When to Give a Blanekt And/or Pillow

my kids always had lightweight blankets in their cribs. for pillows, they were around 2 when I gave them a small travel size pillow.
M.

My son has been sleeping with4 blankets (yes, 4!) and 5 stuffed animals for months and months now (I can't even remember when, but definitely at least 18 months and probably earlier). We started with just a couple of things, once he was able to move easily on his own, and then he added more from his toy basket as time went on. Now he plays with them when he wakes up or before he goes to sleep too. I've been thinking about adding a pillow, but figure I'll wait until we switch to a toddler bed.

We used sleep sacks until our son was about your son's age. Then we swapped them with blankets. He still doesn't have a pillow, but I may add a small one soon.

If he can walk and has full use of his hands to manipulate things, I expect he is ready for a blanket and small thin pillow. I think mine had both well before one year because he wouldn't tolerate a sleep sack and was very mobile and active early on. The pillow is supposed to keep your spine in alignment, so it shouldn't be thick. I used an airplane pillow folded up in a pillow case.

Once a child can pick up his head or especially when he can sit up on his own you can add bedding. It is only for infants who cannot control their hands to move a blanket away from their face that you have to worry. I bought a down throw and used that as their winter blanket since it is light but warm. I am from Holland and we all have down comforters, not the blankets and sheets - too much fuss. One big "poof" as my kids call them is easier to deal with. My kids got attached to their "blankies" (a receiving blanket in one's case and a polartec baby blanket for the other) at a very early age, before age 1. I bought extra's of each so I could had them a clean one weekly and not have to deal with the filthy scrap of blanky when they are age 6 or 7 and still attached. I might make the many replacement blankies into some sort of comforter for when they are older. He must be cold at night if he has no cover. So I would say start now. Good luck.

Oh my, I can't imagine waiting that long before giving a child a blanket. He is more than ready for a blanket, and has been for many, many months now! My daughter was never interested in a pillow. I waited until I moved her to a toddler bed when she was 2 to give her one. Your son will be fine, cover him up tonight!

Hi Abigail,

My son 20 months old has been sleeping in a toddler bed with a pillow and sheets for the last two months. We switched him to a toddler bed because his crib was recalled and it was less expensive to get a toddler bed then a new crib. He does just fine sleeping with his head on the pillow and under the sheets. My son was so excited when we put a pillow on his bed because it made it like mommy and daddy's bed. I am sure your son will be fine if you add bedding. If he doesn't like it he can always throw it out of the crib.

I think my daughter was a year old when we let her have a loose blanket. She can roll, stand up, etc. and I don't worry too much because she can take blankets off her head well. Try putting the blanket in and tucking it down the sides at first, to see how he does. Or give him a small one (maybe with an animal attached) as a comfort.

You could also buy the toddler version of the sleep blanket. They have feet. That will keep him warm without a blanket.

For both of my kids, we added blankets before they were one. My daughter sleeps with the Boppy (I've already realized I'll have to buy another when we have another child) b/c she loves curling up to it, but it's not like a normal pillow-it's more firm, and she just loves cuddling up to it. I'm not sure when we added that, but I wish we'd done it sooner-it took her forever to sleep through the night.

Hey Momma,
I have 3 boys. My youngest is 11 months old and has been using a pillow since he was 10 months old. He was ready in my eyes and sleeps great. He was an early walker and just seemed advanced. I do not worry about him at all. He also uses and infant blanket at night. I think it really depends on your child. Most Drs. say wait until they are about 1yr old.

i gave my daughter a pillow when she started sleeping in a toddler bed, which was a couple months after she turned 2. it was a nice treat and helped her get excited to sleep in her new bed! that's also a good time to get new bedding that includes a comforter or blanket. a blanket might help your son sleep better used for comfort or also a small stuffed animal/lovie.

I worried about that too and asked my sister first. My daughter is 15 months and has been sleeping with a blanket in her crib for a month now. Its s thin one though. I had to make sure she was able to get it off if she needed too. She also sleeps with one at daycare so I feel ok about it. I still check her during the night. No pillow yet, but she will grab one and lay down with it on the floor so maybe soon but she's ok without it for now.

as soon as they can purposefully move something away from their face it's fine. it's only when they're too tiny to be able to get a blanket away, or pick their head up, that it's a problem.
khairete
S.

my pediatrician said a blanket is okay after turning 1. as for a pillow, i don't think they need it - we only added one when my son (now 2 1/2) got sick and needed some elevation to be able to breathe through a stuffy nose.