Pillow Talk.... - Columbia,MO

When my son went to a toddler bed, I just used the small decorative pillow that came with his crib bedding. When we got him into a big boy bed at age 3, I got him a standard pillow that wasn't very fluffy. He continued to use the small decorative pillow. Now at age 4 he uses the big pillow. So I would just start small for an easy transition. You could always get a standard sized pillow, and just let her choose for herself.

I love the pillow from One Step Ahead - here is a link:
http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

I like the size and that it's machine washable.

I also did not give any of my kids a pillow until they were out of the crib and in their big bed. Then I gave them a little pillow to start with. I got small pillows from the One Step Ahead catalog, but the travel pillow someone else mentioned would be the same. Even now, my four year old doesn't really stay on it all night.

my son turned 2 in september, i was planning on getting him one of those cute little travel pillows "one of these days", but it seemed like when i wasn't looking for them i had seen them everywhere, then when i wanted one i never saw them. anyway, due to a family emergency we stayed with my mother for a few weeks around christmas and she had a bunch of extra regular pillows, so we ended up taking hers, and there was a couple extra so my son got one. he has had no problems with his big boy pillow. he's in a toddler bed and has been since last summer. i don't think at this age that it matters too much!

B.-

I had this question too (also have a 18 month old DD). Two-three months ago, I put a small square pillow in her bed because when she sleeps with us, she likes to sleep on our pillow. She seemed to sleep better instantly! But then I found that she kept falling off the pillow during the night so about a month ago, I put a regular sized pillow in her bed and she sleeps really well! She still wakes up occasionally (has always done this) but I've never gone into her room and seen that she's having trouble breathing or being 'suffocated' by the pillow. She is almost always propped on it fast asleep! She always curls up against it when I put her in bed. I think 18 months is fine!!

My daughter received a very cute pillow and balnket for her 1st xmas she was almost a yr old,we gave it to her but every nite I took it away she was still in her crib she didn't start to have it till she was 16-18 months old then she loved it and had to have it with her every nite my son was in a toddler bed before 2 and used a pillow and a small blanket but I think it is ok to let her have a pillow once she is in a bigger bed toddler or twin size not the crib I think there isn't much room for baby blanket and pillow and if they sleep with a stuffed toy.The pillow i'm talking about is smaller than a regular pillow with case.

My son never had a pillow in his crib, he had one once he went to a bigboy bed he was 1month shy of turning 2. I knew he would be ok will a pillow on his bed he did fine with pillows on the couch when he would fall asleep on the couch.

We just gave our daughter a toddler pillow this week and she turned 2 in January. It's the same size as a travel pillow so about a 3rd the size of a standard pillow. I'd definitely say to wait until she's in a big girl bed. Right now she really doesn't need one and it's more of a safety issue.

B....I may not be the right person to give you advice, because my son slept with a blanket buddy ( size of a handkerchief) from the day he came home from the hospital. I gave him a full sized blanky when he was able to roll over on his own, and he has had a pillow since he could pull up to a standing position. Although quite honestly he only uses it 50 percent of the time, he doesn't really seem to care about it one way or another. I did have a hard time finding a smaller sized pillow, so he does have a standard sized pillow...but since then I have seen "travel sized" pillows that might be a good starter pillow.
Originally the only reason I even interduced a pillow is Alex had a sinus/chest thing going on and he slept better propped. I think as long as a child can roll over and sit up a pillow is a personal choice, no danger that I am a ware of at least.
Lots of luck!
B.

I gave my kids pillows when they asked for them. My two year old has one in her bed and sometimes uses it, sometimes doesn't. I figure no need to push it, I think that it is probably more comfortable without one when they're littler, but once they like one they're ready.

K.

Good Morning B., Our 17 mon old gr son has had a reg sized pillow in his crib since he was 1. That is what their other gr ma (emme)gave each of the boys, at their first birthday, with a new bigger boy crib set.

Zane likes it, it goes on the floor just like his blankies and woobee when he wakes up....lol He's a back sleeper to start, the squirms all over the crib.
Corbins will be 4 next wed. He still has his pillow.

God Bless
K. Nana of 5

I waited to give my son (3 yrs old) a pillow until we moved him into his toddler bed (which was about a year ago). However, we just took my daughter to her 9-month appointment and our pediatrician said that she could use a small, very firm pillow in her crib. Don't think I'm going to do it yet because she moves around so much in her sleep, I don't think it would do much good right now, but apparently it would be acceptable.

A pillow would be fine for her whenever you are ready to give her one. At first they don't use them because of risk of suffocation. At 18 months, she is big and strong enough to move her head or body if she isn't getting enough air, and she will do it. I would suggest not getting the pillow too fluffy, however. It puts the neck at an odd angle, which can cause neck and back problems. I would err on the side of flatter pillows.

We started using pillows when we moved to a big bed. I've always given the kids the cast offs (those pillows beyond their prime so they weren't too fluffy and which I wouldn't care if they were peed or puked on). Most of them were fairly flat too. Honestly half the time I check on the kids they will start off on their pillows and be no where near them by morning.

My son is 22 months and has had his pillow for awhile and loves it. Makes him feel like a big boy! You can buy travel pillows at JoAnn Fabric stores. I think they are around $10 but if you clip on of their weekly coupons out of the paper you can get 40% or 50% off.