When is it safe to use a pillow?

[chipper26]

My dd is 19 months old and I know some of the recommendations are to wait until kids turn 2, but I think she may be more comfortable with a small pillow. What are your experiences/ thoughts?

I think it might help her with congestion and overall comfort, if it is rather firm and small.

BTW, she sleeps in a toddler bed now, not her crib, when she's not with us... if that makes any difference.

[marispel]

We just added a standard pillow to DS crib (18 months) and he loves it. He still moves around alot, but starts out on the pillow. I agree, about the congestion - I think it would help to elevate their head a bit.

[tbone_kneegrabber]

when they start stealing yours! (that's when we started so probably part time at 18 months, full time at a little over 2)

[leaveit2beeker]

Ds was in a toddler bed in his own room at 18 months, and we used a firm standard-size pillow. He still makes his way into our room every night and sleeps on our much softer pillows, but I won't let him have one like that for his own bed yet...

It def. helped when ds was congested to have his head up a little bit.

[mom2lucy]

DD always slept on our pillows when she was co-sleeping, then when she moved into her own bed at 18 mo (a mattrress on the floor) I put standard size pillows with her. About a month ago she had a really bad cough that was waking her up at night so I doubled up on the pillows to elevate her a little and it has really worked. Now DH or I end up in bed with her for most of the night so we are there with her most of the time. She's about to turn 2 BTW.

[Nicole730]

DS started sleeping with a boppy around 16 months or so. It is a firm pillow, but I'm sure it's a "no-no" to use a boppy as a pillow. He wanted it in his crib one night and when I snuck in to take it out he started wailing. And pretty much has demanded it ever since. He usually sleeps nowhere near the pillow. Still made me quite nervous those first few weeks.

[kgreenemama]

I just found a small, firm, lightweight travel pillow. DS (22 mo) thinks it's cool - he hugs it and says, "MY piddo," yet SOMEHOW, he still ends up sharing my memory foam (also firm) pillow during the night. He's been sleeping on the pillow since he was about 15 or 16 mo.

[chipper26]

Thanks for the replies. I put a small travel pillow in bed with her tonight, it's shaped like a small boppy. I'm going to shop around for a small pillow tomorrow.