Rock n Play
Are your friends raving about the Rock n Play? Telling you that you Have to get it! Your baby will sleep so well if you use it? …Think twice. In my experience as a pediatric physical therapist, more and more babies are coming into our office with diagnoses of torticollis and/or plagiocephaly(flat head) (opens in a new tab), and many of their parents share that they are using the “Rock N Play all the time!!”.
They share that their baby not only sleeps in it at night but also spends time in it during the day too. While this is not a direct correlation to their child’s diagnosis, using the rock n play for extended periods of time puts your baby at risk for developing a flat spot on the back of their head and neck muscle tightness.
What to do?
If this describes you and your baby, I suggest you limit the time that he/she spends in this device when they are awake.
- Exposing your baby to tummy time during awake periods instead of laying them in the Rock n Play can help significantly.
- At night, I know you need your sleep but there are other solutions! Gradually build your childs. tolerance to sleeping on a good mattress in their crib. Trust me- it’s worth it! While sleep is important, your child’s long term health and development is paramount.
The long term ramifications are severe! These issues if not resolved can affect your child’s development impacting their walking pattern, sitting and standing posture, and when their older, athleticism on the field and even learning in school. Think of your head being tilted and that is what you think is level!! Believe it or not this can affect your child’s eye development.
While I am not advocating against the purchase or use of this device, I am just sharing my experience with you so you can limit the use of it and promote proper development through utilizing tummy time for your child. If you are having trouble with tummy time you can access more information through the following links:
