index (CI) of 0.8-0.85 (which encompasses the average population CI of 0.835). Any head which does not meet these dimensions (i.e. is asymmetrical (plagiocephaly) or has a higher CI (brachycephaly) or significantly lower CI (scaphocephaly)) will grow into this mould through continued use.
Regardless of head position, when in the Perfect Noggin, a void will exist between any flat areas of the skull, and the curved head cup. The removal of pressure from the flattened area results in preferential growth
there, and temporarily discourages growth at sites of contact between the head
cup and the skull.
How is it different from a head-shaping pillow?
The Perfect Noggin is not a pillow. A pillow is soft, has little to no retained form and will compress when a head is laid on it. It therefore cannot shape a head. In addition, pillows violate safe sleep guidelines as they present a suffocation risk for the baby. They also create neck flexion, closing the airway.
In contrast, the Perfect Noggin is firm and has no loose or soft components. It is shaped like the back of the head should be, and the head cup does not deform when a head is laid upon it. Many parents express initial concern over the firmness of the Perfect Noggin, without realising that firmness is not only a safety prerequisite, but that a helmet is just as firm (as well as being more expensive). Moreover, in the Perfect Noggin, the baby’s airway is fully open, with the head and body lying in neutral alignment.
Should I reposition my baby’s head while in the Perfect Noggin?
A baby with torticollis will prefer to turn their head to the favoured side while sleeping. This is the most comfortable way for that baby to sleep, and attempting to encourage them to lie on the non-favoured side is likely to result either in the baby waking, or in them simply turning their head back again. When sleeping in the Perfect Noggin, it does not matter which way your baby choses to turn his head. You should let him sleep comfortably, with his head turned however he chooses. The fully contoured cup has no flat surfaces, meaning it does not matter which way the head is turned while in the Perfect Noggin.
It is important to note that a baby with torticollis requires physiotherapy. This should be addressed during waking hours, using the stretches and exercises your physiotherapist instructed you to perform. During night time hours, the priority for both you and your baby should be sleep – and with your baby in the Perfect Noggin, you can sleep without worrying about constant, futile attempts to reposition their head.
Can flat head be prevented?
The risk factors that cause head flattening are almost entirely unpreventable. The foremost of these is torticollis; there is no way to prevent your baby being born with torticollis. Swift recognition of the issue and implementation of physiotherapy will hasten the resolution of tightness, allowing the baby to turn and therefore sleep, both ways equally. However during this time, while head growth is so rapid, the risk of flattening developing is extremely high. A head which lies frequently on a standard, flat (non-contoured) surface, is likely to flatten in the area of prolonged contact.
Other risk factors include prematurity, developmental delay, multiple gestation
pregnancy (twins or triplets), first born babies, male babies, breech positioning and assisted delivery. Clearly, none of these risk factors can be planned for, or prevented. The key is to manage the time during which the baby exhibits a strong head positional preference. The most effective way to do this, is to alter the surface on which the baby’s head rests while sleeping. If the head rests on a firm, anatomically-correct surface, flattening cannot develop.
The Window in which to Take Action is Small
The older the baby, the harder it becomes to improve asymmetry and the more reduced your options.
- Next Working Day Delivery Within the UK
- For babies under 6 months
- Shipped to the EU
- Effective, Affordable, Safe