Pillow for the baby: which one to choose?

Is it possible to imagine a good rest and a sweet dream without a light, air cushion in which the head is buried? In fact, not always people prefer such "royal" attributes for sleep, someone more respects hard cushions, someone likes orthopedic latex head restraints. Down featherbeds and a dozen pillows are one less the other - these are, rather, the elements of a fairy tale about the Princess on a pea or Mrs. Metelitsa.

Each person has his own ideas about comfort and convenience, based on his state of health, personal preferences and age. It is about the age limits that will be discussed in this article, and to be more precise, whether a pillow is needed for the child, at what age and what exactly it should be.

When the pillow is not needed

First of all it is necessary to say that pediatricians and orthopedists do not recommend putting children to any elevation, their sleeping place should be rather rigid, even and absolutely safe. This state of affairs is a rule that is not subject to reservations and nuances until the child is one year old.

This taboo is explained very simply - the proportions of the body in children in comparison with the adult are completely wrong: their large and heavy head does not need support, its unnatural position may entail a curvature of the cervical spine. A cushion for a child who is not yet able to control his movements, does not have sufficient coordination, can be dangerous. Babies at this age are not able to independently turn over and change the position of the body in a dream - this responsibility rests on Mom's shoulders. The more important is the absence of soft pillows, regardless of their filling, and the more so that a child may well, having buried his nose in bed, die from lack of oxygen.

Sweet dreams of infants

If there is a real need to change the position of the baby's body in a dream (runny nose, bad sleep, discomfort, frequent regurgitation), the following measures can be applied.

• In children's shops are sold special mattresses, lying on which, the child will be not in a horizontal, but slightly inclined position. In fact, the head of the baby is located on a hill, then the pillow for the child is not needed at all. You can arrange such a sleeping place without resorting to specialized products, placing a low roller under the mattress.
• In sets of sleeping accessories of newborns, thin (not more than 3 cm) mattresses are often found, which are the most optimal variant of the pillow, because it is low enough, hypoallergenic and has the right size (it lies on the entire width of the crib).
• A cushion for a child who barely appeared, can be made with a folded soft diaper several times - this will help slightly raise the head, avoiding excessive curvature of the vertebrae.

The Kid grows up

All my life I can not sleep on a bed without a head support for my head. Parents always try to create the most comfortable and safe conditions for the rest of their children, and when they grow up, there arises a reasonable question about the age at which a child needs a pillow and how to choose it correctly.

About three years you can try to lay crumbs on a hill, at this age children are so developed physically that they are able to spin independently, lie down as they like, they can be safely left alone with a pillow.

Those to me less this accessory for sleep should not be high. Trade networks offer a good range of products for children's sleep, including headrests that have the necessary size and shape. It can be either a rectangular or a square pillow. For a child of 3 years, you can still use the one that was bought in a complete kit at birth, but most often parents and children prefer to acquire a new one.

Nothing is eternal

Adult people are often very conservative by their nature, and picking up a perfectly suitable thing, they do not regret parting with it, especially when there is no need. Children are constantly growing, especially kids that change every day literally before our very eyes. To them it was convenient and comfortable to sleep, you need to change their sleeping accessories in time: a cot in the side of which the baby rests against the crown and heels sticking out from under a short blanket, a pillowed pillow, or one that is not matched in shape, Sleep factors.

An adult child can be offered an orthopedic pillow for sleep , which has a shallow hollow in the center. Such a product can be made of latex or sewn on special patterns of traditional cotton fabric and filled with different fillers that parents and children select according to their preferences.

As for adults, a pillow for a child should not be in use for more than 4-5 years, it must be periodically cleaned to get rid of dust and harmful microorganisms.

The first pancake is lumpy

A child who is not at all used to sleeping on feather beds, surrounded by a huge number of down rollers, needs a particularly careful choice of his first sleep accessory. It may happen that the first pillow that comes to hand does not suit him. For a child of 3 years, which is better? Special, matched by age, or just any of those that are at home, does the filler, the material of the upper fabric, size and shape play a fundamental role?

Of course, all these aspects must be taken into account. When going to the store, it's best to take the baby with you and give him the opportunity to participate in the selection. He should lie down on the pillow and decide whether it is comfortable for him, softly or not, whether it has the right width, length and height. Do not be angry with the baby, if after the first night he realizes that he made the wrong choice. It is better to go to the store once more than to expose the child to daily anguish from headaches or aches in the body after awakening.

Baby pillows

Manufacturers offer a lot of baby pillows, each of which has its own disadvantages and advantages. What are the differences? First of all, it is a filler, but the common feature is that the top must necessarily be sewn from natural material (cotton, linen, silk, bamboo fiber cloth), this will help to avoid sweating of the head and neck during sleep. Natural fabrics perfectly pass air, they absorb moisture and are easy to clean.

As an internal filler, you can choose fluff or its derivatives (a mixture with synthetic additives), sheep wool, buckwheat, grass - this is what is made of natural. Of course, the environmental friendliness of these materials is a plus, but some of them are allergens, and it's also problematic to clean them yourself. Woolen pillows that have not been properly processed and cleaned can have a rather specific smell, which will intensify during the hot season and at high humidity. Buckwheat and grass are recommended as good fillers for the pillow, but they can be harsh, over time large pieces of plant fibers are crushed into a smaller fraction that pours through the pillowcase.

Pillow for a child (3 years) what is better if the baby has an allergy? In this case, you should pay attention to latex, holofayber, silicone and sintapuh. These materials are soft, safe, products made of them (with the exception of latex) can be washed in a car, they dry quickly and even with very intensive use will last about 2-3 years.

How to choose a pillow for a child?

Do not choose a huge and very lush, it's best to pay attention to models where a hidden zipper is sewn into the side seam, this makes it possible to easily remove an extra softener and make a "dum" of the right height.

It is necessary to avoid too cheap products, as they can be from a technical, not intended for domestic purposes, sintepona. Parents of children who are prone to allergies should study the composition of the materials, of which the bedding is composed, as well as the presence of impurities in them.

Arguments

Any question concerning a child always has two sides. The same applies to whether you need a pillow for your child. From what age can you let him sleep on the hill? As usual, much depends on the baby: if he desperately asks parents to give him a personal pillow in 2.5 years, it is so much easier for him to lie, and sleep is stronger and sweeter, then there is absolutely no reason to deprive the child of pleasure.

Scientists of the Institute of Sleep argue that the person for a healthy rest, in principle, does not need a pillow, it is rather a tool for satisfying one's own convenience, which nevertheless does not carry any harmful beginning if it is picked up wisely and allows you to take the right, Ergonomic position of the body in a dream.