Blankets in Bed

Updated on March 05, 2010
N.F. asks from San Mateo, CA
16 answers

How old do babies have to be before it is safe for them to sleep with blankets in their crib? My girls are 9 months and have "wearable" blankets, but I was wondering when I can transition to regular blankets so they stay warmer at night.

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So What Happened?

Thanks everyone! That helps a lot. I will definitely investigate the long-sleeve wearable blankets because the ones I have right now are sleeveless. They do wear pajamas with feet, but our bedroom gets pretty drafty in the early morning and sometimes one or the other seems to wake up extra early, so it was just a theory that they might be cold. Thanks again.

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M.L.

answers from Redding on

by the time my son was that age I let him use a satiny blanket because he could move around under it without it tangling around his body. He stayed in sleeper pajamas with just the one blanket until he graduated from his crib at 2.

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I.T.

answers from San Francisco on

We use blanket from day 1 also. She's 18 months old and we never had any problems. In fact, my daughter loves blankets and plays peek-a-boo whenever she gets a hand on it. Sometimes she even tries to take my nephew's blanket. My brother and sis-in-law also used blanket on both kids since birth too.

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H.D.

answers from San Francisco on

Maybe I am an old fashioned mom but I have always used blankets on my kids, from day one with no issues. Usually I have used a fluffy homemade quilt that has no way of being tangled in feet (more an issue of comfort than safetly IMHO). Footie PJs are always a plus.

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G.B.

answers from Tulsa on

I guess I am wondering why blanket sleepers aren't warm enough for a 9 month old baby...a blanket can be kicked off and blanket sleepers stay on them.

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C.A.

answers from San Francisco on

You say regular blankets would be warmer than wearable blankets - what kind of wearable blanket are you using? Carter's makes a fleece longsleeved wearable blanket and it seems VERY warm and cozy. (We live in the foggy part of SF, so it definitely gets cold at night.)

Also: why do you think your daughters are cold? Do they wake up too easily, or have cold hands/feet? (Babies have immature circulatory systems, so cold hands/feet does NOT necessarily mean they're uncomfortably cold!)

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C.P.

answers from Albuquerque on

I agree that as long as they are mobile enough to untangle (my girl was at 9 months), it shouldn't be a problem. My girl does kick hers off every night, so I also put her in temperature-appropriate pjs (fleece for cooler nights, cotton for warmer nights). She's had a "lovey" in bed since she was ~5 months old (used to be a very small tigger, now a bigger tigger) and right before her 1st birthday she "fell in love" with this fuzzy fleece blanket that was given as a birthday gift--she loves to roll up in it and cuddle. So, you could test them out--wrap them in a blanket and see if they are able to get themselves out of it--if Yes, then they are probably ready. But, if they can't or have a hard time, you might wait another month or 2.
Good luck!

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

As long as they can turn their heads, move around, etc. it should be fine.

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K.G.

answers from St. Louis on

Yes, you can. Basically, once little ones can roll around and sit up, they can have blankets.

M.Q.

answers from Detroit on

I use the "wearable" blanket w/legs from one step ahead it's fleece and seems to keep my little guy warm b/c he kicks off his blanket...switch back and forth between fleece jammies (gerber) http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

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I.C.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi,
I used blankets since day 1.
I.

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D.M.

answers from Denver on

I'd wait until at least a year if not longer. Also - blankets fall off when they move, so I have always just put them in warmer PJs - with feet and sometimes a layer under if it's cold (our kids rooms are always chilly thanks to the poor circulation in our house!). That way I know they are warm all night and there are no worries about blankets. If you do use a blanket, make sure it's not too big - so they can't get tangled in it.

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E.I.

answers from San Francisco on

In case you need a warmer bag, you can buy winter (or warm weather) sleep sacs here. We have found them to be the best. http://www.babyinabag.com/

G.R.

answers from Dallas on

my kids have the blanket since day 1 no issues also they sleep in warm pj because the blanket never stay in place also now they like to threw the blanket to the floor at midnight .

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R.M.

answers from Nashville on

My son was almost two before I even tried a blanket because he was such a resless sleeper. He was all over the bed. In my opinion, if they are still doing that, they shouldnt have blankets until they are fully coordinated and mobile, like over a year old. Keep yours in the wearable blankets as long as you can. They are actually warmer, and if they will wear them they are safer too. If they need more than a fuzzy wearable blanket because of how cold it is in their room, you would most likely need a lots of heavy blankets, and I defintely don't think that is safe for even a toddler. Mine couldn't keep a blanket on until just a couple weeks ago, and he still kicks it off, but at least he is staying in the same place for the most part. Mine wouldn't wear a wearable blanket either. We have had to keep our house pretty warm for the last couple years.

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S.R.

answers from San Francisco on

With both our kids we waited as long as possible, around 20 months. I'd have kept them in the wearable sleepers longer but they only go to 2 yrs and we have tall kids. I kept them in them this long because they are still little enough that when they roll over and loose the blanket, they don't pull it back up making them even colder. By spring time it was easy w/out the wearable.

A.F.

answers from Chicago on

We did it around 11.5 mos with both our kiddos. Of course, they do not keep the blankets ON at that age...they kick them off, wrap them around themselves, etc....so we STILL wear fuzzy jammies (I prefer those over the wearable blankets- easier for them to stand up and move around) on our 15.5 mo old (in fact I do on my 2.5 yo old as well because her room is the coldest room in the house).

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