Can You Sleep Your Way to Conception?
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WHAM- In This Feature
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- Sleepy Time
- How do I know how much sleep my child needs at different ages?
- When should my baby sleep through the night without a feeding?
- When can my baby sleep without a hat or without being swaddled?
- I know babies are supposed to sleep on their backs, but mine keeps turning over on his tummy. What should I do?
- How do I know when to take the bumper pad and mobile off a crib?
- When can my child sleep with a blanket?
- When can my child sleep with a stuffed animal or doll?
- How do I know when my child is ready to go to sleep without a bedtime bottle or nursing?
- Is there a certain age when my child will stop needing a nap?
- When is it safe to turn off the baby monitor?
When can my child sleep with a stuffed animal or doll?
Perhaps your little one received the softest, sweetest teddy bear from her grandparents when she was born—you want her to enjoy it, but is it safe to put in the crib with her?
"Objects that are soft and fluffy—pillows, some blankets, stuffed animals, and toys—are not recommended for the young infant under about 6 months," cautions Dr. Sadler, explaining that if a child wedges his face into these items during sleep, it contributes to his risk of SIDS. "The peak age for SIDS is between 4 and 16 weeks."
"After eight months or so and into the toddler years, children can experience separation anxiety as their parents leave them to go to sleep. In this situation a toy or stuffed animal, as long as it is safe, can be the transitional object that a child uses to soothe himself in the absence of his parents," says Dr. Sadler.