sleeping with a toy or stuffed animal.

Brie - posted on 04/01/2011

my son who is my first and only slept with something in his crib since he was born... including in his "bed" at the hospital... now until he got to be a few months older it was out of reach.. I always had the fear of SIDS... not so much suffocation.. I am really bad about being a light sleeper when someone is around me sleeping also... There have been a couple times I have woken in the middle of the night because I thought my husband had quit breathing... honestly you need to do what you feel is best... If we all listened to every piece of advice we get our children would grow up in padded cells and never see light or anything other than its parents... Don't let other people scare you into doing something... and weigh the pros and cons and think about the odds of whatever bad thing is supposed to happen actually happening...

Kylie - posted on 04/01/2011

over 18months the sids risk is very low almost nothing, my son sleep with a teddy blanket, it's got a teddy head and arms and the rest is a blanket, he's had it for well over a year he is 2.5yrs, and has never slept with it on his face.

Shanna - posted on 04/01/2011

I let my children's maturity decide when I would let them have the stuffed animals. Your child talks to you frm the time her or she is in your stomach , not verbally of course but she will let you know when. My oldest had his honey bear from when he was 11 months. He had conquered a full range of motion. My daughter was born 1 lb 1oz and it wasn't until she was 3 that I let her have a plush princess. Look at your daughter's skill level ... if you put a winter hat down to cover he nose...can she pull it off, if yes, then the answer is yes. does she cry for and wait for you .. then the answer is no...Find little tests to determine her maturity. Couple her skill level with your intuition... you cant go wrong

Rachel - posted on 04/01/2011

My son is 2 and he loves stuffed animal. I did let him use the bumper pads because he would get his fat leg stuck between the rails and then would cry...so I put them on and feel no guilt about it. When he turned 1 he would get as many stuffed animals in his arms as he could. It was really funny and his bed would be full...well almost. I believe that when they are strong enough to roll over, lift there head and sit up...etc. Then the risk decreases of anything happening. He is my third so I'm not as worried as with my first two. He also will sleep with a book sometimes. So he goes back and forth between what he takes to bed. He got a pillow pet for christmas and he always has that. But he uses that as a pillow. I say all this to say...I think you r daughter is old enough to sleep with a toy/animal...she will be fine. Everybody has an opinion...you have to do what gives you peace. Hope this rambling on helps you.

Candyce - posted on 03/31/2011

Good lord, she's nearly two! Let her have her babies, lol. My son slept with his lullabye bear at 4 or 5 months old, and he's been sleeping with his football/baseball bat for the past year (he's 4 1/2). I think the stuffed animal prohibition is really for itty bitty infants. Your girl's very nearly out of her baby years already!

Blessed Be

Tanya - posted on 03/31/2011

If your child is 19 months I wouldn't worry about it anymore. Those rules apply to infants under 12 months. My daughter is 21 months and I never worry about pillows, blankets, stuffed animals now. And for the record, we even cosleep and none of it has ever been an issue.

Tishana - posted on 03/31/2011

My little boy has been sleeping with a stuffed animal since he was about 7-8 months old. I've never had any problems. Your daughter is likely to turn her head now that she is 19 months old before she would suffocate or anything like that from the stuffed animal. It's all about what you feel comfortable with. I check my son often, even at night, I wake up and go to double check him, just to make sure, you know? But like I said, it is more likely that, since your daughter is 19 months old now, she will probably turn her head if she feels it is hard for her to breathe. But when it doubt, leave the toys and stuffed animals out! I hope this helped hun.

Crystal - posted on 03/31/2011

It's stupid. Once they're about 6-8 months old, they are strong enough to pick up their head and flip over. No baby would suffocate unless they couldn't move. My daughter has had pillows, bumpers, and stuffed animals since she was 6 months old. It's natural human reaction to get something out of/off of our face if it's affecting our breathing, and after a few months a baby has the strength to do so. Since your child is almost 2 years old, is probably walking and climbing and doing things that require strength, it is 100% safe, and has been for awhile. My daughter is now almost 3 and has never had a problem. Don't be so worried! :)

Lisa - posted on 03/31/2011

When my girl turned 1, the doctor told me she could start using a small (travel-size) pillow. When I asked about stuffed animals he told me that had been fine for a while.

Aimee - posted on 03/30/2011

my son had a elephant at 2 months old as he became ill and we bought him it to get better and he has not put it down since he is know 2 and he sleeps with it he sucks his thumb and puts the ear of it in with his thumb i tried to take it off him but he would not sleep with out it so if u want to let your child sleep with a soft toy its ok as long as its not got fur on hope this helps

Megan - posted on 03/21/2011

My son was using a small pillow aroung a year old, and a stuffed animal he is three and has a big bunny and duck a few smaller animals, along with his regular size pillow ans blanket in his bed. He almost goes everywhere with his bunny

Tina - posted on 03/21/2011

I gave my oldest (4) a blanket to sleep with when i started to give him a sippy at like a very early age. He also only sleep on his belly. To reduce sids is had a fan in his room at all times and he had a binke. So the way i feel about letting your 19 month old sleep with a stuffed animal or blanket. I think she will be ok, if she gets it around her face she will turn away from it. I put both of my kids on there bellys to sleep when they were under 6 weeks old. They will turn there head.

Jordan - posted on 03/21/2011

my son was about 4 months when i let him start sleeping with a stuffed animal and about 19 months when he started using a pillow. the stuffed animal never made me nervous because he could lift his head way before then so i knew he would be ok. i was a little nervous with the pillow but i put the monitor right next to his bed so i coulod clearly hear his breathing all night long and that made me feel a lot better. now hes 2 and i let him sleep with toys everynight. its actually my trick to get him into bed with no problems, i tell him he can pick out his toyo fro bedtime and if he starts to giv eme a hard time i tell him im gonna take his toys away and he goes right to bed lol

Brittany - posted on 03/21/2011

My daughter is 16 months and has slept with a blanket and a little stuffed duck since she was 6 months old. Right now she is napping with 3 stuffed animals (all of them are stiff animals that are small and it would be next to imposible for her to stuff her face into), 2 blankets (it's still pretty cold), and a pillow.

The pillow is a toddler pillow so it is really small. I started to give her that because I'd find her in the morning with her head resting on one of her toys.

Ginny - posted on 03/21/2011

Since my daughter was only a month old I have given her a little Teddy bear that was as big maybe smaller than my hand and she loves to cuddle with it every night. For her 1st birthday she got a mini pillow pet(perfect size for her head) and sleeps with that too.



I may have started her young, but the thing I started her with was small enough that it couldn't do any damage, but big enough as well....if that makes sense. Anyway, I definitely think your daughter will do fine with something.

Nikkole - posted on 03/21/2011

i put the bumper in my little girls crib and she had stuff animals at the end of her crib. she could never get to them bc she couldnt move yet. she started to sleep with a stuff animal about 3 months, and we never had a problem. i think your little girl will be ok if you let her sleep with a stuff animal

Christin - posted on 03/21/2011

My daughter is sleeping with her Teddy (its kind of a blanket, not bigger then my hand with a Teddy head) since born. My mom was here for her birth (we are from Europe) and brought it. She needs it to fall asleep. At the beginning I was worried too and always took it away if she was sleeping. But she used to wake up right after. So i figured she needed to have something on her face to sleep and my mom told me I used to be the same way as I was little.
Now she is 18 months and she still won't sleep without it! Sometimes at night she wakes up and bc we have a monitor I can how she is searching for her Teddy in her bed and as soon as she found it she goes right back to sleep. Its very cute! But this Teddy is just for her sleep time so it stays in bed if she gets up! :-)

Tiffany - posted on 03/21/2011

i never let my daughter sleep w/ a stuufed animal for a long time and when she was 13 months i went in the hospital to have my son, and my mother-in-law put a stuffed animal in her bed, and ever since she has had her glow worm, and even her big yo gabba, gabba toodee pillow in there w/ her her. she is now 22 months old. my son is now 9 months and he's got a glow worm for Christmas and he has been sleeping w/ it for a few months now. most the time the stuffed animals aren't even near them when they sleep, and when i go in their room and check on them, i always remove them or place them at the other end of their beds.

Chelsea - posted on 03/21/2011

My son has a Seahorse glowworm that he has slept with for as long as I can remember. At least 4 months old... He got it for his first Christmas. In fact, I accidentally washed it and it didnt sing so I went out and bought a new one that day bc he loves it so much... We are now on our fourth one. He loves it and has to have it at every nap/bedtime no matter where he is. I think it is fine once they are old enough to roll around and move their heads. My advice would be go for it! :)

Michelle - posted on 03/21/2011

Emma was 2 months and she started sleeping with her little taggy blanky. its her favorite thing in the whole world and gets dragged everywhere. God forbid if we lost it or left it behind somewhere.

Crystal - posted on 03/20/2011

Ethan was 3 months when I allowed a small little teddy bear in his crib with him. From day one I used bumpers (the regular pillow kind) and light blankets. I set him on his back and at six weeks he started flipping to his belly and nothing was going to keep him on his back.

There was never an issue with him sticking his face in the bumpers or not moving it from a toy. We kept the toys around (kinda like a fence) and him in the middle. When he was big enough to sit up and roll around and move them himself we figured he was big enough to knock them off if he fell asleep with them on him. Never once did he do that though. He liked to hold things and still does. He'll be 3 in May and I'm surprised there's room in his bed! And he takes his toys and sets them around his bed like a fence still. he also likes to hide his face under his blanket for some reason and has since around 8 or 9 months. We were leery but he slept so much better with something in the crib with him and he has done so well sleeping through the night that it was well worth a bit of nervousness. I was getting up off and on all night, but never was he in any bit of trouble.

Emily - posted on 03/20/2011

hon my son was born 3 months preemie, slept in a swing til he was to heavy for it to swing. We then moved him to his own room in his own bed. He ALWAYS slept with a blanket and now sleeps with like 3 of them, scout, a stuffed dog that he can play with and now has a stuffed buzz lightyear he got for his birthday from his paw paw. If we as moms done EVERYTHING that other people say is not good for them, they would never leave the womb... sleeping with bed bumpers is a no no, sleeping with a blanket no no... etc. my son has bed bumpers because he gets his legs stuck in between the bars when hes restless some times. He never sleeps on the side, just in the middle. Im sorry but I use my own common sense and wont let anyone else tell me (who doesnt know crap about me let alone my child) what i can do and when. Never been that type. Just do what you feel right about your baby. Because when it comes down to it, your their mother.. you know whats best for your baby.

Rachel - posted on 03/20/2011

my daughter jasmine come home with a blanky bear i would tuck it in the side of her bassanet and she stil has it in her cot now ... i cannot go anywere with out it ... its the only toy she carts everywere i didnt no they werent aloud to have toys in there cot ... ooops

Michelle - posted on 03/20/2011

Matthews always had tiger in his bed i wouldnt put more than one but one wont hurt

Danielle - posted on 03/19/2011

hey cassie my son is only just going on 1 and he has always slept with at least 1 little stuffed toy but now he sleeps with about 4 he loves to snuggle with his toy its like a comfort and when he wakes up instead of crying he plays with his toys and he always automatically makes sure he can breathe. hope this helps

Lexi - posted on 03/19/2011

You could talk to your doctor about when is a safe age. My son has had a thin blanket since he was a baby. We lived in a cold area and you can only put on so many layers of jammies! He has been sleeping with his special stuffed animal since he was about 12 or 13 months old. He loves brown puppy and will not sleep without it. I was nervous too, from the day he was born. Can't even begin to count how many times a night I'd peak at him to make sure his chest was still moving up and down. They drill that sids stuff into our heads till it's just overwhelmingly scary. But I figured once he was old enough to easily move it away from his face, the stuffed animal wouldn't be a suffocating risk to him.

Becky - posted on 03/19/2011

my son was 19 months old. He wanted to sleep with the first stuffed animal that he picked out himself. I think at his age it is safe.

Cassandra - posted on 03/19/2011

my son sirus was a newborn when we let him. he is 2 yrs old now and he has to have his tigger and heffalump to sleep with. if you are really nervous about it then get a second opinion from her doctor. or better yet now they have these cute lil blankets with a stuffed animal head on them it is soo cute. i;m not sure where we got the one for my son but he has slept with it for 2 yrs. and his doctor loved the idea of it cuz it doesnt prevent him from turning his head and poses no suffocation hazard. good luck

Audrey - posted on 03/19/2011

oh your baby is plenty old enough to sleep with a stuffy. mine we just a few months old when they started slwwping with one. as for bumpers, never had a problem with them. i think people these days get too worried about stuff. as long as your baby can move things away from their face or move their head, then they are safe. i wouldnt put a wwhole crib-full of stuff in there but a few is fine. my son is 3 and sleeps with 2 blankets, 1 stuffy, and one of his little sisters baby dolls. my daughter is 18 months old and sleeps witheither 2 lightweight blankets or 1 heavier blanket, a baby doll, a stuffed monkey, a stuffed kitty, and a lulluby babydoll. they are pack-rats. lol!

Larissa - posted on 03/19/2011

Kai is 16 months and had her baby in bed with her since 12 months. Was very worried at first but there is soo much to worry about so need to take it all slow and when you are ready. Also only gave 1 teddy small that is 100%Polyester and short hair. Used bubmer set from begining and have had to add a long cushion other side of crib as she moves so much in her sleep she bumps the head- seems the crib equally dangerous. Do what you feel is right. Good luck.

Pia - posted on 03/19/2011

My son didn't have any interest in stuffed toys until about 18months. But your bubba is definitely old enough if you want her to have something:)

Ashley - posted on 03/19/2011

Damien's had a stuffed animal in the corner of his crib since he was about 4 or 5 months,along with the bumber being on the crib.He used to cover his face w/ his blanket and i couldn't keep it off of him. But I think as long as they can roll and turn their heads from side to side while sleeping then they'll be ok. I had to leav the bumper in b/c he kept rolling over and banging his head on the side of the crib or getting his chunky little legs stuck in between the bars.lol.

Lisa - posted on 03/19/2011

My son is 2 and a half and still sleeps with his bear and has since he was 6 months old and what i do is put him to bed with his bear and when I go into check him of a night I tuck his bear down beside his bed so in the morning he rolls over and can see him, I was extremly nervous about this but I have found this works fantastic his bear too is a blankie with a bear head he loves him to bits. Hope this helps.

Hayley - posted on 03/19/2011

look there is not a thing wrong with letting a child sleep with a toy stuffed or not but the size does my son is two just turned and he has been sleeping with his cars since he was 6 mnths

Michelle - posted on 03/18/2011

my son is 22months and has to sleep with his stuffed lizard...no probles

Laura - posted on 03/18/2011

I have a 14month old daugter Straight after her bath everynite she has a bottle and goes and finds her Pink teddy called rosey and off she goes 2 her room i think its fine for her 2 sleep with them shes old enough 2 move it out of the way. So Its ok bt each child is different!!

Brandy - posted on 03/18/2011

each child is different....they tell u sooo many things of what not to do, but truth be told u know what your child can/can't handle ....if u have an infant who moves around a lot in their sleep i wouldn't chance it...but at 19 months I'd say she will b fine, my youngest has slept with multiple animals at the foot of his crib since he was about that age, he wont lay down with out them in his crib and knows that they stay there....if it helps her fall asleep let her take one or a few to bed with her after she falls asleep u can always remove them from the crib (which i have to do or he could pile them up in the morning and climb out of bed...hasn't tried it yet but it is possible) so to make this short....let her try it and take them out at night, if she seems ok when they are in there with her and not putting them over her face to fall asleep you'll eventually be able to leave them in there.....also it doesn't hurt to get a video baby monitor....they are very pricey, but you can always ask for it as a gift for anything you're family may celebrate.....best of luck

Julie - posted on 03/18/2011

My Daughter is 14mths old and loves sleeping with her stuffed bear i think that shes old enough to sleep with it and also when it comes to if she rolled on to it she knows better to move her head... i have had no problems at all and shes been sleeping with it since she was about 7 mths or so .. I think as long as they can move there head or lift it up they will be okay

Cristal - posted on 03/18/2011

hi , i think for the first year it is not cool but after that it's fine my 2 year old sleep with a teddy and somtimes a coulpe of her dollies which she calls her babies so it is up to you at the end of the day but it should be fine

Amanda - posted on 03/18/2011

my daughter is 22 months old and has slept with her gloworm since she was born. I've never had a problem, she has bumper pads on her crib and sleeps under a blanket too. Recently she's been putting a stuffed panda that's almost as big as she is in the crib with her to sleep with. It worried me a little at first but still no problem. If they are old enough to roll over, they usually will

AManda - posted on 03/18/2011

my 4 yr old has slept with stuffed animals every since he was a yr old. he still does. he has his favorite one he sleeps with. I don't see why it would hurt to let her sleep with a stuffed animal

Ashley - posted on 03/18/2011

i used bumper pads with my daughter from birth til 15 months when we changed her bed into a toddler day bed. i ddin't worry about it bc she was swaddled in those sleep sacs til 3 1/2 months so she couldn't move around & after that she could move her head herself & they say that when they can move their heads themselves u don't have to really worry about them suffocating on anything anymore. n she has always had 1 or 2 stuffed animals in her bed not oversized ones just small ones. she has also slept on a pillow pet since 10 months & LOVES it...actually sleeps better bc of her head being elevated. anyway i think it is up to u & 19 months i think she is definetly old enough for a sleeping buddy:)

Tabitha - posted on 03/18/2011

Since birth, I have had the bumper up in the crib... and stuffed animals in the far corners and on the end of the bed. I think it is absolutely ok for your toddler to sleep with stuffed animals. =) My boy is 2 yrs old and has never had a problem with any of his toys. I did, however, always go in and check on him once he was asleep and made sure his blanket was up and nothing was by his face. It became a habit and I still do it... sometimes more than once a night. Hope this helps!

September - posted on 03/18/2011

I've always heard that to be true for infants but not toddlers. Our son has slept with stuffed animals since he was about 8 months old. I was not concerned at all. Our son was old enough to know if his breathing was restricted and would move if it was. In my opinion your daughter is plenty old enough but you have to do what you're comfortable with.

Brianna - posted on 03/18/2011

my daughter is 16 months old and when she turned 1 year she started sleeping with her doll.

Charlotte - posted on 03/18/2011

All 3 of my kids have always slept with stuffed animals as did I as a baby and as a kid! As long as therearen't too many of them and none too big there's nothing to worry about. We"ve never had the slightest prob. In fact I prefer to put at least 1 lil teddy in with them so they don't feel too lonely!

Christina - posted on 03/18/2011

My youngest is 16 months old. He has slept with little stuffed animals in his crib since he was 3 months old. When he was younger, I would make sure the animals were down at the foot of his crib, but now that he is over a year old, I let him sleep with them. Like you, I used to worry about him smothering if he got his face up against something but now that he's older I don't worry to much about. If you feel your daughter is old enough to sleep with stuffed animals, then let her, if not then wait until she is a little older, ie: after she is in a toddler bed. The decision is entirely up to you! Hope this helps you out! :)

Adrienne - posted on 03/17/2011

When my kids were just home from the hospital I had their first stuff animal in the far corner of their crib away from them. So my kids have always had stuff animals in the crib. My youngest right now is 11 months and has one in each corner of the crib he doesn't sleep with them they are just there. He loves to throw them out of the crib when he wakes up. My two older boys are 3 & 2 and they bring anything to bed with them. I have never had a problem.
They are now trying to say that blankets are bad to let kids have too because they can suffocate themselves with it as well. I have never had a problem. But to each their own. Do what you feel comfortable doing.

Carolyn - posted on 03/17/2011

Logan was about 3 months ( gasp ;p ) when i started letting him sleep with a stuffed animal. at first it was a smaller sized, firm , short haired stuffed animal that he couldnt suffocate himself. as he got older we switched to a small, very light blanket with an animal head in the middle. For me it was the lesser of 2 evils. after getting out of the swaddle in the middle of the night he would some how always manage to pull the blanket up over his face, or ball it up and snuggle it. ( he liked to have part of his face covered while sleeping) He would also always fall asleep much better/quicker if he was holding onto something. He is now 9 months old and reaches out to grab his stuffy, once hes got it he rolls over and rubs the soft blanket against his face and passes out.

Personally, so long as baby can roll, remove things from their face and lift their head, i havent worried about it. I mean it took a couple sleeplessness nights for me to gain confidence in his ability to move when needed and its been smooth sailing.

he has a few stuffed animals at the other end of his crib that he will play with in the early mornings sometimes before yelling at me to get up, Ive caught him quitely playing in the middle of the night sometimes and then putting himself back to sleep. soooooooooo cute.