With my older son, I waited until exactly one year until I put his lovey in the crib with him. He did have a small triangle shaped soft thing. My baby (almost 7 mths) has the triangle in his crib now. But, I'm starting to feel like he would benefit from a lovey. I am planning to wait until 1 year, but what are your thoughts? He is definitely at the age when he is beginning to have object permanence, and will cry to get me, etc. I'm wondering if having the lovey in there with him would help him go down for naps more easily. This past week has been very difficult. He goes to bed at night with no issue.
Thanks everyone. I gave him the lovey this morning. It took him a while to settle down (if you see my other posts - he's dealing with some reflux/sleep issues), but he held onto the lovey as he was rolling around his crib. He feel asleep with it over his shoulder/side/face (it's not big), but it's clear that he is sucking his thumb & has good air...gotta love the video monitor! It makes me feel better that he has some comfort - he's difficult to get to sleep exhausted or not (yes, I try to get him down before he gets too tired), and I think this will help.
In response to the question below: A lovey is a small soft blanket/stuffed animal or other item that a baby/toddler uses as a 'transitional object'. It's basically a comfort item that they can use to help soothe themselves, reduce anxiety, feel comforted, etc. Sometimes the parents choose one for the child, and sometimes the child becomes attached on their own to something in particular.
I started putting a couple of playthings (like keys) in the crib at about 5 months so my son could entertain himself when he woke up instead of crying for me right away. But he didn't get attached to his teddy bear (still sleeps with it - we have 3!) until he was almost 1 since that is when he got it as a gift.
I think we as a society are going a bit overboard on what we will and won't allow in cribs these days!
I assume the lovey you want to give him isn't huge, super fluffy, or heavy, so why not give it to him? My oldest daughter (22 months) has a crib full of animals and they have been in there forever! She got her first few in there probably around 9 months old. Glow worm, small cabbage patch ect... all not too soft to get caught up in. She also had one blanket. It was just one of those typical fleece blankets we all got a million of at our showers. She did just fine.
My now 6 month old is starting to roll around and semi-crawl, so I am sure in the next month or so I will be adding some fun things to her crib as well. Helps to keep them company and not feel like they have to call for us right away.
My oldest always played in her crib for what seemed like an hour before calling (crying) for us. She still does!
So take a deep breath and relax.... just find some things he will enjoy and let him have fun with them in his crib.
12 weeks. With my first, I waited till she was close to 10 months.
My son had his from day 1
my son would CRY AND CRY AND CRY around 7 months. we put this large duck on his belly. he stopped immediately. we just took it away when he fell asleep (and watched on camera).
he's now almost 5 and still sleeps with duckie : )
If your baby can turn his head from side to side an readjust his position and there is not a risk of suffocation, why not? My son (7) still sleeps with his beloved "Bug" lovey. So cute!
I understand your concern for your child's saftey. I would say that it would be ok to place something in his crib that didn't have the ability to completely cover him in some way (ex: large blankets or stuffed animals). If your son has the ability to roll over, sit up, or possibly even crawl on his own I dont think a small object in his crib would pose any health hazzards. Hope this helps!!
My son... "chose" his lovey (amongst all the other baby safe stuffed toys we had in his crib), and it was at about 6 months old, that he started having/wanting his stuffed cow with him when sleeping, and dragging it around with him everywhere. He still has it and sleeps with it.
He was the one that gravitated toward the stuffed cow himself... and liked it. Hence my saying "he" chose his lovey. Even if I thought something else was cute, the baby inevitably chooses their own lovey.
Yes, for my son, it really helped him with sleeping/naps and it helps to soothe them.
good luck,
Susan
As long as it is a small lovey (like a small square blanket or something), it is totally fine to give it now. My pediatricians for both of my kids at that age (they were different because we moved before we had my son) said that a lovey was okay around 4-5 months as long as it was a small one. So, both of my kids have had theirs since that age with no problems. My only issue is that they are both so attached to them that I can hardly get them away long enough to wash them!
I would definitely go ahead and give him one, especially at naptime, and see if it helps. I really don't think you have anything to worry about.
Both of my kids have had their lovies with them from birth. They are both baby blankets with satin on one side and chenille on the other. They are thin and not too large. When they were very little I would use it to cover them only up to the waist. Once they can roll around I would monitor them closely, but found they would wake up and cry if it came near their faces. The risk of SIDS from something in the crib goes WAY WAY down at 6 months. A pacifier helps to reduce it even further. I guess you really have to do what makes you comfortable. Good luck!
My son got his lovey in bed with him at 4 months when he really enjoyed it. My son has a crib full of stuffed animals, and stuff, but he is 2 1/2
What would it hurt to let him have it?? I say go for it!
At about 6 months my daughter had a lovey, at age 3 1/2 she still has it but is not as attached to it as she use to be.
Mine had theirs from birth, but until they could turn their heads with some control I kept it down at the foot of the crib. Once they could turn and control their heads I moved it up next to them so they could grab it if and when they wanted. My boys are now 4 and 6 and they still sleep with BluBear and Ellie.
