Comfort Items/Loveys

[cinnamonsmiles]

Over the past week I have noticed that V has an affinity for blankets. Specifically, she likes sucking on the edge of a blanket to put herself to sleep. I would like to introduce something at the same time we initiate sleep training because I think it will make things smoother, but am a little iffy about the risks that could be involved. DS never took to one, so this is new territory for me.

What are your thoughts on blankets/loveys?

[sctiger]

Our pediatrician said that we could introduce a lovey at 6 months but to wait until 12 months for a blanket.

[roseinbloom]

A very common strategy for sleep training.

If your kid is naturally going to become attached to something there's nothing you can do about it anyway whether it's obsession with dinosaurs, falling in love with someone of any gender or sex, or a deep preference for pie over cake. For my part, I think it's sweet and the benefits outweigh the difficulties (leaving it somewhere or destroying it). Kids fall in love with family pets and make believe friends, and it's a part of growing up to have things and relationships change, and to miss them when they are gone.

I've never seen someone walk down the aisle with their lovey or a pacifier, so I don't think having a special attachment to something is really a problem.

Not saying you're implying these concerns, Just giving my full opinion.

[roseinbloom]

Wait a minute. Do you mean risks like health risks with suffocation? I suppose there is always some risk of that the minute your baby is in bed with anything other than clothing.

The Angel Dear line (tiny blankets with a stuffed animal head--that sounds creepy, but they are very cute) was designed for safe sleeping, I was told.

Eta: we were gifted this monkey and duck, and both are wonderful!
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[sunshineshades]

E has 2 taggy blankets that her paci attaches too. I'm encouraging that to be her lovey. I did with dd1 as well and she loves her blankie at 3.5. It worked out when I took her paci away that she still had the blankie to soothe her.

[mom2boxers]

Buy multiples once you figure out what they like. It will save your sanity if one becomes damaged or is misplaced.

[mom2boxers]

My first liked the A&A security blanket squares.

[jewel441]

My LO pulls everything into her face so I think it would make me nervous. But eventually, if we need it I would. Right now she seems content to suck her thumb to put herself to sleep, then it just pops out while she is asleep. The thing I like about the thumb is its attached to her, so she can never lose it in the crib or anywhere else. Obviously I don't want her to suck her thumb forever but it seems like a good way to put yourself to sleep.

I definitely had a blankie as a baby, not sure when I started it as a baby... But I have vivid memories of the end. When I lost it in the SF airport on our way home from visiting our cousins. I must have been on the older side bc I can remember exactly what it looks like and the pain of losing it. I also insisted on writing my address on all my possessions for months after. And my little brother gave me his blanket (he was never as attached, it was the same one but blue instead of pink. For awhile I slept with that but it was never the same)

[peachesncream]

My first never had a lovey. I am sort of relieved as it is just one more thing to lose or get left somewhere haha! If you do one make sure to buy multiples of whatever it is in case of emergency.

[JoeLies]

We started giving DS1 his lovey around 6 months and he STILL keeps it in his bed (along with 4 stuffed animals). We already have one for Chase and he does love putting his burp cloth, his Taggie blanket, etc. in his mouth, so I think it'll be a hit in another month. But no sooner, since I'm convinced he WILL smother himself. It seems like covering his face is one of his favorite hobbies.

[sctiger]

Aug 22, 2016 7:59:32 GMT -5 mom2boxers said:

But multiples once you figure out what they like. It will save your sanity if one becomes damaged or is misplaced.

Yes! Long story but we ended up with four monkeys for DD1!

[katespade]

J has an A&A lovey. She sometimes naps with it but I make sure it's not in her face. I don't let her sleep with it at night.

[Missy0483]

No blankets, lovies, or stuffed animals in the crib til at least 12 months for us. I even get worried when he's sleeping in the swing and I have a blanket tucked around him. He squirms so much when he wakes and the blanket almost always comes out.

[paloslee]

Max is not attached to anything yet. He has a dodgers bear lovey but he's indifferent to it. DS1 didn't have a blanket, lovey or paci. But he loved dinosaurs. He was about 3yrs old and wanted everything dinos. My aunt made him a dino costume and he would wear that costume day and nite.

[Deleted]

I don't want anything in the crib with him yet and he doesn't really seem attached to anything. He does have one of the little blankets with a stuffed animal head that I give to him in the car sometimes.

[rachelilly23]

K loves her FanFan the fawn because it's a great teether, but she gets comfort out of teething haha. As for a security blanket, she does have a bunny with the stuffed animal head and minky blanket attached to it, but she's not into that, and I don't really give it to her yet. I'm sure she will develop an attachment to it later.

My boys had the security blankets also. DS1, who is 6, still has his froggy one in his bed, but he doesn't really sleep with it anymore. He was attached to it until he was 5. We once left it at an airport, so I had to buy a replacement when he was 18 months.

[halfahippy]

C wasn't attached to anything until he was a year old and we stopped nursing. He then got attached to that little Boo the dog Pomeranian stuffed animal. He named it Diggity Dog. I have 2 of them but he only sleeps with it. It doesn't go anywhere with us.
I haven't offered anything to A yet. She chews on burp rags, but she's not attached to them. I have no plans to offer anything until closer to a year. I read somewhere that breastfed babies are less likely to become attached to objects until they wean because they use boobs for comfort. Not sure if it's true or not, but so far it's true for my kids.

[katespade]

Oh J loves her Sophie too. She also nibbles on her wubbanubs.

[cinnamonsmiles]

Aug 22, 2016 5:03:42 GMT -5 roseinbloom said:

I've never seen someone walk down the aisle with their lovey or a pacifier, so I don't think having a special attachment to something is really a problem.

Not saying you're implying these concerns, Just giving my full opinion.

Not walking down the aisle, but I used to be friends with a man in his 30s who still slept with his "blankie".

But you're right, I meant the suffocation risks

[cinnamonsmiles]

So what exactly is the difference between a lovey and a blankie? I have seen both and guess I don't really understand the rationale of lovey=ok but blankie=not. Is it simply size that is an issue, or is it breath-ability?

[katespade]

Aug 22, 2016 22:41:19 GMT -5 cinnamonsmiles said:

So what exactly is the difference between a lovey and a blankie? I have seen both and guess I don't really understand the rationale of lovey=ok but blankie=not. Is it simply size that is an issue, or is it breath-ability?

J has this:


The blanket part is small and thin. It's very breathable but also, it's not that big. If I spread it out I can just barely cover her lap with it. She's never fully covered her face with it.

[kendraj426]

Aug 22, 2016 22:41:19 GMT -5 cinnamonsmiles said:

So what exactly is the difference between a lovey and a blankie? I have seen both and guess I don't really understand the rationale of lovey=ok but blankie=not. Is it simply size that is an issue, or is it breath-ability?

I think the rationale is that a lovey is much smaller, so it's unlikely to cover the whole face and smother the baby. I personally didn't give V anything to sleep with except a pacifier until she was well over a year old. But, I'm kinda paranoid that way.

[fignewt]

Aug 22, 2016 7:31:19 GMT -5 sunshineshades said:

E has 2 taggy blankets that her paci attaches too. I'm encouraging that to be her lovey. I did with dd1 as well and she loves her blankie at 3.5. It worked out when I took her paci away that she still had the blankie to soothe her.

What a great idea! Link please?

[sunshineshades]

Aug 23, 2016 20:10:02 GMT -5 fignewt said:

Aug 22, 2016 7:31:19 GMT -5 sunshineshades said:

E has 2 taggy blankets that her paci attaches too. I'm encouraging that to be her lovey. I did with dd1 as well and she loves her blankie at 3.5. It worked out when I took her paci away that she still had the blankie to soothe her.

What a great idea! Link please?

A friend actually made it. But you can find them on etsy.

[carissa325]

Team nothing in the bed until first birthday. DH is a paramedic and it's absolutely non negotiable here.

[Missy0483]

Aug 23, 2016 21:11:08 GMT -5 carissa325 said:

Team nothing in the bed until first birthday. DH is a paramedic and it's absolutely non negotiable here.

Yup. DH is a volunteer firefighter and has heard stories. Plus with our past....blankets/stuffed animals/lovies are not ok here. Jenna didn't have a blanket until she was 2 and even then it was a A&A type blanket.

[sctiger]

I was trying to think about when we gave DD1 her little monkey. It was around a year I think. My husband was super cautious and wanted to wait. She started sleeping with a pillow at 2.5 when she moved to her big girl bed.