When Is It Safe to Use a Baby Pillow?
I am a new parent and I tend to be worried about everything new I introduce to my child. During my early first trimester, I agonized over what I may have eaten before I knew I was pregnant or whether I worked out too hard and raised my temperature too much for the baby. The best thing I ever did during my first trimester was to finally put away that “What to Expect When You are Expecting” book and stop driving myself crazy. Doing so made me a much happier person. I still get quoted from one zinger I told my husband during those first couple months. “Once this baby is born, I will not worry about anything again.” He found it quite humorous and told me I would most definitely find some causes for worry in parenthood. He was right. And here my latest worry is the topic of the baby pillow.
When you purchase a crib set (blanket, crib bumper, sheets, crib skirt), a baby pillow is frequently included. This is misleading. Pillows are not recommended for children under the age of 2. There is a danger that a child that young may not be able to breathe when surrounded by a pillow. Duvets and big blankets are not recommended for the same reason. Babies should be placed on their backs to sleep, in addition to not having any soft bedding or stuffed toys that may cover their faces while sleeping. Sleep sacks are suggested, rather than blankets, when babies are young. There is debate over whether a child older than 2 years of age even needs a pillow to make him more comfortable. All experts agree, however, that you should wait to give your child a pillow until he is out of the crib.
It is suggested that a small baby pillow be introduced first, rather than an adult sized pillow. Something the size of an airplane pillow is perfect. It is recommended that you avoid down and feathers at first, to minimize allergic irritation and because those type of pillows are often too fluffy and big for a child. We recently introduced our a daughter (she is 2 and a half) to a bed and moved her out of her crib. We started with a baby pillow in the bed, per the recommendations. We would always find her hugging the baby pillow, instead of actually having her head on it. The tiny pillow would often get lost too. We moved on from the baby pillow after about two weeks. Unlike when she was sleeping with the baby pillow, she actually uses the new pillow like an adult would. She even props it up to lean on when she reads, which she thoroughly enjoys.