Pillow for baby

Kelly - posted on 06/07/2010

my daughter is 13 months old and i have never tried giving her a pillow yet...but she is all over the place. she goes from her back to her belly to the head of the crib to the foot of the crib...plus i have never had a problem with her sleeping habits...she has pretty much always slept through the night. anyways, the way i see it is dont fix it if it aint broken. so i am gonna leave things the way they are for now...

Alex - posted on 06/06/2010

i hadnt even thought about this - my girl is nearly 14 months now - and i reckon she might like a pillow so i am going to get one soon!

alex

Jessie - posted on 06/06/2010

I have been wondering the same thing. I would of never thought of putting it on here so thanks

Angela - posted on 06/03/2010

My Son 14 months just started sleeping with a pillow and he loves it and sleeps longer!!! A happy mama I am!!!

Angie - posted on 06/03/2010

I don't have a pillow in her crib yet, but what I have done is I've folded one of her blankets in thirds so it still has length but with just a little elevation for her head then Tuck the sides so she cannot move it. (Yes I give my daughter her bottle in the crib for sleepy time, but I elevated her head to keep ear infections away) and she sleeps beautifully since I have done it. I am too afraid of pillows because there is just too much bulk and weight.

Kelly - posted on 06/03/2010

My son is 13 months and I never even thought to give him a pillow. He has his blanket and binky at bed time and by morning they are both on the floor, or he has to throw them down in the crib before i'll pick him up.

Malia - posted on 06/03/2010

My son is 13 months old and sleeps in his crib but he loves pillows as well. What we did was put down a boppy pillow in the crib and a regular pillow on top of that. What it does is creates a nice little nest for his head but doesn't allow the pillow to slip around in there with him. He's been using a pillow now for about 5 months! Good Luck!

Lori - posted on 06/02/2010

Follow your instincts. By thirteen months a normal healthy baby should be ok. My baby does not have a pillow, but today, she was playing in her room, and I peeked in to check on her. She was lying on her sisters pillow, which was on the floor, and she was asleep.

Jennifer - posted on 06/02/2010

that's funny you mention that your husband brings the baby to bed with you two. My husband does the same thing...I put a pillow in the pack and play that is in our room and though he don't always sleep on it, I do notice that he has started sleeping longer and better. Whether it is the pillow or not, I am not sure.

Katherine - posted on 06/02/2010

my son has been sleeping with his boppy pillow and a regular pillow for about 10 months now. I found that he slept better with it. Even when I got away for a few days and he is with me, I have to make sure i have the pillow b/c if not he gets really upset.

Vicki - posted on 06/02/2010

At the fabric store I found some small airplane sized pillows. I don't think it is too early for him to have a small pillow. If he can move around to get onto one, he's big enough to move around to ditch it if he is smothering or uncomfortable. Our first born is 8 and she had one when she was about 18 months. Loves pillows still! And making pillow cases for those tiny pillows is a cinch! And you can buy scraps from the fabric store to make them extra cheap.

I may go do that this week myself! :) It's been on my mind!!
Vicki

Sara - posted on 06/01/2010

I wondered the same thing and ended up using one of my shirts in her her crib for her to bunch up and sleep on. I wasn't sure if she was ready for a pillow or at what age to give one...guess she will be getting a pillow soon. I have noticed she does sleep a little longer since I put my shirt in her crib...and she does sleep with it bunched up under her head..usually her arms under it.

Melissa - posted on 05/31/2010

it's better for their neck not to sleep with pillows...it will help them increase the strength in their neck to sleep without a pillow...I place a pillow underneath my daughter's mattress....it's a pillow from Toy'R'US that makes the head of the matress up on a slant...and my daughter sleeps well...but it's entirely up to you & how your child is sleeping at night....if he sleeps his nights then what's the point! :)

Lisa - posted on 05/30/2010

I have never let our daughter sleep in the bed with us or with a pillowin her crib. She sleep 11-12 hours a night without this. I think that everyone has their own ideas with this!Whatever works for them is the best. But please keep an eye on those sleeping with a pillow. I have a video monitor that I keep on eye on her at all times!

Laura Zoey - posted on 05/30/2010

btw, i saw another mom say you should egt him out of your bed and into his own......i say BRAVO! to you it is soooo much more natural to co sleep and i believe it gives much more self confidence in your child and i t also promotes healthy good feelings about sleeping. anyways, if my hubby didnt sleep so loudly it wakes eric up we would be cosleeping too, but eric needs quiet to sleep so he is a crib boy, but dont let anyone tell you you have to do the crib thing, if it works for you i think its best! your son will want his own bed sooner or later and then it will be a wonderful experience for all to see him maturing. good luck!

Laura Zoey - posted on 05/30/2010

erics crib has a pillow and some blankets under the sheet so he sleeps on an incline. our dr sugggested to put a PILLOW UNDER THE MATTRESS WHILE HE WAS CONGESTED AND SINCE THEN HE WONT SLEEP ON A LEVEL MATTRESS. NOW WE HAVE THE PILLOW UNDER HIS SHEET AND SOME BLANKETS TOO SO IT IS A GRADUAL INCLINE. SO HE CANT SMOTHER HIMSELF BUT HE IS AT A DECENT angle. (sorry about the caps, i just saw it was on and i dont want to retype it all!) anyways he does great like that and it seems so much snugglier for him then a firm mattress. although he isnt co sleeping, but i think its a goos idea for the crib sleepers!

Amy - posted on 05/30/2010

I'm sure they sell baby sized pillows. Our little guy sleeps with a big stuffed elephant that he uses for a pillow.

Kasandra - posted on 05/28/2010

My daughter has slept with a pillow since she learned how to roll over, like ur son she loves pillows anytime she can get her hands on one she lays on it, its si cute. We have never had an issue with the pillow, she sleeps better with one

Shanice - posted on 05/28/2010

hi, my son is 13mths n he has been sleepin wit a pillow since he was about 3 mths but 2 start wit i gave him a flat pillow but b4 that the pilows were 2 prop him on his side the when was un wraped 2 cuddle up 2, but now it under his head n i havent had a trouble now he has a little one 2 cuddle up 2 cos he likes 2 sleep on his side...

Christa - posted on 05/28/2010

I have to say I actually asked my doctor about this because one of our twins who are 13 months old was waking every night, and the only way to calm him was to bring him in our bed, which I was against, and he would fall asleep on my husband's pillow. Doctor said that pillows were fine to give them pillows. He informed me it migh be nice to have our scent on the pillow we give them since that might help them scense we are there with them. My husband and I each gave up one of our pillows for the twins and they have had pillows for a month now. They love it. They are thin pillows not too bulky, and I think I got them from the company store and will be looking to purchase another two to replace the ones we gave up with our scent on.

Angela - posted on 05/28/2010

something to consider....he might be waking because he knows that will get him in your bed. try giving him one of your pillows so when he wakes he can smell you and it might help him settle back to sleep easier.

Angela - posted on 05/28/2010

my daughter is 13months also and she has had a pillow since like 8 months. she loves it.

Sandy - posted on 05/28/2010

there are pillows out there that is the perfect size for baby. My son has one, even though every morning I find all his bed cloths out of his bed and on the floor

Stephanie - posted on 05/28/2010

my daughter has been doing this for about 3 or 4 months now. She sleeps better with pillows. I put two pillows in her crib. Small ones, like couch throw pillows. She loves them! And I love them because they help her sleep more comfortably. They are at the age where it is okay.

Emma - posted on 05/28/2010

Well i dont think that its a good idea for a baby to be having a pillow cause they could smother them selves into the pillow and that could be quite dangers.

Damah - posted on 05/28/2010

My son loves the pillow too from 11 months he sees it and runs to lie on it. He sleeps in his baby coat with one and sleeps loonger.

Kristin - posted on 05/27/2010

My son is almost 14months He has a pillow in his bed he loves it.

Sam - posted on 05/27/2010

use ur discresion my son had a pillow from 7 months old and slept much better for it but each baby is different and no one kows ur baby beter thanu. xx

Laura - posted on 05/27/2010

My son is also 13 months and he's had a large tiger stuffy in his bed since Christmas. He moves a decent amount in the night and he just seemed more rested. We kept a close eye on him for a little while but if yours is already experianced than you should be okay. Also mine sleeps bummie up in the air. He sometimes takes a larger blanket and bundles it in a ball and curls up on top of it (sounds like the same idea as your pillow).

Grael - posted on 05/27/2010

I think its not so much about the pillow but more about the baby having the comfort of your smell on your pillow that makes them sleep more soundly :) I know that babies sleep better when they can smell the mama. My son used to sleep with an old tshirt of mine that he loved. He always kicks off all his blankets and hates being confined in his crib. I've never tried the whole pillow idea, it seems a little too dangerous for my son since he is always rolling over to sleep on his belly now that he is over a year old. But, if it works for moms out there then you gotta do what works!

Faith - posted on 05/27/2010

Wow! Awesome! He did not sleep through the night but he went back to sleep in his crib on his own pillow after his 3:30 wake-up, and was still in his own crib at 7:30 this morning! I gave him my own pillow and it was SO worth losing a pillow to have him stay in his crib all night instead of needing to come to bed with us in the middle of the night. He's in there napping in his crib on his pillow right now. Thanks for this thread! It just may have saved my life! :)

Kimberly - posted on 05/26/2010

Very engaging topic. I think as long as the pillow is not huge it should be fine. At this age they can roll over, stand, etc. They can handle a pillow! My little one loves pillows and it hadn't even dawned on me to get her own yet! Thanks for bringing this one up!!

Katherine - posted on 05/26/2010

I guess pillows and blankets always carry some suffocation risk so you have to gauge your own child. Mine slept in bed with us and was able to navigate them fine so I figured she might as well have one in her crib. She didn't want the little baby pillows, though, she wanted one of ours. She still ends up all over the place but she tends to like sleeping on her belly, with her head flat on the mattress with the top of her head bumped up against the pillow, which makes her sweat like mad, but, she always puts herself that way.



If you are really worried about the suffocation risk, you can always get a movement sensor (they have them at the buy buy baby store near us, not sure where you are), that goes under the mattress and will alarm you in the event the baby stops breathing. Probably overkill at your child's age, but hey, this is your child we're talking about so you hate to just dismiss concerns.

Faith - posted on 05/26/2010

I am totally trying the pillow in the crib thing tonight to see if it keeps him in his crib longer and off the pillows in our bed, with his feet in Daddy's ribs and his head butting up against me! I gave him one of my pillows since he seems to like them so much. Thanks for posting this thread. I was nervous about the whole SIDS thing yet.

Lisa - posted on 05/26/2010

I have a 12 month old that sleeps 3 hours in the afternoon. I thinks it is all on them how long they sleep! No matter what they have.

Maria - posted on 05/26/2010

my son is 14 months old & I still haven't given him a pillow, I feel like "what's the point" he is still sleeping all over the place, I put him in bed in 1 position then I check on him before I go to bed & he is sleeping upside down, the other way around. Maybe the pillow will help him stay settled I don't know. But the pillow isn't necessary unless you feel he needs it I know people who have children who are 3 & still don't sleep with a pillow.

Sandra - posted on 05/26/2010

My son is 13 months and sleeps with a pillow. He has slept with it for a few months now! He won't fall asleep (on his own) unless he has his pillow. I recommend getting one! It will really help!

Wendy - posted on 05/26/2010

I have the relax toddler pillows from Babies R Us for my one and two year olds and they both love them. They are small and super-comfy. Way nicer than the pillows my husband and I have! But, more important than pillows, get him in his own bed! I'm sure it can be hard, but it is much healthier for all of you. Good luck!

Amber - posted on 05/26/2010

You know, my thirteen month old doesn't have a pillow! I don't know why, really. My two year old does, and all of my other kids had pillows! Oh my gosh, I clearly have completely forgotten to even give him one! I will do that today. ;) He loves the pillows in the family room, and on his brothers and sisters beds. I am so mean! Thank you for bringing this up. ;)

Amber-Nicole - posted on 05/26/2010

yeah I did the same as Stacey. It has been a full size pillow that lays real flat just at one side of her bed. My daughter has had allergies since about 4 or 5 months and our ped. said that just like with us it may help her to sleep a little propped up so initially i put it under the sheet and then she was able to sit up and roll over so we pulled it out from under got her a pillow case and she's used it ever since :)

Jennifer - posted on 05/25/2010

I live in Sweden and my daughter has had a pillow since birth (they have special ones for their ages and the first one is little more than a thin layer of sponge).
She now sleeps on a 'grown-up' pillow (she is 11 months) and loves it. I just lay her down at night and she goes straight to sleep or lies on it quite happily until she drifts off. I agree with someone below that as she can sit, stand, move around etc there really shouldn't be any problem).
If you are worried about cot death it is more common between the ages of 0-3 months and apparently more babies die from hitting their heads than they do in their sleep. Just to give you some perspective.

Stephanie - posted on 05/25/2010

my daughter is 13 months old and has been using a pillow since she was like 5 months old she wont sleep without one. never had any problems with it in her bed.

Andrea - posted on 05/25/2010

I was wondering the same thing for my 13 month old boy. He doesn't sleep well in the crib and when my husband brings him to our bed half the time he ends up on one of our pillows. He likes to lounge on the pillows on the couch too. My mom told me she waited until we were moved into a toddler bed (at 2 or 3) before giving a pillow but I am still thinking it might help him sleep in his own bed if he has one.

Stacey - posted on 05/25/2010

My son who is 13mths old is the same. For a couple of months he would pull the pillows off the couch n lay on them. He would start to fall asleep on them n then when he went to bed at night he would wake up cryin so we decided to stick the pillow he loved to lay on in the crib with him. He sleeps much longer n better most of the time, but at times he will still wake up. Its a regular pillow like us adults use, goes from side to side on the crib so it can't move at all. But its the pillow he loved to lay on so its in there with him. He loves his pillow!!

Kristin - posted on 05/24/2010

my little guy (13 months) has had a pillow for a long time... we put it in when he had a respiratory infection and he's had it ever since. As long as he can roll over and sit up, etc. I wouldn't worry about it... use your judgement!

Jillian - posted on 05/24/2010

my daughter had a lot of trouble sleeping when she was about 8 months old. it got to the point where she would only sleep in bed with us, and not very well at that, she would always end up stealing her daddy's pillow which was very funny to me, not so much to him so we got her own pillow for her crib. it helped her a little. we still had to do a little bit of sleep training, but now she loves it and we have never had any problems. since she was about 7 months old she loved to play with pillows on the floor, she would tackle them and then lay on them for a minute then tackle them again it was soooo cute. we always know now when she is tired because she finds the couch throw pillows and lays on them.

Sacha - posted on 05/24/2010

my son has been sleeping with a pillow in bed since he was 10 months old. He loves to have his head on it. It's a baby pillow, so it's basically nothing more than a little blanket. He also has a teddy that he uses as a pillow sometimes.



You have to do what you think is right when it comes to stuff in the bed with your son. If you think he moves too much and it might get in the way or become a hazard, then hold off a little while. Also you have to be careful that he can't climb up on it to get himself high enough to get out of the crib.

Claire - posted on 05/24/2010

hey ya my lil guy is exactly the same and i am having the same doubts i brought him one but havnt yet let him sleep with it lol but i think i will x

Sharyn - posted on 05/24/2010

my daughter is 13mths old she's had a pillow since she was 6 mths old and loves it, i haven't had any trouble with all 4 of my kids having a pillow before they where 1

Katarina - posted on 05/23/2010

My son has been given a pillow for a couple of weeks now and sleeps much longer.