As your child gets older, they develop better sleeping habits. They can sleep throughout the night without as many disruptions. However, as they age they might request to sleep with a pillow. In this case, you will need to find an acceptable toddler pillow for them to use. Let’s look at some of the things you should consider to ensure that this transition is as safe as possible.
Safety first
First, you need to think about the age you give a pillow to your toddler. Pillows, stuffed animals or blankets should be kept away from babies when they are sleeping. They represent a potential strangulation risk. However, as they get older these risks decrease. By the time that they’re 18 months, they should be able to sleep with stuffed animals. However, it’s recommended that you wait until they are two years old before you introduce them to these things.
Generally, if they can safely sleep with a pillow they can have a blanket or stuffed animal. In addition, as they age you might need to lower the mattress on the crib. This will ensure that they can’t climb over the sides or they don’t accidentally fall out of the crib. You should also remove any mobiles that hang over the crib. This will prevent your child from using the mobile to swing out of the crib. Finally, you should make sure that they can reach things like electrical cords from their crib. Once you’ve created a safe sleeping environment, you can focus on finding the best toddler pillow.
Pillow size
There are several things that the perfect toddler pillow should have. First, you should think about the size of the pillow. Your toddler doesn’t need a full-sized pillow as you do. Usually, they only need something half the size of an adult pillow. In addition, try to choose a toddler pillow that is thin and firm. This will provide the support they need and won’t pose any suffocation risk. You should also find a pillow that is hypoallergenic. This will ensure that it won’t foster any diseases that will make your child sick. Finally, you should make sure that the pillowcase has a zipper. This will ensure that their head doesn’t accidentally get caught inside the casing. Many children’s stores will be able to stock these kinds of pillows. When you’ve found the perfect toddler pillow, you can invite your toddler to sleep with it.
Introduce a pillow to your kid
Many toddlers will ask to sleep with their pillow. If they are old enough, you should encourage them to do this. This can make the transition between a crib and a bed easier. It will also make sure that their neck gets the support that it needs. In addition, a good pillow can make them more comfortable when they’re sleeping. However, some toddlers might be reluctant to use their pillow while they sleep. If this is the case, don’t get nervous. In fact, some kids can be eight before they want to use a pillow. They will ask to sleep with their pillow when they are ready.
There are some things to speed up the process.
- First, you can choose a pillowcase design of images that they like. This will encourage them to use the pillow more frequently.
- You might also want to experiment with different pillow materials. This will help you identify the materials that your child finds the most comfortable.
As your child ages, their sleeping patterns begin to change. You need to make sure that their sleeping environment is always safe and comfortable. For this reason, many parents decide to purchase toddler pillows for their children. We discussed how you can find the best possible pillow. While some toddlers may want to incorporate this into their sleep routine, others may take a little longer before they use pillows.
Though there are some techniques you can use to encourage them to sleep with a pillow, remember that they will eventually ask to sleep with it when they are ready. So, when they are old enough, start getting your child familiar with sleeping with a toddler pillow.