At what age do you let them sleep with a stuffed animal?

One of my sons has been waking up just wanting to play early in the morning. He isn't fussing or anything, just awake. I was thinking of letting him sleep with a stuffed animal that he could play with when he woke up.

What age did you start letting your child sleep with something?

Is 8 months too early?

 

We gave them one of those blanket things with a bear head sometime between 5 & 6 months. My son always holds onto and hugs his while he sleeps. Now I think he associates it with sleep, so it's worked out good,

 

I gave each of mine a small "lovey" (those small, square blankets with an animal head on them) around 7 months. They just acted like they needed something to hold onto when they were trying to go to sleep. It has worked miracles - they LOVE their lovies and reach for them as soon as it is naptime or bedtime.

I believe the AAP guidelines though say to not give your baby anything like a blanket or stuffed animal until they are over 1-year.

Have you tried attaching a soother to the crib like the Ocean Wonders Aquarium? My two also love to turn their's on and off and watch the water, bubbles, and fish in it.

 

One of mine is showing a preference for snuggling with a blanket now when he sleeps, so I was thinking about getting him one of the blanket/animal hybrids for Christmas too.

But that's a good question. When is it safe? I'd like to know too.

 

I just put their "blankies" (blankets with animal heads) in there this week, but they don't really use them much.

spiveyplustwins-

Did you get my PM?

 

I just put these little stuffed dolls in their cribs. They are those "my first doll" dolls...little boy ones of course. They have a rattle in them. The boys don't bother them much except for when they wake up in the morning...they play with them and rattle them all over the place.

It's been a great way to occupy them first thing in the morning when I'm just getting up and moving.

 

The girls have small care bears with rattles in them that they play with when they first wake up or sometime in the middle of the night I will hear them rattling those for a few minutes. We put them in with them at 6 months they could roll easily on their own.

 

Both of my girls have had "loveys" since 4mths, Keira sleeps with hers over her face and if you move it she will wake up!

 

Both of mine have those small squares of material with an animal head on that you´re all talking about. No idea what we call them in the UK but they´re called atrapasueños here in Spain (= sleep catchers, if you translate it literally!!).

However, I have to admit that I give both my babies a stuffed toy to play with in their cots, esp DS if he wakes at 5am and starts ´chatting´! I give them small stuffed toys - like Winnie The Pooh or a toy that is for their age - and have never had a problem. Mine also sleep with blankets on them but we tuck them under the mattress either side and have never had a problem. :blush:

 

One of mine has had a blanket and 2 small stuffed animals since she was 3 months old. The other has always slept with a blanket as well. I'm a bad mommy when it comes to sleeping. I also let one of mine sleep on her tummy at 2.5 months.

 

Just a few days ago I have my ladies their little glow worms and are trying to teach them how to turn them on and play music ^_^ So far the worms just sit next to them while they sleep, lol. But they enjoy watching them while they're lit up and singing to them

 

I don't have anything in my daughter's crib, but I've a little stuffed frog at the bottom of my son's crib for a while now (they are 6 months). This morning I was a little late to get them up, but when I went in, he had managed to get himself to the bottom of the crib and was playing quite happily with his frog. Yay! No more early morning growling crib scratching baby!
I did put on of those fisher price seahorse soother toys in for my daughter last week, but when she looked at it she burst into tears. Its so cute too, with a glowing tummy and playing really sweet music! I figured I'd give her a few minutes to adjust, but when I came back in the room she turned away from it, and refused to look at it. Poor child! She's getting one of those "my first dolls" for Christmas though, so we'll see if that is less traumatic and hopefully more comforting.

 

I've found that my two don't need anything. DD has a crib soother she can turn on, but mostly they're happy babbling and playing with their feet and their sleep sack.

 

If you're nervous about giving them something soft (the suffocation risk), you could try putting a book or two in the crib. Lots of fun, but not soft enough to burrow into/cover face with.

We started letting them sleep with stuffed animals when the "lovey switch" flipped on and they went totally nuts for their particular "friends." That wasn't until about 16 mo or so, IIRC. Before that, they just weren't interested.

 

I just told grandma they could use something to play/cuddle w/ in the crib as an xmas gift… as I feel sad when I put them to bed… they go straight to their bumpers and cuddle it… it’s so cute yet somewhat sad… I want to get in the crib and have then snuggle me… it drives DH mad… he took the bumpers off… but then I sent him in @ midnight to plug back in binkies that slipped through the slats… he put the bumper back on…

 

QUOTE(Suzy! @ Dec 5 2008, 11:53 AM) [snapback]1098766[/snapback]
Just a few days ago I have my ladies their little glow worms and are trying to teach them how to turn them on and play music ^_^ So far the worms just sit next to them while they sleep, lol. But they enjoy watching them while they're lit up and singing to them

thats what i told Grandam to get... i wanted one when they came out he he

 

We started them with stuffed animals late, like 10 months. I say 8 months is a great time to start!

 

I guess I'm one of the few here who has had stuffies in the cribs from almost the get go! I would let them have small ones in the crib, and as they got bigger, they were allowed bigger bears. Now, they have stuffies, and blankies in the cribs, and we never have problems.

 

I think once they are turning over both ways very well it is okay. I think we started around 5 months with the lovie but a stuffed animal with no blanket attached should be fine at 8 months!

 

Evan started loving his Doggie around 5 or 6 months, I think. He has slept with at least one stuffed Doggie since then. James sleeps with a mini fuzzy blanket. I don't worry about them.

 

Mine have been sleeping with a small stuffed bear since they were 4 months old - I felt comfortable with it once they could roll over.