Should a Toddler Use a Pillow in the Crib???

Hi, my 2 yr old son has had a pillow since he was about 1 yrs old , but instead of a full size pillow he has a travel pillow and he is very attached to it, I honestly dont see anything wrong with getting him a pillow, I wouldnt use a full size one though.

My son doesn't use a pillow yet, but I have started to put a blanket in his bed with him (although I'm not sure he understands the concept quite yet). At this age (my son is 18 months) they can turn their heads, and let out a nice big cry if for some reason a pillow or a blanket was covering their heads. I think SIDS is more of an issue when babies aren't able to maneuver around as much and untangle themselves. My son is also still in his crib and sleeps comfortably in a corner of it from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. He is an extra extra curious toddler, so I'm in no hurry to move him to a toddler bed as long as he isn't trying to crawl out of his crib. Good luck! :)

Having lost our firstborn to SIDS, my husband and I were extra cautious with our sons. They didn't get pillows until they were 3.

(SIDS) very scary. However its very common from birth to about 8 months. After that if they have a hard time breathing in there sleep its caused from apnea. (something to ask your Dr.l about if this is an issue) On the other hand if your child does not have a problem with breathing while sleeping than 20 months old is plenty old enough to have a pillow. i had my children on pillows at about 6 months because while some parents feared tehy would stop breathing, i feared they would spit up in there sleep and choke on it, so i had them sleepping in an slomst sitting up position. (the first six months i had small beds that kept them sitting up.

My 16 month old girl doesn't use a pillow, but uses a winnie the pooh stuffed animal thats plush.
she cant sleep without it. she's not a very hard sleeper. she never has been.
u shouldn't worry about sids this late in their age. if they have a problem, its something else that the doctor should be notified of.
If he sleeps good without it though, i wouldn't even bother until he gets in a toddler bed.

As long as he is sleeping fine without it, I wouldn't give him a pillow. I would still be concerned about the possibility of suffocation if he sleeps mostly on his tummy. My son is 23 months old and sleeps on his tummy in his crib, without a pillow.

I think it is fine. My daughter is 19 (almost 20) months and she has been sleeping with a pillow for the last few months. It is pretty thin--and old flattened one of mine. She loves it. It has to be just so when she lays down--so funny!!

I think your son will be fine.

Ok, the minute I saw this I had to respond. Lots of people told me not to give my daughter a pillow but she liked it so much I just put one in there anyway. If he is 20 months old then a pillow is fine. You just shouldn't use one before they are 1. My daughter had a pillow at 1 in her crib. She wouldn't sleep otherwise. I put one in there and checked on her every once in awhile to make sure she was fine and she slept better. He is actually old enough for a toddler bed if you wanted to give him one. If he's not trying to climb out of his crib then a toddler bed might be nice for him. You still use a crib matteress though but he would have a little more freedom. My daughter loved her, but now I put her in a twin sized bed because that crib matteress was uncomfortable to her. If you wanted you could even put him in a twin bed but buy those guards that go on the sides of the bed that stop him from falling out of it. My daughter likes the twin bed because she is a lot more comfortable and theres more room. Anyway, a pillow is fine. Just find a flatter pillow, like maybe one you use all the time and put it in there with him and see how he does. I wouldn't go buy a big fluffy pillow though, just find a flatter one that already used in the house. You might want to let him have the pillow during the day also while he's watching tv or taking a nap and see how he responds to it. I hope this helps.

Is he a heavy sleeper? Our second one was so he never got a pillow until he was three. Our oldest and our three yr old twins had one at two when they moved to big boy beds and did well, one twin sleeps on his stomach almost all night. A pillow does benefit when they are stuffed up by putting them at an incline. Your son should be fine if he is not a heavy sleeper because they can move their head.

Once they are very adept at moving their heads I wouldnt worry so past tehir first bday. All of mine I haev given a pillow after their first bday, some in toddler beds some in cribs. My 20 mo old daughter sleeps with one now and she sleeps with a comforter and she wouldnt sleep any other way. My 2nd was/is a tummy sleeper and still used a pillow

If you were interested, you could baby proof the room by taking out the things that are too heavy or sharp (or moving them up high) and put the mattress on the floor. He could begin sleeping on the mattress alone before moving to a bigger bed and if he fell off it is just a few inches. I understand, though that your concern is not with climbing out.) My youngest began that at 17 months and now has a collection of friends that sleep with her but she is also free to stand up and move around or kick stuff off the bed- it never gets trapped like in the sides of a crib. It instills some independence and allows some freedom but most children embrace it just like a crib...

A pillow will be fine. Make sure it is firm and not soft and fluffy as that could pose a potential hazard if the pillow swallows him, but a firm pillow will allow him to rest his head and get him used to sleeping with a pillow. I know they also make pillows for the way people sleep, so you might be able to find him a stomach sleeping pillow that would work better than one for back sleepers or side sleepers.

My soon-to-be 3 yr. old has used a pillow for over a yr. and a half now. At first I found a thin small child pillow for her...now she has a "big girl" pillow (which is an old thin one of mine). She's never had a problem with anything. Just make sure like others have said that there's not too much other things in bed. Good luck!