Tips and Advice

Once you have your Perfect Noggin, here are a few tips, and reminders:

1. The Perfect Noggin is not a positioner. It does not in any way restrict head movement. If a baby has torticollis, they will still display a head turning preference while lying in the Perfect Noggin. This does not matter – you should not attempt to reposition the baby’s head while they sleep. The PN was designed to work regardless of the direction the baby chooses to face, so the baby can have his or her head however they are most comfortable, while sleeping. Physiotherapy exercises will work on the muscle tightness while the baby is awake; the PN will work on the head shape while the baby sleeps.

2. The Perfect Noggin is a sleep surface. Your baby should ideally spend all sleep time on the PN, but at minimum it should be used for overnight sleep. Once the baby begins to roll back to belly, it must be used only under supervision. The younger a baby is when they begin sleeping in the Perfect Noggin, the better the outcome will be. Plagiocephaly is much faster to correct than brachycephaly.

3. Please join our Facebook group (The Noggin Doctor’s Plagiocephaly and Torticollis Parent Discussion Board). You will find a lot of support, encouragement, results, and answers to many questions here.

4. Aim for a fit which is snug but not tight – such as the way a pair of shoes fits on your feet. There should be minimal space (just a few millimetres) either side of the head. The tape measure is a GUIDE and it is possible that the final fit will be a layer larger or smaller than indicated. If you are not sure, fit checks can be submitted to via the Facebook group, or by email (sales@contourimports.co.uk)

5. The baby’s head should be positioned at the BOTTOM of the head cup. DO NOT try to fill the space above the baby’s head – this is present by design.

6. Take pictures! Make sure you have a good starting picture, directly down onto the top of your baby’s head with just the tip of the nose showing, and a side view with your baby looking directly ahead, not down (eyes level with the top of the ears). Repeat these images to document your baby’s progress.

7. Babies position their bodies in a variety of weird and wonderful ways when they sleep, whether they are sleeping in the Perfect Noggin or not! There is no such thing as a baby who is too long for the Perfect Noggin – as long as the head fits in the cup, your baby can use it. He or she may choose to sleep with arms up, off the sides, legs hanging off, legs bent, or any other position they choose – if they are sleeping, they are comfortable, so do not worry!

If you have any questions regarding use or suitability, please do not hesitate to get in contact. We are passionate about our job, and our mission, and we love talking about baby’s heads!