Everyone knows the importance of blankets and how much they can do for the family’s little one.
I see only a third of families impart sleep cues like white noise machines or loveys to the life of their babies.
Undoubtedly, many parents are frightened of using loveys due to their concerns about its use like safety or unhealthy dependency of baby with a lovey.
Many misunderstandings are associated with the use of lovey blankets for babies.
In reality, these misconceptions have no solid reasoning behind their creation.
Loveys are very popular and marked for all ages of babies to sleep or play with.
This article will explain everything you need to know about lovey blankets for babies and either these blankets are safe or not. I will try to cover all of the parents’ primary concerns, which I have been listening to for so long.
So let’s join me in this article to get into the details.
Table of Contents
What is a Lovey?
In general terms, a lovey is an object or any item that a child connects with in order to get comfort and feel secure.
To be more precise, it is a soft and cloth toy that is solely meant for babies to cuddle up and sleep with.
This way, when a baby feels comfortable and secure, he most likely gravitates toward lovey in comparison to other objects in the crib. More importantly, lovey can be anything that is considered safe for a baby or toddler to have at sleep or playtime, and most commonly, these are marked as comfort items like blankets or stuffed animals.
Most people also call them “comfort objects,” “transitional objects,” or “security blankets.”
Except few, every baby or toddler can attach to a lovey. Most parents who have introduced lovey blankets into the toddler’s life regard it as a great physical object that their babies use happily to comfort themselves.
Why do some parents give their baby a lovey?
A fascinating fact about lovey is that it can be a good “buddy” of your little one and helps him go through tough times like anxiety while being alone, teething, mom returning to work or learning to sleep alone.
Most parents find it an excellent rationale for offering comfort and security to their babies when they feel lonely.
Being a traditional object, it helps your baby in his transition from dependence to independence in few years of its use.
You know the fact that your baby goes through several challenges alone as he can’t speak for himself, but lovey stays constant at this time.
Many parents also prefer it when they prepare their baby to develop sleep habits like beginning sleep training. It’s an excellent idea to offer your baby a soft and cuddly friend to snuggle during sleep time.
It also serves a great comfort and reassurance at bedtime when the parent slowly weans off after providing hands-on support. In simple words, lovey replaces that support.
Are loveys dangerous?
The most asked question by most of the parents, are loveys dangerous?
To answer this question, you must know when it is safe for your baby to sleep with a lovey. Like any other object in your baby’s crib, there can be risks associated with the use of lovey, like it can cover your baby’s face, increased suffocation, or some choking hazard in case it has a small part that can come off suddenly.
But these risks are primarily associated with the infant or a baby under 12 months.
A baby older than one year develops enough motor skills to resist anything or pull off the blanket, suffocating him.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that you should not place any object in the crib of a baby under 12 months. It’s a risk putting anything in the baby’s crib, especially when the baby is unsupervised.
So, the best time to offer lovey to your child is when he is older than a year at least.
In this case, using lovey is much safer for your baby, and he will surely love this buddy in his crib.
When can a baby start to sleep with a lovey?
As I have discussed above that using lovey for a one-year-old baby is relatively safe and fun!
Actually, A lovey helps a lot to develop sound sleeping habits by giving your baby a comforting feel and sleep.
But you must have a backup for this.
Didn’t you get it? Let me clear it for you.
A baby can emotionally or thoughtfully attach to lovey, so losing a lovey can be traumatic for a child. So, ensure you have at least two loveys and rotate them every couple of weeks.
This way, your baby will develop the same comforting feels with both of them.
It is safest for your little one to sleep with lovey after the first birthday because, by 12 months, your baby has been free of swaddling and can play and grab onto the lovey in the crib.
The sooner you start using lovey for your baby at 12 months, the better. Your baby will find a best friend and will develop a strong connection to it. This way, he will use this cuddly object to snuggle and sleep.
Should you let your baby use the lovey any time or just while sleeping?
As we associate loveys with sleeping, should you let your baby use the lovey any time or just while sleeping?
Well! Many things are out of your hands, but easing discomforts from the life of your little one’s life is quite possible with few tools and techniques.
Interestingly using a lovey can be one greatest tool to add comfort to your baby’s life.
Using a lovey is an easy way to let your baby feel secured and reassured.
You can let your baby use lovey any time because the main reason behind using a lovey is providing a comforting feeling of safety and reassurance when your baby experiences separation anxiety.
These loveys can be a reliable best friend of your baby, and babies love to carry their friend wherever they go.
Make sure you treat these comfort objects like a family and make them a part of everything which your baby is doing.
If you reserve using lovey for only sleep time, then your baby will associate it with only sleep.
But if you want to give your baby a friend, consider using it other than sleeping time.
Conclusion
At last, I would say parents who turn their back against loveys are missing a huge opportunity.
These lovey blankets for babies can help your child build confidence and security by simply acting as a cuddly friend. It’s an excellent habit, and is comforting during stressful times like illness or a parent’s absence.
So, I would recommend adding this piece of comfort to your little one’s life to let him enjoy the comfort your baby need., plus it is a great sleep cue for older babies and toddlers.