Blankets in Cribs

Being the HORRIBLE mother I am, as soon as the kids refused to be swaddled, I'd throw a blanket on them. I know, it poses a suffocation risk, but if they're in warm jammies, I'd still throw a light blanket on them. They were all fine. As soon as the can wiggle around, they will automatically MOVE if their face is being smothered. Not breathing isn't comfortable ;) They'll change their position if they can't breathe!!

ETA: @Dana, blankets have nothing to do with SIDS. Placing baby on their belly to sleep is linked to SIDS, there has been a common genetic link found in SIDS babies, immunizations are not linked to SIDS, over clothing/swadling has been linked to CONTRIBUTE to SIDS (because infants can not regulate their body temp like we can)... but not blankets. Blankets pose a suffocation threat to infants who are too young with not enough muscle control to move if they can't breathe. A 7 month old, like M.'s baby, can sleep with blankets safely and comfortably.

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This is from babycenter.com:
The BabyCenter Editorial Team

Many babies who die from SIDS or suffocation are found on their stomach with their faces covered by soft bedding such as blankets and pillows. For this reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you keep blankets out of your baby's crib until he's at least 12 months old. After this age, the statistical likelihood of dying from SIDS plummets. The risk of suffocation also goes down because most 12-month-olds are able to roll over and have the dexterity to move blankets away from their face.

If you do decide to use a blanket, choose a thin one and tuck it firmly around both sides and one end of the crib mattress. Place your baby under the blanket so his feet and lower half are covered, but his upper chest and head are exposed (tuck the blanket under his arms, across his nipples).

http://www.mamapedia.com/questions/2649069862189727745

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This might not be right, but I put a blanket on my kids.I put the afgan blankets they have holes so I feel that they will not suffocate. I might get flack, but my son is fine..

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I wouldn't put a blanket in the crib until 12 months myself. How about using sleep sacks? My son just decided he didn't want them anymore, but he's 2. he slept so well with them the first 2 years. Aden and Anais make nice thin ones. And Halo has regular weight ones and fleece one for winter.

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While I have always used blankets with my babies, I was just this week told about a 7 month old who died in his crib because he got tangled up in his blanket at night. I don't think I'd risk it now. We do use those sleep sacks though, and they are wonderful.

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I gave my kids their blankets back as soon as they could roll over both ways on their own. So around 4-5 mos.

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I was going to respond but then Rachel D's response and that was pretty much what I was going to write word for word!

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I did not feel it was safe for my little ones to have a blanket until after they were a year old. if he likes being warm you can get some of those sip up blakets that are like a onesie and are sids safe! also day care usually stays in the room while the child naps and keeps a eye on them...kinda impossible to do durring the night. i say some warm pj.'s or a sack blanket would be best for that young of age. better safe than sorry.

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Mine had blankets from the get go... not really heavy ones, but something to cuddle up with or cover with. But that being said, most of my kids were also in a bassinet till they were about 5-6 mo old and then move to the big crib. Plus my 15 mo old has had a large catapiller stuffed animal (about 3 ft long) that he cuddles up with since he moved to his big crib (I know BIG no no) but he can't sleep without something touching his head... and yes he sleeps on his tummy too. Actually all but one of my kids are tummy sleepers... I know I know - believe me I have heard it with all 4 of them, but you know what you do what you have to to get them to sleep sometimes. They are all still safe and are living life good at 17, 7, 6, 4 and 15 mo.

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Can he roll over? Can he crawl? In general does he have good motor skills?

Unlike most of the other posters, I put a blanket in with my babies from the start. Our house is COLD at night in the winter and they detested the "sleep clothing". They were swaddled at first and then when they wouldn't stand swaddling, they were advanced with their fine and gross motor skills so they could move the blanket off of them. There is a miniscule amount of evidence that SIDS may possibly be related to blankets or other items in the crib. Most of it seemed like coincidence instead of causality to me. I was willing to take the risk after reading all the research associated with it. If you are considering it, read the research so you can make an informed decision instead of just going with the blanket statements and recommendations.

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Get him warmer onesies or whatever he wears to sleep. It's not worth the risk. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that "Sleep clothing, such as sleepers, sleep sacks, and wearable blankets, are good alternatives to blankets." If a blanket goes over his face in the night, or he moves enough to get tangled in it, the results could be tragic. Infants cannot "automatically" move if their faces are covered.

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I use to put my kids in the 'blanket' zip up sleepers.... they kept them really warm at night. Not sure what the most recent recommendation for blankets is (due to SIDS). You may want to google that.

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We put our almost 11-month old in sleep sacks with footed jammies. But at around 9 months or so he would not fall asleep unless he had a blanket. He didn't cover up with it, he just had to have it close to his face to cuddle up with. (his way of substituting falling asleep at mom's warm breast, I guess) so we would just wait until he was asleep and take it from him. Now I leave the blanket in his crib, but it usually ends up wadded in the corner anyway because he moves so much. But he's a strong kid and can roll over easily and get on all fours so I don't worry about him having a blanket at this age. I would just trust your instincts. For now, maybe try taking it away after he falls asleep, or try sleep sacks.

I don't remember what age my son was. I would play with him with a blanket and put it over his face and pull it off. Once he could pull it off himself, I let him have a blanket in the crib.

Not until a year of age. It is normal to wake at night. Most adults do also. We just all learn to put ourselves back to sleep. Cool sleeping temperatures are healthier than warmer ones and if you are worried, put him in a sleep sac. The risk of SIDS is just not worth it (yes it's rare, but dying because you don't have a blanket is even more rare).

I did not put a blanket in for awhile.
I used the heater to make sure the house was a bit warmer.
I used flannel cradle & crib sheets.
Since he's still young, maybe just put him down w/it for a few mins while you are awake then take it out when he falls asleep before YOU go to bed.
Better safe than sorry.
I started using warmer sleepwear too.
Not sure of his exact age but I didn't give him a blanket for a long while.

I would do a light one that way if he gets trapped under it, tangled up, he can still breathe.

I gave my DD a blanket around 3 months. She would NOT wear a sleep sack -she would get PISSED if I tried to put her in one, but it was too cold in our apartment for just PJs. (I even bought warm fleece ones, and she would get cold.) She likes to snuggle into it...

Now, the original blanket I used was SUPER thin and was only big enough to cover her body, so that it was less of a suffocation hazard. Even if she had it balled up and scrunched into her face, she could still breathe through it. I couldn't wrap her up in it if I tried, so I wasn't worried about her getting tangled in it. When she got old enough to roll herself over, around 6 months, I gave her a little thicker one.

I think my son was around that age, or maybe just a little older. We use a blanket that was knitted for him in a non-fuzzy yarn. There are holes large enough that he can breathe, even if he was under the blanket (which he never is). When I lay him down, I place the blanket across his chest, under his arms. He usually just grabs it and chews on it for awhile, or holds it and rolls around snuggling with it.

My kids all had blankets from day one.

Both of my kids were a year old when they started sleeping with a blanket. Before my daughter started sleeping with the blanket she would sleep with one of those very small blankets with a stuffed animal attached to it, she loved that and I swear it helped her fall asleep.

I'm pretty by the rules. I waited until 12-16 months with my kids. I did use sleep sacks.

Not worth the risk of getting it tangled around his neck in my opinion. Kids are situation sensitive - just because he has a blanket at day care doesn't mean he needs it at home. It's a shame daycare gave him a blanket. So, I don't really have a solution other than persistence. I wouldn't do it if it were me.