When to Give Toddler a Pillow?

Updated on January 11, 2011
R.M. asks from Spring Hill, TN
13 answers

My son is 15 mos and I was just wondering when kids start using pillows to sleep with? He still seems pretty restless and moves all over his crib, and he wakes easily also. I don't know if this is because he is uncomfortable without a pillow or just because he isn't ready for one yet. What would be the reasons for/against giving him one?

Thanks!

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So What Happened?

Thanks for the advice! I don't have any plans to give him one yet, I was more just curious. There are some things that just aren't in the baby books, and I realized I had no idea when you should do this. I think I will go with the advice of waiting for him to be in his toddler bed, since he had never shown any inclination to use one.

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E.M.

answers from Raleigh on

My sons school recommends that you start with a travel pillow - its about 12" x 10" - we got it at Walmart for under $10 - you have to buy a separate cover but it zips closed so they cant get caught/trapped in it. I am planning on starting it when I transition him to a big boy bed at around 2 yrs.

Hope this helps.

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A.C.

answers from Charlotte on

My son is 10 months old and has a pillow. I propped him up on a pillow when he had a cold about 2 months ago and he has slept with one every since. I worried all the time about him smothering himself but mine moves so much that he doesn't stay in his covers, on his pillow, at the head of the bed, so I just don't worry about it and know he will move if he get uncomfortable. I do put it under the fitted sheet though so he doesn't move it with him when he moves and gets himself trapped inside the pillowcase or under the pillow by chance. He starts out there and ends up somewhere else in the bed.

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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

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M.B.

answers from Louisville on

My son is two and still doesn't use a pillow. He moves a lot and he seems to sleep just fine with out one. I'll probably give him a really flat one when he moves to a real bed.

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L.D.

answers from Raleigh on

I didn't give my kids a pillow until they moved out of the crib. I agree with much of the advice that a pillow in the crib increases the chance of an accident because there is no where for the baby to go if he ends up stuck against the rails.

Good luck,
L. D.

M.C.

answers from Johnson City on

Hello R., My son who is now 16 years, was much like your little guy when sleeping at that age. I ended up putting him out into a big boy bed at about 20 months. It felt too young to me but he was very content. He started sleeping better, or more peaceful. As it turned out for us, he is and has always been extremely paticular about his sleeping surface and space. Looking back at how he behaved in his crib at 15 months is not much different from how he behaves at 16 years. The difference for us is that now HE can fix whatever is not working for him. (hahaha, the joy of figuring them out just goes on and on)

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K.S.

answers from Charlotte on

There is a great product that I have used for my daughter (21 months) for about a year. She has absolutely loved it (although when I received it at a shower I did not think I would ever use it). It is called "Dilly the Duck Booster Pillow". It is great because of the cashmere fabric, semi-circle shape and flatness. The tag says "Angel Dear". They have different animals (frog, poodle, giraffe, etc.) and are not too easy to find. The only place I have found in Charlotte is L&M Monogramming on East Blvd. I would google it. :) HTH!

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E.M.

answers from Louisville on

the longer you wait the better. if you want to try a pillow start with a very small one. my daughter couldnt sleep with out one but my youngest still isnt using one and shes almost 2. just depends on the kiddo

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J.P.

answers from Nashville on

I may make some enemies here, but try it out! give the boy a pillow.. a big one, even... If you are considering not d/t the risk of SIDS, think about the fact that your son is an able-bodied toddler. He is mature enough to be able to re-position himself if there is any danger.

Common sense says that a 15 month old is far more stable physiologically than, say, a 15-day old.

By the way, my son sleeps with a boppy. I lay a duvet over it and it creates a little nest for him. He used to sleep on his tummy with the pillow under his chest/ armpit area, but now he likes to lay on his back with the "arch" of the boppy under his neck.

The fact of the matter is that there are correlative links between SIDS and blankets/ pillows/ back-sleeping/ male sex/ smoking in the home/ prematurity, but there are also cases where none of these factors were in play.
Good luck, and use your best judgement.

J.

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D.T.

answers from Jacksonville on

We gave our son a pillow a few weeks ago, he is 15 months old. It is a normal size but not to fluffy. He doesn't wake up as much during the night crying for those 30 seonds. I think he is more comfortable. I don't see what the big deal is with a pillow at that age...

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M.T.

answers from Nashville on

I moved my baby from her crib to a queen size bed when she was 16 months. There are 2 pillows on that bed. I have seen her lay on the pillow but most of the time she is all over the bed without the pillow. I just let her chose when she wants it and when she doesn't. As far as advantages or disadvantages, I have none. What we do, works well for us.

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B.O.

answers from Nashville on

we didn't give our son a pillow till he was in his big bo bed (he was 2yrs 4months) and then it wasa smaller very thin pillow)

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J.S.

answers from Fayetteville on

Because children's heads are larger, they really don't need pillows until they're much older...around 8 or 10. A small child using a pillow (lying on his back, head on the pillow)could block thier airway simply because of how their head is shaped in relation to their spine. That being said, there is a pillow on my 4 year old's bed, and he mostly uses it to snuggle with.

I've found that kids move around a lot when they sleep, and some are just light sleepers. I know that my son wiggles so much that we have to put the sheets & blankets back on his bed every night.

That being said, there is a pillow on my 4 year old's bed, and he mostly uses it to snuggle with.

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