Can they have stuffed animals, blankets in crib or not?

I'm confused about whether and when they can have stuffed animals and/or blankets in their cribs. I thought part of the whole back to sleep sids thing was also nothing whatsoever in the crib with them. But I see pictures and see people talk about putting them to bed with their loveys or whatever. Even the cover of Dr. W's book shows a baby tucked under a blankie with a teddy bear. What's the deal?

 

Both my babies have a favorite lovey that they literally cling to as they fall asleep. IMO the risk is when they are too little to turn their heads away or shift. I don't use blankets because I think a sleep sack is just easier/safer all around, but I know lots of people who use blankets. I think you have to do what you're comfortable with. JMO.

Reyna

 

For a couple of months now I have been putting them to sleep with a binky and a small blankie. We have one that has a stuffed baseball at the end of it and a short blanket attached to it. As of last weekend I let them sleep with that plus a baby blanket (fleece) in their cribs. Other than that that's it. I was wondering the same thing too.

 

It depends whether you want to follow the strict recommendations for SIDS prevention.

My DDs were not interested in their loveys at all until about 6 months, but once they got interested in them, we started putting them in the crib every night. We didn't start using blankets until 12 months, because they were in sleep sacks anyway, so I figured there was no need. (Even now, they sleep on top of the blankets.)

I would not put anything soft in the crib with a baby under 4 months old, or one who couldn't turn his/her head and lift it up off the mattress.

 

Great question! I've been wondering the same thing! Our boys like sleeping with those stuffed animal blankets - loveys I think they're called. I emailed First Candle, the SIDS Alliance to see if that is ok and no one has emailed me back! My boys would sleep so much better if we let them keep those things with them in their cribs!

 

That's funny...one of my boys went to sleep with one of those stuffed animal blankets tonight for the first time. I was actually just about to go upstairs and check to make sure it wasn't in his face or anything. Just trying to work up the energy. I've spent all day lying around hungry with a nasty stomach bug :angry:

 

at about 6 mos we started putting DD to bed with a small crocheted blanket for security - it stopped her from waking up 4x a night!!! once they can roll and lift their heads off the mattress the risk is significantly lowered....now they each sleep with a blanket and a stuffed zebra

 

I wouldn't let mine sleep with anything for the longest time, b/c I was so afraid they'd strangle themselves or something. We did the "burrito wrap" as dh called it (swaddling), until they just outgrew the blanket. After that, I put them in warm pj's with feet so they'd stay warm. By now, though, I bet if I went into their room & checked in their cribs where they're sleeping I'd find not only their special blankets but also at least 3 stuffed animals & probably a book or 2.

I just waited until they seemed to be able to move around enough on their own to where I was sure that if they did roll over & get their face onto a stuffed animal or blanket, they could move themselves off again & be ok.