Most new moms already know that the youngest of infants do not need a baby pillow. Pillows and blankets can be dangerous for very young infants, are better kept aside for times when Mom can keep an eye out. But in the desire to keep their baby safe, many moms avoid giving their child a baby pillow for longer than is really necessary.
After your infant reaches a certain age, it is safe for you to give them a baby pillow... and will make them a lot more comfortable. Generally, doctors say that at the age of 12 months, when a child has gained some mobility, it may be time to give them a baby pillow. While you can wait several years to give your child a pillow if you choose, giving him or her one earlier on is a great way to have your one year old (or older) baby sleep through the night. The right size and shape baby pillow can do a lot for your childs comfort, as well as helping him or her breathe better during cold and flu season.
A Baby Pillow for an Older Infant
The truth is, a toddler or older baby will be more comfortable and sleep better using a baby pillow than without one. But just because it is generally safe to give your older infant or toddler a baby pillow does not mean that any kind of pillow will do. It is always important to think about your childs safety, of course, and grown up sized pillows can pose a danger to your toddler. Though a toddler is more mobile than a newborn, he or she can still be smothered by a large pillow.
So of course shopping for the right type of baby pillow for your baby is very important. In addition to being somewhat dangerous, adult sized pillows are just not comfortable for a toddler. A baby pillow, on the other hand, is designed with the proportions of your babys head, neck, and shoulders in mind. With toddler sized dimensions, only twelve inches by sixteen inches, a baby pillow supports your child in just the same way an adult pillow supports an adult, but geared towards the angles and dimensions which are comfortable for a baby.
There are also a few additional considerations to make when you are looking into buying a baby pillow for your child. For instance, it is generally better to purchase a hypoallergenic baby pillow if possible. A hypoallergenic pillow will reduce the amount of allergens your child is exposed to as he or she sleeps, and will usually be of the highest quality. You will also want to shop for a baby pillow that is easy to clean. While a baby pillow with a plastic layer will be the simplest type to clean, the plastic layering may make your child feel overheated. Your best choice is a pillow with a high quality, long lasting fabric that is breathable, but easily wipes clean .
Baby Sleep Through The Night
One of the most important things in getting you baby to sleep properly is for your baby to learn to sleep on his or her own. The reason it is so difficult for many parents - why parents of a newborn suffer from so many sleepless nights - is because your baby, at first, isn't used to sleeping on his own, and when he wakes up in the night he cries for his mother: being in the presence of his mother is only way he knows how to get to sleep. It is natural that this transition from sleeping with the mother, to sleeping on his own, will take some time for your baby. Many baby sleep tips involve setting up a strict nighttime routine, and introducing objects - such as stuffed animals - into the bed that your baby can associate with sleep. If you find after some months that your baby is still not able to sleep on his own, you can try what is known as the Ferber method.
Invented by Dr. Richard Ferber, the Ferber method is the most common way of weaning your child away from the mother, in terms of his sleep habits. It is usually successful within a couple of weeks. Nevertheless, it is important that you choose a week where you can afford to lose some sleep to begin the Ferber method. Especially at the beginning of the process, the Ferber method does require that you spend a lot of time listening to your baby crying, and if you attempt it at a time when you are desperate to sleep, you run the risk of breaking down and allowing your child to sleep with you, or sleeping in the room with him. If you do so you risk undoing a lot of work that you will have put into the method.
The first night you attempt the Ferber method, put your child to bed as you normally do. Your baby should be tired but still awake when you put him to bed, so that he is left to fall asleep on his own. After you leave the room, the baby will inevitably start crying. Allow him to cry for about 5 minutes, then re-enter the room to console him. It's important that you stay in the room for only a short time - even if he is still crying - and that you don't pick him up or rock him. This second time you leave the room, wait 10 minutes before returning in the same manner. The third time wait 15 minutes, and set this as a maximum wait time for the rest of the night.
Every time thereafter, enter the room briefly and then allow your child to cry for 15 minutes. Eventually, he will fall asleep on his own during one of the 15 minute intervals in which you are out of the room. The second night, you should begin with a 10 minute wait before re-entering the room, followed by 15 and then 20 minutes. In a similar fashion, increase your initial and subsequent wait times by 5 minutes each night.
Using this method your child will soon learn to go to sleep on his own. Although it can be difficult to listen to your baby cry, understand that the Ferber method is a safe and effective way of getting your baby to learn to sleep on his own.
Both Frank Warehouse & Brandon C. Hall are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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