When Is It Okay to Let a Toddler Sleep with a Toy?

I feel like if they are old enough to ask (or try to take it to bed with them), go ahead and let them. (Unless there are things they can choke on sewed on like buttons)

Melissa -

I understand your feelings and concern about letting your daughter sleep with a toy. What we have always done is that our kids could only sleep with animals that did not have pieces that can come off. Our son started sleeping witha couple of favorite toys about the time he was 6 months. Our daughter about the time she was a year to 15 months we started letting her have them in her crib. The toys that she can have in her crib need to have the stitched eys, nose and mouth and cannot have any buttons or anything like that can pop off for her to choke on. I am in the same boat as you in that fact that I am curious as to when to let her sleep with her small toddler pillow I bought her.

I am also a paranoid mom about safety! After reading and checking with the doctor, I gave my daughter a flat pillow, a couple of small blankies, and one small stuffed animal (no detachable parts) when she about 10 months old. She was able to move around by herself and she adapted well to the new items in her crib.

Now, she is 24 months and has 4 blankies, 1 pillow, and about 4 stuffed animals and can't sleep without them!

However, you mentioned a separate issue about sucking. Just make sure anything you put in there with her is safe for her to put in her mouth. Keep an eye on the types of fibers used and items that can come off of animals etc.

It is YOUR call. Good luck!

My almost 9 month old son has slept with a silkie (or lovey as some people call it) for about 3 months now. I stopped worrying about him having it over night and stopped sneaking it out of his crib around 6 months. I always check on him and he usually just pushes it to the corner of his crib when he's done with it anyway, right along with the pacifier.

He also recently got a "my first christmas" toy from Grandma and has insisted once or twice on carrying that to bed with him. I just make sure everything feels secure, no buttons or small sewn on objects that he could potentially remove and eat. If you're nervous about something like that check those things and if there's buttons on it, remove them gently with a seam ripper.

My daughter (now 25 months) has always had some type of toy in her crib since she was able to move around and sit up by herself. She actually sleeps on a flat puppy http://www.stuffedsafari.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCo... like a pillow and won't sleep without it. She sleeps in fleece jamies with the Halo Sleep sack for walkers (they are great). She also has a blanket on her(well it is there when I put her to bed, but not for long). The other end of the crib is a few stuffed animals and a few babys toys that we just never took out. These use to keep her entertained in the morning, not as much this past month.

My daughter sleeps with a blanket every night (and has since she was 10 months) and naps with a stuffed animal at my grandmothers(babysitter) house. She had never slept through the night until I started letting her sleep with her blanket. I tried it only during naptime for the first few days to observe and make sure she didnt pull it over her face. She did great then so I felt confident enough letting her sleep with it during the night. She sleeps alot better now, which I am grateful for! I think your daughter would probably bo ok, as long as there are no small parts that could possibly come off. Good Luck! ~B.

Our doctor gave us the okay at about 8 months. He said as long as she was strong enough to get it away from her face it was okay to let her sleep with it.

We've always covered our 2 up with blankets from newborn on.

Our son slept with a bear at 18 months for awhile when we quit nursing. It was his new comfort item. Our daughter was about the same when she started sleeping with her "baby." But we've never had the trouble of them sucking on items either.

Do what you are comfortable with. You know what's best for your child!

My kids start sleeping with small stuffed animals as soon as they're old enough to be persistent about it. We also let them have flat pillows and blankets as soon as they're old enough to move around competently in their crib.
Just make sure there's nothing she can bite or pull of, or get caught in. My son slept with a stuffed puppy for a while. One night, he started screaming for help and I discovered he had put his hand under the collar up to his wrist and it was turning purple. We cut the collar off to avoid any further problems.

My daughter is 13mos.old she sleeps with pillows,blankets,toys you name it and has for awhile. I'm pretty paranoid and careful with SIDS but after my daughter could sit up on her own and freely move about her crib I quit worrying so much. After she hit 12mos. I totally quit worrying.

My son just turned 2 in Aug and switched himself to a toddler bed at about 22 months. He has slept with a toy and a blanket since he was about a year and a half i think and they keep accumulating. Now at just over two he sleeps with 2 blankets(which usually end up on the floor by morning because he gets to hot) and about 10-12 small stuffed animals. He just loves them all. I dont know how he has room in his bed to move but half of those end up on the floor by morning to. You do whatever you are comfortable with but i think with her being almost 2 she is fine to sleep with a blanket pillow and animals. it is completley your decision though.