its summer time and very hot here lately. its been in the high 90's for a week and a half straight, and my baby girl WILL NOT sleep without a blanket covering her face. i tried letting her cry herself to sleep and everything, but she will absolutely not go to sleep without her binkie in her mouth and a blanket covering her face... its just too hot, and im afraid she will suffocate.. i try to take it off of her face once shes asleep, but it wakes her up.. am i worrying too much?
oops im sorry, you are all asking about age, shes 5 months old.
thank you ladies so much for all of your responses! i think im going to try a different blanket thats lighter with holes, that makes more sence, and one lady said to move the blanket from time to time so chloie gets more oxygen flow, i do that anyway :) it wakes her up, but shes fine once i put it back on her. and someone else said to take the blanket away and hearing her cry is more safe, i tried that. but she doesnt only cry, she wont sleep at all. i tried letting her cry for 2 hours striaight, and she wouldnt sleep. as soon as the blanket touched her face, she was out like a light
thank you all again for your help!! :)
How old is the baby? An older child will move if they get too hot... Find the lghtest blanket that you have, or just get a piece of thin fabric from the store... No need to hem or make it fancy...
I was about to suggest a lighter piece of cloth, too. There are even knitted or crocheted baby blankets and fabrics that come complete with air holes.
C.,
I really think you should be worried about her sleeping with a blanket over her face. I just read today on CNN where this mother became an advocate for safer cribs because her son died when his head got caught in between the bars. The ME said it only takes 15 seconds for a baby to asphyxiate. She was in the other room, had a baby monitor on him. Didn't hear a sound. I think dealing with you little girl crying would be much better.
I know it will be hard to let her cry but I would do it...
Your baby is young... and a baby CANNOT, at-will, take something off of their face if suffocating. They lack the coordination to do so, and the cognition to do so.
It is a safety hazard.
Yes.
Maybe try something else for her to cuddle? At about 6 months old, my son took to a stuffed cow.... it was a baby safe stuffed toy... and he'd hug it to sleep... and just hold it. And his binky.
The blanket on her face would really scare me.
As I know it does you too, since you posted this question.
Air conditioning! :)
(or at least a window unit in her room or a fan to keep the air circulating.)
Oh, I see that she's 5mo. Maybe get her a crocheted blanket so she can't suffocate but can still feel that weight on her face.
a 5 month old shouldn't sleep with a blanket regardless of the weather. just take it away, she will cry for a day or two, but she will be safe in the long run. good luck.
Well that depends on how old your baby is. If she's past the age to worry about SIDS, then I wouldn't worry. I like to sleep with my blanet covering my face too. Always have. If she gets too hot, she'll swipe it away.
my 7 and a half month son does the same thing - i just use a muslin "blanket" instead of a proper one which is much lighter - aden and anais do them and you get them at baby stores..
My son has always slept with a little puppy that body is a blanket... sorry my description is not very good. I believe it is Carter's brand.She would still be able to have the comfort of having something over her head without you being scared she will suffocate. If she takes to it, buy several. The year Kole was born is was a puppy, and puppy got everything on him and washing did not get the smell out, so I went to buy another one, but it was a monkey, and he wouldn't take it. So my MIL found one online to replace the smelly one, thank goodness!
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Maybe put a fan in her room. turn the AC down.
I agree about the SIDS question...how old is she? If she's past that age then it's probably fine.
How about trying a light sheet? In the summer when my children were little I brought a twin size sheet and cut it in half making a smaller blanket like sheet. I sewed the ends and it was much lighter and more comfortable for them. Maybe you and she would like the sheet better. Good luck.
Another thought is removing it from her face when she falls asleep.
That thing that Andrea suggested-if it's the same as what my 4 mo. old girl sleeps with-it's like a really soft, fleece-y large handkerchief with a stuffed monkey head and arms in the center. My babygirl is a blanket chewer, and often starts "attacking" a blanket once it gets in her face, which is terribly adorable, except at 4am. But she loves chewing on the monkey-hanky thing, I call it her "softy"-It was a hand me down from her 3 yo big brother, who loved it, too.
All three of my kids have done this. It's scary but I can totally relate! I HAVE to have a blanket to sleep at night no matter how hot it is. It drives my husband crazy! I used to lay my son down for his nap at 5 months and he would instantly put his blanket over his head. My daughter does this also and it makes me crazy.
My son sleeps so hot it's amazing, but at 15, he still has to have blankets or he won't sleep.
He'll kick his feet out or shove it down by his tummy. It it was 120 degrees, he would still want a "blanket".
Have you tried light weight receiving blankets or breathable cotton fabric?
She may just like her face covered up. Kids can be like that. You can get really thing things so that she still feels her eyes are covered up but she won't sweat under them and at 5 months, she can pull them down. Sleeping on her back....she won't tend to smother. If she gets super sweaty, just pull the blanket back or get a super light one that she can even breathe through even if it's over her nose.
My kids both liked their heads covered up to sleep and they are perfectly fine.
Even a light pillow case might work.
They are easily wiggled away.
Best wishes.
A blanket over her face and she is 5 months old, I'm sorry but that is very scary to me. I didnt let my son sleep with anything in his crib until 7 months.
Your baby doesn't sleep outside in the sun does she? Do you run the A/C. Then I wouldn't worry about it other than shift the blanket away from her nose every now and then or get a breathable blanket.
buy some Muslin blankets.
http://www.adenandanais.com/shop/classic.aspx
the ones I attached are swaddlers, but you can probably search for something similar.
Hello,
My daughter did the same thing. We found a hat with a flap that just covered her eyes. It worked great. Hope this helps.
How about a sheet to replace a blanket. At least it would be cooler. If she
wants her blanket, let her have it.
My girls have always had blankies. Ever since the day they were born. Neither of them would sleep with out it. My mom crochets afghans that have really wide "holes" in them for babies. My kids could have their snuggle blankey, but it wouldn't suffocate them. I would suggest something like that. BUT...make sure it's made from a nice baby yarn that's not too linty and is soft. And really BIG holes. You can PM me if you're interested. She makes them and sells them.
maybe but the blanket in the fridge to cool it down and remove once she is asleep, or put a wrapped cold pack in bed with her to keep her cooler.
no, you are not worrying too much, you have to stop this habit, especially now. definitely switch her to one of those weird blankets with holes, during her transition though.
