Using Blankets

If you don't want to buy a sleep sack, just take a regular baby blanket, fold it in half, and sew the sides together - it will look like a little sleeping bag. I wrap my 6 month old in one or two receiving blankets (depends how cold it is) then slip the sack over. Everything goes up to his armpits with his arms free. This keeps him warm at night and keeps me from worrying about blankets on his face - PLUS, it didn't cost me any extra money!

Buy a blanket sleeper. If you need to layer, put the baby in a onesie, then pajamas, then a blanket sleeper if it is that cold. Just be careful that you don't overheat her either.

My son never kept his blanket on until he was about three. He would move around so much at night, I called it "traveling the bed", it never stayed on. We always put him in footed pajamas, the flannel ones are great for winter. In the wintertime, we would always put a t-shirt on underneath for extra warmth.

I mean no disrespect to the poster who said that SIDS is just something to explain the death of a child when their brain isn't working properly but it has been documented that use of fluffy blankets and overheating can INCREASE the odds of infant death. While it may be true that this death is due to a brain malfunction, do we really want to promote the conditions for this malfunction to manifest???? Just because a child's brain has the potential to "malfunction" and not tell the child to wake up and breath, do we really want to create a situation where we are testing this???? Just because this malfunction has potential for happening doesn't mean it will if the conditions to test it are avoided...simply put: if you don't put your child in a situation where his/her brain needs to wake him/her up to breath, then this "malfunction" will not cause the death of your child and they will outgrow it by about age 1 (and you will have a happy healthy baby!) Be safe and follow the suggestions...they are not harming your baby but ignoring them potentially will!

use a sleep sack...for extra warmth you can use a onsie, and for a second layer we always loved the two piece pajamas from old navy (no feet...they are like long underwear...fairly thin but work great as a second layer when it's cold), and then a sleep sack on top if it's really cold. Please don't ignore the research on SIDS...you are right not to put anything in the crib at night. It's not like there are no other options...sleep sacks are wonderful and convenient...for piece of mind also you may want to keep a thermometer in the room so you know the temp...just because you think it's cold doesn't mean it is...as long as the room is at a reasonable temp, you don't have to worry...I really wouldn't use the crocheted blanket idea either because if it bunches there are no holes to breath out of it's just a mass of yarn around your child's face...and also if the holes are big enough your child could loosen the weave while moving around and make one of the holes big enough to tangle in...granted, not likely, but possible...why risk it?

I'm really sorry to rant like that..i normally don't, but i can't believe someone would tell you to ignore the risk factors like that...I've also read the research that says that SIDS is the result of a malfunction in the brain that does not wake the child up to breath, but if you are not allowing anything to come in the way of that child's breathing, you don't have to rely on their waking up to remedy the problem...again, i'm sorry to rant...really i am...use the sleep sacks...they also make them without arms which might be good in the fall weather...good luck

I have used a regular baby blanket on my little one since she was just a few weeks old. She's 5 months now. I don't tuck it in, so she can freely move it around. She doesn't bring it near her face very often, but at our babies' age, they have the ability to move it away or pull their faces away from it if necessary. If you are concerned, and you have a crocheted or knitted baby blankie (maybe a homemade gift), they will have larger spaces for baby to breathe through, just in case.

Although it doesn't make me mother of the year, I have always used blankets. My now two year old used to like to sleep on top of them and my nearly 5 month old sleeps better when swaddle from the armpits down. If your child can roll over, then I wouldn't be too concerned. I am certain that people will disagree with me, but it has worked fine with my children.

I have recently taken a "Safe Sleep" class. All your baby needs is a warm blanket sleeper and possibly a light blanket. The teacher of the class showed us to place the baby at the foot of the bed (feet to foot ofcourse) Then place the blanket over the baby with the arms out and just tuck the blanket under the baby. And as long as it is a light blanket there should not be a problem with suffication. Just remember to not overheat the baby. And no toys or anything else in the crib!

M.,

You have already gotten a lot of great advice and I didn't read them all, so hopefully I am not repeating something someone else already told you. I loved the thermal (like long underwear) blankets. I think there were a lot of brands, but the ones I used were Gerber I think. They are very light, work for swaddling and were warm. I used them from day one for my daughter, who was born in September. She now uses them for her dolls.

Good Luck,
D.

I used sleep sacks. They are basically wearable blankets with zippers. This way the baby cannot pull the blanket over his face. You can find them at Babies R us (name brand Halo)or Target and they are fairly inexpensive.

I've used Sleep Sacks for both of my daughters. My 28 month old still wears one at night. I dress her in her warm footie PJs and the sleep sack and she seems very comfortable. You can find sleep sacks at Babies R Us and Onestepahead.com. Good luck.

None of my children will stay under a blanket so I put them in really warm pajamas. I buy the zip up footie pajamas from Walmart. My infant son I also put a t-shirt on him under his jammies. He doesn't get a blanket. The girls start out with a light one, but they always end up without them.

My 18 month old has about five blankets in his crib but it doesn't matter because not one of them stays put. I'm just dressing him in warm footies, as I would be nervous to tuck him under something. Plus, he would probably hate that and he usually doesn't lie down until I leave the room.

Our son's room gets very cold -- even though the rest of the house stays at the temperature we set on the thermostat. (We are trying to figure out why!) But a long-sleeve onesie and thick blanket sleeper is not enough to keep him warm. So we use a small portable heater in his room. Is it a safe table top model (and placed where the kids can't reach) and has its own thermostat. As an infant, this eliminated any chance of us over-dressing him to the point of over heating. The upside now is that it allows us to drop the thermostat at night to save money, but his room stays as warm as he needs. We are about to introduce a blanket into his crib, but I can't imagine how he will learn to keep it on!

Sleep sacks are the greatest thing ever. They're wearable blankets that come in light cotton and warm fleece. We got ours at Babies R Us and our daughter wore them all through her first two winters. They go over pj's, so you can vary the warmth level by what kind of sleeper you put underneath. They're stocked near the bedding and blankets at BRU.

SIDS is a concern with stuffed things. ie pillows, stuffed animals, etc. Babys need blankets. Winter is coming. Cover him up mommy.

I am a sleep sack mom too. I had my first daughter in them until she was 2 and started potty training. Now that it is getting cold out, I have pulled out my 24 mo. sleep sacks for the youngest and she loves them. Thinks they are pretty fun!

I really liked those blanket bag sleepers for babies for both of my kids. I cannot think of the exact name of them right now, but I know that Carter's makes them, and there is another brand as well...I found mine at Target nad at Baby Depot in Burlington Coat Factory. They come with and wothout sleeves.

Hi M.,

We are big fans of sleep sacks (various manufacturers make similar products including Halo, Gerber, Kiddopotamus/SwaddleMe, etc.) We put our daughter in the fleece ones for winter and the cotton ones for spring. Now that it's chilly again at night she's back to fleece (she's now 8 mos.). They make all sorts of sizes -- check out www.halosleep.com (although the Gerber ones might be less expensive) they sell them at Target, Babies'R'Us, and the like, but I've also bought some gently used at stores like Once Upon A Child (www.ouac.com). Good luck!

They make these really cool things called "Sleep Sacks" that are made out of fleecy material. They're kind of like Dr. Denton's but without legs. My kids loved them, and they didn't need a blanket b/c they were so warm. I am pretty sure you can find them anywhere, but I got mine at Target.

Hi there,

I too had this concern and for a while used a blanket sleeper. Which is a sack you put them in and it zips up. However, my son gets warm very easy so eventually just went to a light weight blanket that I tuck under him when he sleeps. He hardly ever keeps it on all night and now that he moves so much in his sleep and rolls onto his tummy when sleeping it is nearly impossible.

I was very concerned with SIDS. It hits very close to home for my husband and I b/c we have both had family memebers suffer from SIDS. But, I have come to realize that I can't worry myself sick about it. You have to just do what makes you most comfortable. I hope that this helps.

I always used the blanket bags with long sleeve fleece PJ's and my daughter was always warm. It was cold in her room too.

I had the same problem. I used the sleeper sacks over his pajamas...it worked the same as a blanket, and it seemed to keep him warm enough.

Any store (walmart, target, babies r us) sells bag type things for infants. Babies r us has a ton of them to choose from, when it comes thickness and material. But at 6 mos SIDS is hardly a concern anymore if you want to just use a blanket. Once a baby is old enough to roll over on their own the risk goes way down.

I bought a bunch of sleep sacks for this exact purpose. You put the baby in their pajamas and then in the sleep sack, the sleep sack is bigger they have ones with arms and ones without arms. But they zip up over the baby so you don't have the concerns with SIDS. Mine are all good from 0-9 months.

I used sleep sacks all last winter when my son was that age. I love them! I knew he was warm and my mind was at ease knowing that it wouldn't get in his face. AND he couldn't kick it off.

I use a crocheted blanket for my 6 month old. It has "holes" in it due to being hand made etc....so even if it ends up over her face...she'll be able to breathe.

at target or a babies r us they have blankets that have arm holes and zip up you can put them over the pj's. they are great.

They make a zip up sleep sack that acts as a blanket and prevents them getting tangled in it. Good for the 6 month old. They are at Target and I think Penney's and should be coming out now with the cool weather. They also make an older version with legs for kids who walk. I think they have them in the One Step Ahead Catalogue/online. Great products that let you sleep.

I just wanted to second the mothers who say use fottie pj's and add that sometimes my kids' feet would still be cold so we used little socks inside the footies as well.

Here's another vote for fleece sleep sacks. I particularly like the Halo brand (sold at Babies R Us and online) because they do not have sleeves (babies, in theory, can suffocate on puffy sleeves when they are really little).

Stay warm!
Mel.

I had the same problem with my daughters bedroom (north wall). I wanted to use one of her blankets in the worst way, however I knew that this was not an option for safety reasons....what I did was put her in a warm footy pjs & then in the sleepsack (everything covered except arm holes). I bought them at babies r us & used them every night. She was always very comfortable & warm, & I had peace of mind regarding safety issues. I bought 2 & then bought 2 more in bigger sizes when she grew & they got me through fall, winter & another fall winter. Two were enough, because they really didnt get dirty. They came two in a pack if I am not mistaken.

Using feet pajamas and a Halo sack should be sufficient...it would be like having a blanket on over your pjs.

I also agree with many of the other moms. I used the sleep sack with my daughter as well and it worked great and I felt much better that it was a safer alternative to blankets. The sleep sacks come in a light cotton material or a heavier fleece like material. So depending on what type of jammies you put on your little guys or if he overheats easily, you can choose the one that works best for him. I believe they come in small, med, and large.
Hope this helps!

I have used a Halo sleep sack instead of a blanket which has worked out very well. I know there are also other brands of sleep sacks available. Our daughter, who is almost 8 months old, has been using one since she was born.

do what you feel is right..but remember to use common sense.

I've always used the thick footed sleeper pajamas during the cold months for my kids when they were babies. They stay warm & toasty and you dont have to worry about blanket hazards.

Looks like you have a lot to read with lots of advise so excuse me if I'm repeating others. My son found great comfort in a blanket for sleeping so we actually starting using one early on ... about 4 months or so. However, this really didn't serve to keep him warm as opposed to it being a comfort item. Babies won't be able to rationalize to put the blanket over them, instead they just cuddle with it. Even now, at 18mo, when we check on him before we go to bed we'll have to throw another blanket over him ... and at this age we know he can handle it. However, they both still end up UNDER him. Anyway...back to YOUR issue ... we bought very fuzzy, warm and thick sleepers with feet which worked well ... and also a long-sleeve onsie underneath.

Hi, M.! I haven't read through all the responses, but must say I second them: Sleep sacks and/or warm footie pj's are the way to go. My son just turned 2 and still doesn't keep a blanket on, so footie pajamas are a lifesaver!

N.

I've never heard of these sleep sacks that everyone is talking about, but if they are expensive as one response says, fear not. I have two beautiful children 14 and 15 who survived my mothering okay thus far! Anyway, I always used footy pajamas and the light cotton-weave blanket during this weather. The footy pjs come in various weights for cooler and then colder weather and you can get them at Walmart or any store that sells children's clothing. The come in cotton, cotton blends, and fleece.

I must respond to the SIDS issue though. SIDS is a very real problem and not just some explanation as to why babies die for no reason. The majority of recent (at least within the last 15 years) studies have shown that many of these babies die due to suffocation. BUT they say these could be avoided by making sure your baby sleeps on his/her back. DO NOT PUT YOUR BABY TO BED FACE DOWN. I argued with my mother-in-law many times about this, but this will significantly reduce the chance of SIDS.

Even if your baby has a blanket in the crib with him/her if they are on their back they are much more likely to be able to move their head to the left or right or use their little hands to move something away from their face. My younger child was born in September so I used blankets with her during the first six months and she was even more active than my first! You'll do fine!

Hi M.,

They have a blanket that is called a wearable blanket. It is specifically designed so babies can't get tangled up.It's like a sleeping bag vest that you zip up. You lay out the wearable blanket unzipped in the crib then you lay your baby down on top of the wearable blanket and then you put their arms through the arm holes and then you tuck their legs inside and you zip them up. They have different materials you can choose from. They have a light cotton blend for the summer months and they have micro fleece for the winter months. I used both materials. I used these until my daughter was about 18 months. Because I always had the same fear that you do. You can buy them at Babies R Us. Check them out on their website. Type in wearable blankets and you will see many to choose from but I always used the Halo Sack Back to Sleep ones. They are the best things EVER!!! I recommended these to other of my new mommy to be friends and they love them too. You will definitely sleep well at night knowing that your baby will be safe. I know I did!! Good Luck!! Let me know how it all turns out for you.

I don't use blankets with my 21 month old. Costco sells these wonderful fleece blanket sleepers for under $8. Last night when it was cold, I dressed my daughter in two of these sleepers and she slept very well. I would suggest buying several in your 6 month old's size, then a couple in the next size, which will give you room for layering. When it gets really cold, you can also put regular pajamas under the blanket sleepers for a third layer. We don't normally heat our house at night in the winter, but if it's going to be below 60, we'll turn on the heat at night. The three layers for our baby last year were just fine. Good luck and stay warm!

Halo Sleep sacks are wonderful! They come in all different sizes, colors, cotton, fleece and even organic cotton. I used these for my babies. Now that they're two I'm thinking of ordering the toddler version of them. They've never slept with a blanket so whenver I try to use one they pull if off!

Both my daughters slept upstairs in our room and it gets very cold up there at night. We would put them in the footie pajamas and on really cold nights a onesie underneath, and then used afghans (with large holes) to cover them up with, so even if they pulled it over their face and couldn't get it off then there were larges holes in the blanket to still get air from.

I don't know if you swaddled your boys, but that is another option as well. You can do it with arms in or out. Both my girls like this as well, but they were both big babies and I think by 6 months it was harder to do with the blankets we had!

Also, according to many of my oldest's doctors (she has cp and autism) the risk of SIDS dramatically decreases after 6 months and even more when they can roll themselves from tummy to back.

Get a sleep sac...they are recommended and are totally safe. Our daughter uses one and it is awesome! Do NOT use a blanket...BRU and Target (and I'm sure other places) have the sleepsac.

We have always been fans of the cotton Halo Sleepsack. In fall and winter we dress our daughter in long pjs, sometimes with an undershirt and the cotton sleep sack. The sleepsacks are sold at BRU.

I use a crocheted blanket with my son (now 10 months old) since he was born, and I don't tuck it in the mattress. It has big spaces in the design, so even if he pulls it up to his face, he can breath fine through the holes. I have also used the sleep sacks, but he seems to sleep better with the blanket (maybe he can move easier).

I had the same issue but as your child get older he is going to move the blanket. Try using the receiving blanket. Or sleepers that is warm remember baby temps is different from our temp. Using a larger blanket will cause for the child to pull on it and the baby might get tangled in it. Or a small quilted blanket would do.

Our daughter HATED the sleep sacks, I had several because I was paranoid about SIDS. She liked to be able to move her feet a lot. We tried the tucking blankets into the bottom of the bed, but it made me nervous because during a nap once I discovered the she could still pull them out and over her head. In the end we started using knit blankets, I felt better that she could breath through the holes even if she did cover her head. This was our best solution. Now she won't sleep without a knit blanket (even all through the WARM summer she was wearing a diaper and cuddling with her blanket)

Hi M.,

I just use a baby throw blanket to cover my children. They usually just squirm and kick the blanket off and away from themself. I also dress them in the "blanket sleepers". They are a little heavier and keeps them warmer. I've gotten along just fine with this method.
Good luck,
J. J.

You definitely want to get a Halo Sleep Sack or similar item. Gerber makes a cheaper version of them and I'm sure other companies do too. They are great and you will not worry about your little one at all. Put them in some jammies that you think are warm enough/cool enough and then zip them into the sleeping blanket. They will stay warm and safe. And when they get older they have ones for bigger kids that have holes for their feet, since when they get older they don't like being restricted by not having their feet out.

Don't bother with blankets -- they will just kick them off or roll out of them anyway.

My son is 2-1/2 and in a full size bed and still doesn't stay under the covers.

I don't know if anyone else has said it but I love halo sleep sacks. They have many different sizes including toddler size with feet holes in them so they can walk with it on. I order them off line and often they have really good prices if you can't find them in stores.

I would try those sleep sacks. Some of them are pretty heavy material and i think that would keep your 6 month old warm.

My daughter stayed very warm in her grobag sleep sac. It is soo warm and they have different warmth. They are expensive, but definetely worth it. I found the Halo sleep sac shrink and are not that warm. Go on-line and put in baby sleep sac. There are other brands besides the Halo one's. I also put her in a long sleeve onesie and a fleece one piece night wear. I will be socks on her also inside the fleece.

My daughter just turned 2 and I STILL swaddle her, without putting her arms in though! This week we just added a second blanket for the first time and I am also panicky over it! One thing we were told that helped A LITTLE with my comfort of doing it is that -she can roll herself around and most likely get herself out of situations if needed. Last night I went in and the extra blanket was wrapped around her chest and up over her head.... I am again nervous over it!

So, in my opinion if your little guy will fit into one of the sleep sacks or similar that can not wrap around his neck or get up over his head use that as the safest option. Less grey hairs that way! lol

Good luck to you and many blessings!

Hi! I used a sleep sack when my son (now 17mos) was younger but now use a blanket. If anything, he ends up kicking it off overnight rather than pulling it up over his head. I was very nervous at first about him suffocating or getting strangled by the blanket, but he doesn't like footed sleepers.

My daughter, now 2 1/2, has a very cold room since it is above the garage. When she was really little I did use a little blanket but I laid the blanket under her and then rapped it around her (under her armpits) that way if she kicked her feet up it would only kick it off of her and not over her head. I also bought a heater at Menards, they have ones that are safe that if they tip over they immediatelly turn off because there is a button on the bottom of it. It also can be controlled by either having it on low, high or auto which you can also choose the temperature like you do with your house heat. Well I hope this helps.

D.-mother of a 2 1/2 old girl and a 10 month old boy.

Go to babies are us and buy a blanket that they sleep in and zips up - see the website below - they come in cotton & fleece and go up to X-Large for bigger babies.

http://www.toysrus.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=s...

I have always used a blanket with my daughter. She is 11 months old now but I never had a problem with her pulling it over her head. I have used a light blanket as well as heavy ones. At one point, I have her sleeping on a little sleeping bag, unfolded and had two blankets on her, light ones. No matter what I put my daughter in, she kicks them off anyway. She does not like having one on her. However, these past few nights, I have had a fleece blanket on her pulled up to her armpits and she has stayed under it without pulling it up. If you are worried about the blanket & SIDS, I would try putting your baby in a onsie and one of the sleep sacks that zip all the way up. My daughter used to get hot in those or even the fleece onepiece outfits that zip up, that may help with the chill. Good luck in your decision.

We also keep our house very cool. We would use blanket sleepers with the sleep sacs over them. Also, we have ceramic tabletop heaters(like the ones you can use in a tent for camping). They are cool to the touch and turn on and off according to the temperature.

I too was always afraid of my bb suffocating herself so I always used blanket sleepers. Our house gets rather chilly at night as well. The very cold months, I would use a lighter onesie and then a heavier blanket sleeper as well.

I have used hand knitted blankets that have "holes" in them so that even if the baby had it over their head they could never have a problem breathing... this is in addition to a sleep sack, more for comfort in the bed than anything else...

try using a sleep sack. they are available at babies r us and are basically a wearable blanket. it is a sack with arms and neck holes that zips from the top to bottom. they are supposed to be effective on the fight against sids. we love them. my boys are 22 months old and we still use them. hope this info is helpful!
p.s. they come on cotton or fleece!

Sleep sacks are wearble blankets that I have found work wonderfully for my 7 month old. She is very active at night, so in addition to blankets being a SIDS risk, I don't think she'd even be able to keep one on at night! You can find them at Babies 'r Us or online. I get sleeveless cotton sleep sacks for the warmer weather (late spring, summer, early fall), and long sleeve, heavier ones for the colder nights (late fall, winter, early spring).

You HAVE to get a sleep sack. These are the perfect solution for what you need. All you do is dress the baby like you normally would then put the sleep sack on them.
Here's the web site on baby's r us.

http://www.toysrus.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=s...

Don't forget not to over bundle your child. Children sleep hot. Jammies plus the sleep sack is all they need, even in a cold room. Be careful about putting a warmer under the child's sheet. Your child could over heat and could cause problems. Ask your doctor first before you do this.

Good luck!

We found a cool blanket online at www.snapcozy.com. It would depend on how mobile your son is in his crib at this point as to how useful it might be for you. Our daughter used it until about 8 or 9 months.

I would suggest getting a space heater that is safe for children. I used to have one that you set at a temperature and it would turn off when it got to that temperature and would rotate back and forth. I got it from Target and it was a Lasko. I believe that was the name. Other than that my only other suggestion is that my son used to sleep with me until he was 1 year so I wasn't worried about SIDS. Hope that helps good luck

the best thing to get would be a halo sleep sack, I use one of those and a loosely knitted blanket. light breathable blankets are ok. just not thick and fluffy ones.

M., to ease my mind when my girls were little, I would just dress them up in a onesie with either a thick sleeper pj (the ones that cover the feet) or a sleep sack. Sometimes I would even put socks on them under the sleep sack if it was going to be really cold. That way I knew they would stay warm and I wouldn't have to worry about them suffocating on a blanket or getting uncovered throughout the night.

Kiddopotamus makes a large microfleece swaddle (up to 22 lbs.). It's only $10 at Babies R' Us. Combine that with a pair of thick p.j.s.
We put our Eden Pure space heater in our babies room, she stays downstairs and it's a little cooler than the rest of the house. The Eden Pure surface does not get hot so even if your child
is not in his crib, he won't get burned if he touches it. It's also auto temp controlled.

Hi M., try Halo Sleepsacks. I used them when it was really cold, otherwise I put a onesie on under their jammies and put on really thick fleece jammies. I also use flannel sheets. I'm pretty paranoid! My son didn't start to sleep with a light hand-crocheted blanket (with an open lacey pattern, just in case!) until he was almost two, and my daughter is fifteen months and she still doesn't, either. Hope that helps!

M.,

Been there! I purchased the zippered sleep sacks that were a lifesaver in soooo many ways. They make midnite diaper changes a breeze, plus they keep little one warm. Can't remember the brand name, but I got them at both Target and Walmart. Best of luck!

I had the same worries about my babies. A friend of the family had knitted blankets for our twins that are not only beautiful and warm, but are loosely knitted. We felt that if the babies drew the blankets up over their faces, they could still breath through the "holes" (my nervous-dad husband practiced this himself). So far, they haven't really pulled the blankets over their heads unless in play (they're 8 months old now) and the blankets have kept them warm. Do you know anyone crafty who can knit? :) Otherwise I know of some knitting stores that also sell products - 'Chix with Stix' in Oak Park for one.

Have you tried footy pajamas? My son's 3, but he won't keep a blanket on for anything. He loves his jammies though and they keep him plenty warm. Good luck!

There are many types of blanket sleepers out there. My sister-in-law used them for her daughter. They vary in thickness from light to heavy. They just zip on right over their jammies. Just do a search on the internet and you will find some.
Good luck.

We LOVE the sleepsacks!!! Halo brand from Babies R Us is what we used with my son until almost 2 years old!

M. - the best recomendation would be to pick up sleep sacks. You can get them at baby stores and they are great. Put over the jammies and and zip up. Some have double zippers that go from top and bottom so that it makes it easy to change in the middle of the night. They make sleep sacks for both winter and summer with different fabrics.

You can use a sleep sack. They come made of pretty warm material and also the fleece winter sleepers work well. Also even when your child is old enough for a blanket, they often don't use them.

I didn't use a blanket for my daughter, because of SIDS concerns. Instead, when it was cold, I dressed her in layers -- a onesie under footed pajamas, plus one of those blanket sleepers on top. Those worked well for us last winter. I'm not sure my daughter, now 13 months, will tolerate the blanket sleeper when winter comes this year because she is so active and mobile now, so I might start using a blanket now that she's out of the SIDS risk stage. But for a 6 month old, I think the experts recommend against any sort of blanket in the crib.