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RSS FeedSecurity blanket: Key to baby sleeping all night?
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| Yes | 38% | 96 votes | Total: 253 votes | |
| No | 62% | 157 votes |
Yes
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Add to FavoritesIf asked this question sometime ago I would tell you no that babies should not have a security blanket. My two boys who are now five and seven never had one and didn't really need one I thought. Now that I had my daughter who is now eight months old my view on the security blanket has completely changed.
When my daughter came home from the hospital we had her wrapped in a fleece pink blanket to keep her warm. We also used this blanket when we went to my husbands grandparents for the weekend so she could have something to sleep on that was soft. She slept through the night when using this blanket at only two months old. I thought that perhaps this was just a coincidence. The next night that we stayed there again she slept through the night. When we went home and she slept in her own bed again it all changed she went back to her normal routine of waking up several times through the night.
She didn't sleep through the night and during the day she would wake to the slightest of noises. Not a good combination for a mother of three, if you ask me. It was suggested to me by my husbands grandma to try letting her sleep with that blanket and see what happens. So during the day when she would take her naps I would lay her in the blanket, where I can watch her closly. It worked she slept so soundly nothing could really wake her up. I was amazed how a blanket could do that. Then we started using it with her in her bed when she got about four months old, she slept through the night. Now whereever she goes, if she is staying for a long period of time, we take that blanket.
We also take it with us when we go on car rides it makes the rides. Our daughter does not like car rides or her car seat for that matter so we started to take the blanket with us. Doing so makes the trips less stressful for her and the driver. So now we take the blanket with us when we go anywhere.
You have to be wondering how does this thing stay clean when it is being used all the time. I wait until she wakes up and then throw it in the wash. She doesn't necessarily need it when she is a wake. I make sure though that it is clean come time for nap or bed time.
You can argue that kids just don't need it just put them on a schedule. Well I have to ask you what about the your peace of mind? Wouldnt you rather have a calm baby or a screaming baby cus they dont have the capability to do the schedule thing? I choose to have peace and a clam and happy baby.
I do believe that every kid is different. In the case of my two boys they didnt need that security blanket. Then came my daughter and she needs one as well as we do. Some kids need that extra security wether it be a toy or a blanket.
Learn more about this author, Patricia Young.
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No
Many things dictate if your baby will sleep alnight. And none of those things are really a security blanket. Most babies start sleeping through the night when they reach 12 plus pounds. Doctors feel that this is the weight that no longer requires feedings throughout the night unless you are breastfeeding. Then babies tend to wake up more often since breast milk is not as filling as formula for as long.
Most babies will first sleep through the night at around four months and some will achieve this at three months. Still other parents seem to have babies which are more particular then others over noise or change. I have heard of some parents who cannot even manage to get their baby to sleep through the night at twelve months old.
I think that binkies tend to help babies sleep better. It gives them more of a sense of security then a blanket and its also recommended to prevent SIDS. Where a blanket might prove dangerous if the baby should fall alseep with it too close to their nose or mouth. Or perhaps during the night they might become tangled in the blanket. Nowadays the vast majority of doctors are recommending that you simply dress your baby warmly and put him or her to bed with absolutely no blankets in the crib.
Lately blanket sleepers have become a favorite for newborns. These are like pajamas but are made of a blanket material that you zip yoru baby into. They swaddle the legs of the baby with individual legs. These are suppose to keep your infant warm and cozy without the dangers that a blanket can pose in the crib or sleeper.
I also feel that the secret to getting your baby to sleep through the night it to establish a routine. Babies and toddlers thrive on routine. You can start to wind the night down with a nice warm bath. Follow that by a soothing lotion massage. Several major companies such as Johnsons have released some wonderful smelling lotions that are made specifically to sooth your baby and relax him or her for bedtime. Then take the time to cuddle with your baby. If it is still nursing from a bottle then sit down with baby and bottle. Pick a nice fun book and read to your baby. Or use your imagination and tell a story. Children love a bedtime story. Then its lights out. Once in the dark you can even softly sing a lullaby. Soon your little one will drift off to sleep. You will find that your baby will thrive on the same routine each and every night. This is a way for baby and mom to wind down and relax. This will enable your baby to sleep soundly through the night. In the end the routine will benefit your child and produce a long nights sleep far more then the security blanket which will only cause problems in the long run.
If your child becomes too attached to a favorite blanket soon they will be dragging the blanket everywhere with them. It will be tattered and torn and dirty. There is nothing worse then being in a supermarket and seeing a child lugging along a security blanket that has seen some better days. It is best not to make your child dependant on such items. Instead opt for a healthy bedtime routine.
Learn more about this author, Kim Sharpe.
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