Lying flat on a mattress for hours on end would certainly leave you with a stiff, creaky neck in the morning. Which might make you wonder: Would your baby sleep more comfortably with a pillow — and is it okay to give her one?
It might seem like a plush, fluffy headrest might feel nice for your little one. But the truth is, your baby doesn’t know what she’s missing. And she’s better off that way, at least until well into toddlerhood.
Though it’s scary to think about, pillows and other soft bedding items can create the potential for suffocation or strangling and increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
In short, there's no real reason to put a pillow in your baby's crib — and plenty of good reasons to wait until she's older. Here's more on why a pillow shouldn't have a place in your baby's sleeping spot, and how to tell when she’s ready for one later on.
When can my baby sleep with a pillow?
Your baby can't sleep with a pillow until she's a toddler.
Babies should sleep on a firm, flat surface free of pillows, blankets and other soft bedding until at least age 1, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics' safe sleep guidelines. During her first year, the only thing your little one's crib or bassinet needs is a simple fitted sheet.
As for when to introduce a pillow? Research hasn't shown exactly when it's 100 percent safe to put a pillow or other soft object in the crib after your baby is 12 months of age.
To play it safe, you're better off waiting until she transitions to a toddler bed, which can happen between 18 months and 3 1/2 years. Not only does waiting longer further reduce suffocation risk, but keeping a pillow out of your toddler's crib means she won't be able to use the pillow as a step to try to climb out.
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Remember, your baby doesn’t know what a pillow is and is perfectly content to sleep without one. So you can simply hold out until she shows an active interest in having one.
When the time for a pillow does come, keep it small and simple. Opt for a firm baby or toddler-sized pillow instead of a full-sized adult one.
Why isn't it safe for my baby to sleep with a pillow?
Putting pillows, loose bedding or any soft, fluffy items in your baby’s crib increases the risk of SIDS. The safest sleep setup for your little one is in her crib or bassinet with a simple fitted sheet — and nothing else.
Even though a pillow might seem cozy, it's possible for a baby’s face to press up against it while she sleeps, which can increase the risk of suffocation. Snuggling against a pillow could also cause your baby to overheat — another thing that can raise the risk of SIDS.
Even past her first birthday, there's good reason to hold off on the pillow until your child moves into a toddler bed. In the crib, an active, curious toddler could try to use a pillow as a step to try to climb out — and possibly fall.
Plus, there’s a good chance that your sweetie still moves so much in her sleep that, halfway through the night, a pillow would end up down by her feet instead of up by her head.
You should treat blankets and stuffed animals just like pillows — don't offer them until your little one is at least 12 months old. It's best to wait until she is older and in a toddler bed.
As for things like mobiles or crib bumpers? It’s fine to hang a mobile over your baby’s crib when she’s a newborn as long as it’s at least 16 inches from the surface of the crib so she can’t grab it. But you’ll want to get rid of it at about the 4- or 5-month mark, when your baby can get on her hands and knees and could potentially reach for it.
And bumpers should never have a place in your sweetie’s sleeping spot. They can pose a suffocation or strangulation hazard, which is why the Safe Sleep for Babies Act recently banned the manufacture and sale of bumpers in the U.S.
What kind of pillow can I give my child when she’s a toddler?
When your little one is a toddler, don’t pluck a pillow from your own bed. Instead, pick a pint-sized toddler model that’s flat and firm, rather than an adult-size version that's soft and squishy.
And remember that pillows are not a must for toddlers until your little one has transitioned to a bed and has shown interest in one.
Even though it may seem like your baby can't possibly be comfortable sleeping in her crib without a pillow, she is not only perfectly comfortable but also much safer in a bed free of pillows.
When the time comes and she's a toddler, she'll get her own little pillow to sleep with. And at that point, you can rest easy knowing that her new bedtime accessory won't pose any risk to her.
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