How to introduce lovey

[Renatapogacnik]

My LD is 8months and i would like to introduce a lovey.mAm I too late? How to do iy? Is it only for night sleep or also for naps? How to start? If i gave her something when she gets to sleep she just grab it and throw it around and gets upset. I think she needs something instead of my hand every night...
Tnx for advices!

[jessmum46]

Not too late at all

What I would do (what I did) is to start by giving it to her to hold as you are doing your winddown, perhaps during a cuddle or during the last feed before bed.  Let her get used to it being there and start to associate it with comfort and cuddles.  Once the novelty of it has worn off a bit, let her keep hold of it as she goes into bed.  You can also sleep with it for a night before you give it to her so it smells familiar which can also be comforting. 

I'd pick something without too many interesting bits - either a small muslin (added advantage of being breathable) or a small soft blanket, perhaps with ribbon edges as many LOs like the feel of silky textures. Be patient and hopefully she will take to it . You can also try giving it to her if she is upset (as well as a cuddle) so again she starts to make the association between the lovey and comfort/calming down. 

DD has one of these and absolutely loves it! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Angel-Dear-Blankie-Brown-Giraffe/dp/B000WFPWUQ

[Kymmi13]

My LO1 has the same lovey as Katharine posted on the Amazon link.  DD LOVES it!!  However, it did take MONTHS for her to get attached to it and associate it with sleeping.  I started off (as Katharine suggested in her post) by sleeping with it for a few days so it has my scent.  I then would show DD the lovey during wake periods and show her how I would cuddle with it and then gently rub the lovey on her cheek and hands.  During story time (naps and BT), I would hold the lovey next to her and then set her in her crib with it.  For the first few months, the lovey just laid there next to her.  One day, I noticed that she grabbed it and put it next to her cheek....and that's how it all started.  She now wakes up with her lovey and talks to it and looks for it in the middle of the night if she wakes. 

Just be patient...it takes awhile for them to catch on.  Well, at least for my LO, it took a few months.  I thought she would never take to it, but she eventually did.  I introduced it to her around 6 months and it wasn't until she was 9+ months that she started to show interests in it.

HTH