When do you introduce a pillow at bedtime?

[JudyLee]

Hi all.
Just wanted to get a general consensus as to when do you give them a pillow to sleep with?
Nothing I've seen tells me when......
Thanks for any help!

[mumofalice]

I don't know the answer - so am marking my spot cos I wondered that myself 

[becky1969]

I think we gave my son a pillow at around 18 months old.  just a small toddler pillow.  He didn't really use it to sleep on until after 2 though.

[Mimi 2]

Both were given a pillow before 12 mos.  Well it was more of a small & soft body pillow (about 6x24 inches).  They both use it to cuddle with when they sleep.  DD slept on an adult sized pillow at 18 mos when she moved into a bed.  I make their pillows so they are very soft and fairly flat.

[alilaa]

Can I bump this for you... I am curious also???

[We Three]

I wondered this, too. My dd is 2.5, and about 3 months ago got a bad headcold...so I gave her a pillow one night to keep her head elevated so she could breathe better.  2 nights later I went to remove it and she went bananas!!!!  "I need my pillow, Mama!!!"   I called my sis and my SIL, asking if this was ok, (both have way more experience than me!) and they both thought it was.  I wouldn't have offered it until she was 3....but what's done is done...she's happy and she's not giving that pillow up!!

But.....although she "goes" to sleep with her head on it,  when we check her before we go to bed, or at any time during the night, she is not on that pillow at all...she scoots down so her head is on the mattress and the pillow is up at the top, with nobody on it!   

I *thought* I had read that 3 yrs was the time to offer, but I can't be sure....this will be an interesting thread!!

[JudyLee]

Thanks guys - glad to know it's not a silly question!!!
Looking forward to hearing what others have to say also.

[We Three]

Here at BW there is no such thing as silly questions...!!!!  I"m about to post one about toddler toenails...and I'm not feeling the least bit silly!!   

[mumofalice]

Here at BW there is no such thing as silly questions...!!!! 

That's what I love about this place - no silly questions . . . and LOADS of fab advice from fantastic Mums - seems there is always someone who has BTDT already 

[nwmm]

Need to check in later.

[Mimi 2]

I *think* the main concern with pillows given to young infants is suffocation.  Also there is a chance that the lo bub may use the pillow as a leverage to climb out of the crib.  Whether there are pillows, crib bumpers, stuff animals, blankets etc. you need to be careful.  

Amelia, I read an article that nothing should be in the crib with an infant other than a small muslin cloth until 2 yo.

[We Three]

I have read that too, Mimi....but I was an outlaw, and did use bumpers.      I took her bumpers off once, and she had arms, legs, all stuck out of the rails...I put the bumpers back.   OOOhhhh...using the pillow to climb out...I hadn't thought of that!  I truly believe my dd would never attempt to climb out...she loves her crib, and I have to drag her out of there every morning...and that's AFTER I have left her to play, read and such for 30 minutes!!!   

*knocking wood, though...just in case.*

[* Paula *]

Hmmm, I was sure my HV said to me that you could introduce a pillow at 1 

We introduced a pillow to our DD when she was 14 months old I think.  She had moved to a big girl bed, and it helped her not to bang her head on the sides of the bed.

Most of the time she is half way down the bed anyway, but usually goes to sleep with her head on it. 

We too use a very thin pillow.  One of our old ones that is practically flat.

[clh]

We offered pillows when they moved to BBBs at about 2 yr each.  Like pp said, Isaac ends up with his head off of it.  J uses it properly now, but he's almost 4.  They went straight to adult standard size pillows, but we tried to make sure they were pretty flat.

[nwmm]

I offered a "baby" pillow after 2 years of age.  I was hoping to do the same, again, around 2 years.  DD2 LOVES pillows. 

While I agree with the suffocation and such, my dd1 and dd2 use their loveys as pillows anyways and the loveys are about the same as the baby pillows.

If I am not hijacking this thread, can someone remind me where to find baby pillows in the US?  I bough DD1 at Ikea, but it is quite squishy.  She is now 3.5 and using adult pillows as well so I feel fine about this situation.  I would like a baby pillow that is not so squishy.  AND, the other thing I learned is I need the pillow to be washable vs. dry cleanable for obvious reasons.  I learned some of the expensive chain stores used to sell dry clean baby pillows.