My 20-month old son likes to sleep on his stomach but for the past few nights I have noticed him moving his head around trying to get comfortable. I would like to get him a pillow for his crib but am wondering if he is too young for that. When you did your kids start using pillows and are there any great ones out there that you would recommend? Thank you :-)
Thanks for the responses everyone. Based on them, I decided to buy a toddler pillow for my son this week. I put a regular (but pretty flat) pillow in the crib for his nap today to see if he would be interested in one. I told him what it was and laid his head down on it. He smiled and said "thank you, momma" and closed his eyes and went to sleep. So I guess he was ready :-)
Once my son starting rolling around in his sleep, I put a pillow under his sheet. That way he wouldn't get entangled, and he was comfortable. Now he's 21 months and LOVES pillows!
Start with the pillow under the sheet so that you have piece of mind and he can get used to sleeping with his head propped up safely :D
It's safe to introduce a flat as opposed to a big fluffy pillow when they're able to move around, easily roll over in both directions, easily lift their head. At 20 months he can do all these things. A pillow would be OK. I'd say it would be OK a few months earlier than that.
I don't remember when my daughter started using a pillow. She was still in her crib and a regular size pillow was just too big so I found a travel size pillow at Bed Bath & Beyond and made a pillowcase. She loved it and now she uses it for her baby dolls.
Depends on the kid and their gross motor skills. We gave our first a very small, flat pillow at 18 mos. She took forever for me to feel comfortable with her gross motor abilities (she is now 3 1/2 and the most clutzy kid ever!). Our 15 month old is so small for her age, but so mobile and able. We'll probably give her one when it seems like she needs one.....when she seems uncomfortable.
We got the first pillow at IKEA. It was super flat and small.
He's old enough. Some kids use pillows by age 1! Our twins started using them around 14 months old. Our first son at about 18 months old.
My son is 22 months and we started using a pillow with him just a few weeks ago. In fact, my SIL got him a pillow pet and so we decided to give him that and see how it goes... and he loves it! He gets so excited every time he goes to bed now! He smiles and points to it and says Dog! Dog! It's way cute! ;) My daughter was about the same age, but we never put a pillow in her crib, we moved her to a bed at that age and she got pillows and maybe a blanket for the first time too, can't remember on the blanket though. My son still doesn't use a blanket either. I think I'm really slow on these things!
I start using a pillow as soon as they can roll over and get around. If they can sit up or pull themselves up against the crib then a small pillow will not suffocate them. Poor baby! Make sure his mattress is soft too. He deserves to be comfortable.
I guess Im in the minority here, both my girls used a pillow from day one. A down zebra print pillow that i sewed myself. It started off as their move-able "bed" and is now their favorite pillow/comfort object.
my daughter started sleeping with a pillow around 12 months. I noticed in her crib she was ripping the strings off the bumper so she could use it as a pillow so I gave her my pillow from childhood. I believe it is a home made pillow about 1ft by 1ft stuffed with cotton. She also likes sleeping with a boppy, she snuggles all up in it!! At 20 months he is def old enough!
My two older son's received pillows when they moved to a toddler bed(around 2). My youngest is still in her crib and I'm in no hurry to move her. She just got her first pillow last month at 2 yrs 3 months. I think two-ish is a great age to start with a pillow.
