When is it okay for my baby to sleep with a little blankie?

Dyan - posted on 02/23/2010

DS--I read your links and although the information is very useful, they didn't tell me anything I don't already know. I use a Halo Sleep Sack for his covering for warmth at night, and nothing during the day as it is a few degrees warmer in the house. My question is more along the lines of a comfort item. He wants to hold something in his hands... I tried those plastic links but once he lets go he loses them. I am looking for something safe and comfy for him and would love suggestions. I am already terrified of SIDS, so I do not want anything that is risky...but of all the children I have watched most of them have had a "lovey" of some sort by 6 months.

He does not like anything on his face but he isn't always sure of how to move it. We play games to teach him but I am sure it will be quite a while before he is good at it.

Thanks for the response...I appreciate the info!

Ann - posted on 02/23/2010

absolutely I used to work at a daycare, one child liked to hold the corner of the blanket and rub his cheeck with it that was how he fell asleep.

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Do what works and what you know is right for your kiddo! We are family bed/co sleepers to preface my opinion. My oldest went from sleeping on top of me till 5 months to a crib full of animals and blankets and sleeping on her tummy. My second needed to be tightly swaddled for almost 7 months and then went straight to her tummy one day and sleeps with one of my shirts. (my oldest also sleeps with a mommy shirt, several stuffed animals, dolls, a blanket, and WHATEVER else she can sneak into her crib at night (my chapstick, a wooden spoon, books, etcc). You get the picture.... I am a firm believer that every child is different and finds comfort and safety in special ways. Do what works and feels right! Clearly be smart but a 4 month old with no other risk factors should be completely fine with a comfort blankie.

Dana - posted on 02/23/2010

Dyan, I know everyone is recommending using a blanket but it's just really NOT safe. Check out this link and read most importantly read the couple lines right below the picture of the baby in the crib.http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5049.ht...



I'm not trying to debunk anyone's posts but it truly is dangerous and just not worth the risk to me. I think using the Winnie-the-Pooh thing is best and it's why they're made. I used the sleep sacks to keep my son warm and I didn't use a blanket until he was a year old. At that point I was confident he could get it off his face. A lot of people think oh, my baby can pull a blanket off his face, that's not the only concern, when they're rolling it's easy for the blanket to get wrapped around them where they *can't* just pull it off. Good luck and please use google and research this matter. :)



Found this one, it's really good too. It gives a lot more info.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Baby-Dangers-N...

Carol - posted on 04/03/2011

Also - more blanket left over if It gets lost or misplaced or an extra @ a grandparents!

Carol - posted on 04/03/2011

My youngest was the same, unless the blanket is really special to you , I suggest cutting it down in size. My guy had a specail corner of the blankie and we shortened the rest of it to about 18 inches X 24 inches. ( You could go smaller - as long as that special corner is still there. The sides can be finished and it will just be a really small blankie - but safe and portable -

Alison - posted on 02/23/2010

It's your call really. You can find mini blankies in the stores now if it is about something to hold onto.

Alicia - posted on 02/23/2010

I really wanted my daughter to have a comfort item too. She didn't settle on just one thing until she was about 6 months old, Now she loves her blanket. It has silk on one side and fuzzy on the other.

Jennifer - posted on 02/23/2010

my son is now 10 months old and i believe i left a burp cloth (cloth diaper) with him at 4 months or close to it. i think if your child has good head control and can move it easily from side to side you should be fine. i would just watch it make sure it is not smothering your child. be cautious of course. at 10 months i leave 2 in his crib in case he throws one out :)

Dyan - posted on 02/23/2010

Thanks for all the advice! I have one of the Winnie-the-Pooh's with the blanket attached and also a very small (handkerchief sized) one with silky edges I was hoping to use.

I was hoping he would use a pacifier as they are easier to take away, but he pushes them out of his mouth in search of his thumb. Then he wants the paci back, of course. He started holding my shirt when he nursed so I handed him a blanket during a diaper change and he rubs it on his cheek while sucking his thumb.

He HATES anything on his face.

He won't nap well in his crib but sleeps great there at night, so I am hoping something like a blankie will help him nap better. Thoughts?

SH, thanks for the advice. I worked as a private nanny for years and I learned that forcing a kid to give up a habit makes it worse. Bribery works wonders. Any child I have cared for had no problem going without the paci or thumb while I was there unless it was naptime or bedtime. The paci was always "put to bed" when I got there. The thumb was always an option..."put it away and you can play with me". Do you have any other suggestions?

Katt - posted on 02/22/2010

My daughter has slept with blankets on her face since she was born!! I tried using just a light receiving blanket but the heavier the better for her. She is now 13 months and attached to 2 of her blankets they are exactly the same just different colors and she takes the corners and rubs her nose & face with it. After my daughter would fall asleep I would take the blanket off her face but in the morning it would always be back on her face lol She had a very great startle reflux so I wasn't really too worried!

Andrea - posted on 02/22/2010

My son has been sleeping with a blanket since he was 3 months old. It is a knitted blanket with large holes.

Nicole - posted on 02/22/2010

my son has slept with blankets since he was born. I always give him a light receiving blanket to keep near his face cause he likes to cover his head and tuck in the other heavy blankets so that he can not pull them up over his face.

Theresa - posted on 02/22/2010

I put a little blankie in with my kids from birth. i wanted them to get attached to a certain blanket, so I put it next to them all the time. They did get attached and there were no dangers. It depends on how think the blanket is, but by 4 months I would think it wouldn't be a problem. I say go ahead.

Emilie - posted on 02/22/2010

My daughter loved blankets. I was worried that she would suffocate herself. I always put a blanket over her carseat, I guess she got used to having a blanket. She would grab it and rub her face in it, she was about 3-4 months old. I asked the doctor about it, he said it is fine as long as it is an open weave and she was not like pushing it into her mouth or nose.

Sarah - posted on 02/22/2010

My son has been sleeping with a blanket since he was born actually 2 of them. It's cold in our house and I tuck it underneath of him and have never worried that it would be a problem.

Sara - posted on 02/22/2010

also..if he keeps on sucking his thumb, be careful how you go about stopping it. My parents tried absolutely everything. And I mean EVERYTHING to get me to stop, the nasty stuff on the thumbnail, gloves, the corner, yelling at me, the list goes on. It didn't work, it only made it worse....I'm 22 and although I don't do it conciously anymore, when I wake up I am sucking my thumb.

Brandi - posted on 02/22/2010

a receiving blanket should be fine.

Sara - posted on 02/22/2010

Depends on the child. Mine wakes up and screams if a blanket goes over his face and he cant get it off. He hates it at 3 and a half months. But if yours sleeps through any and everything, for sure try a toy-blanket dealy.

Patricia - posted on 02/22/2010

I would not incourage this but rather try to discourage it before he gets too attached. Bad habits are hard to break. My son had a blankie and now he has Braces at 9.

Alicia - posted on 02/22/2010

My daughter was 4 months when she started sleeping with a blanket the only way she would fall asleep was with the blanket over her face i would just make sure there was a small hole next to her face so she can breath and when she was sleeping i would pull it off her face.

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I think you are supposed to wait until 12 months. They do have these toys that have a stuffed animal with a small blanket attached that my daughter always slept with. They are just big enough to hold onto, they feel like a blanket, and you don,t have to worry about safety. They sell them at Walmart, Target, and Babies'R'Us.

Kayliecia - posted on 02/22/2010

I let my son sleep with a blanket, at 3 months..just kept it away from his head..he knows how to pull it away from his head now.

Brittany - posted on 02/22/2010

yes my daughter is the same shes 5 months n she will not let me take it away from her n she tends to pull it over her face id shed rather do tt but i out it o the side of her body bc she sleeps on her side but just keep an eye on him to make sure he dnt put it over his face bc im constaly doing it but when shes knocked out she has it over her as we would sleep