Infant head support
Kerri Stalton

Young babies find it difficult to support their own head and neck until they are approximately three months old. This is because a baby's head is large when compared with his body, and his neck muscles are not strong enough to support his head. Even after the baby is able to hold up his head, the head lolls when he feels sleepy or tired. As most parents know, babies have an uncanny knack of falling asleep just when the car starts moving. Therefore, an infant head support is an essential article when you travel.
Many fatal accidents involving babies and cars are due to the lack of good head support systems and improper installation of existing safety gear. Many infant carriers, car seats and strollers come with built-in head supports. You may need additional head support depending upon the size of your baby. Car seats need optimum head support to prevent sudden and uncontrollable movements of the head. The more fitting this support, the less movement there will be. Snug head supports support the infant's head in a gentle manner. They shield the baby's head from jerks and bumps caused by accidents and keep the head stationary when the baby is sleeping.
If your baby's head falls to the side or the front with a sudden jerk, he may sprain his neck. Head supports are usually padded to enable your baby to hold his head in an upright position without having to strain his neck. Nowadays baby head supports curve around the baby's head to keep it snug. This is advantageous even when the baby is sleeping in the crib because sudden head movements may startle a sleeping baby. Inflated head supports with satin covers are also available. Care should be taken to inflate these only to half capacity. If the head support is too hard (as with too much air), it becomes uncomfortable and may strain the neck.
Babies in carriers and strollers also need head support to keep their head steady when a parent is carrying them. Keep the size of your strollers and carriers in mind when you go to purchase head supports for infants. Cotton fabric is the best natural fabric for young babies. Ideally, the support should have a soft and smooth cotton finish on the sides facing the baby.
Important features:
The head support should be portable and washable. Babies may spit up p milk or drool all over the material. Easy to wash and quick to dry - that's the best material.
Padding should not be bulky, or the baby's head will be in an uncomfortable position.
Only crash-tested head supports are suitable for strollers, bike carts and car seats.
Use breathable fabric that is comfortable to wear.