Loveys?

[Big D]

I'm reading "The No Cry Sleep Solution" right now because my 18 month old has really been struggling with sleep since we moved this summer. In it she suggests introducing a "lovey" and I'm not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand I don't want to introduce a "crutch" but on the other hand, I really want to get some sleep!
Any thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. with loveys?

[dearmama22]

Originally Posted by Big D

I'm reading "The No Cry Sleep Solution" right now because my 18 month old has really been struggling with sleep since we moved this summer. In it she suggests introducing a "lovey" and I'm not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand I don't want to introduce a "crutch" but on the other hand, I really want to get some sleep!
Any thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. with loveys?

I would try it! Why are you against it? My 18 month old has a lovie, I call it. It's just a little stuffed animal thing, one side is silk. He cuddles with it during nap/sleep, it's so sweet. He is only allowed to have it in his bed.

He started with it around maybe a year or so and I slept with it for a night so it had my scent on it. Now though, it gets washed, but he still loves the thing.

[thehighernest]

Our 18 mos. old son has one, though it was a thing he chose for himself, and actually it's not even just one of anything: at some point, he started taking clean burp rags - which were actually organic cloth diapers - and using them to cuddle. We outgrew having to use burp rags altogether, and he just kept them as loveys.

It's a nice situation for us in that he's not attached to any one in particular: it's not a problem to switch them out for cleaning and there are no concerns of it getting lost. There's simply a stack of them on top of the dresser and he asks or gets one whenever he wants one during the day (usually in the evening as he starts to wear down) and for nap and bedtime. Actually, he doesn't even use it for naps at day care - they don't offer it and he seems to do fine without it. At home though, he knows where they're kept, so he will want one.

I guess I can tell you that it certainly does bring him comfort, and that's always a good thing, imo. And he doesn't seem desperately attached to it that he would have a fit if we went out and he didn't have it. In his specific case, it's not something he carries around all the time. You could give it a try - your little one may not even take to one though. I tried offering a couple of things early on before he chose these himself and he couldn't have cared less for them. Gl!

[just_lily]

We love loveys here!

My DD has a little stuffed bunny that she adores. You can just see her whole body relax when she hugs it. She goes to sleep easily with it, and it comforts her on long car rides.

[OkiMom]

My first never had one. My second is very attached to a stuffed monkey. Im not sure why (it wasn't even bought for her, she found it amongst her sisters stuffed animals and E told her to keep it) but she takes it everywhere with her. She keeps losing it (luckily I am able to find it always) so we bought a second one just in case one time she loses it and I can't find it.

[Big D]

Dearmama22- it's not that I'm against it, I'm just hesitant to get him attached to anything that he will then "need" to fall asleep or calm down or whatever. I've heard plenty of stories of loosing loveys, wash day issues, leaving on a trip without a lovey, etc. to make me worry about him developing an attachment to a thing.

Thehighernest- that sounds like the ideal lovey! It doesn't sound like you've had any problems at all with loveys!

[just_lily]

Bunny very rarely leaves our house - most of the time we try to keep it in her room. If we do take it with us for some reason we leave it in the car - never into stores or restaurants. Too risky! She is allowed to take it into Granny and Grandpa's house when they watch her for us.

Yes, there can be issues about washing and losing a lovey. But if the trade off is good sleep, maybe it is worth it? It is in our house! We are just very careful to keep track of Bunny, and wash it when DD isn't paying attention.

[eleonrauis]

I tried introducing a lovey when DS was younger and he never got attached to anything I tried.

But between 18mo-2yrs he adopted a flannel blanket my MIL made him as his lovey. He sleeps with it, cuddles it when we read books and even touches it to owies to make them feel better. It is also a great tool to help calm him after a tantrum. I definitely think it has been more than helpful enough to outweigh any trouble it causes.

We don't let it leave the house for fear of losing it, but he does let me wash it without too much fuss. And we have a back up version (he calls it "extra blankie") that is very similar, but not quite the same, for emergencies (like when he's been sick and vomited on "real blankie")

[bella99]

Although we were given several handmade blankets for my daughter when I was pregnant, her blankie is a store bought one. The benefit of this is that we went out and bought an extra one, and did it when she was young enough that she doesn't know the difference between then. Although on the off chance that she sees both at the same time, she gets so excited sometimes I think she is going to explode!

She takes it into the car and to daycare, but that's it, aside from home of course. She also have a stuffed monkey that she loves, and has recently become very attached to, and he also goes to daycare (I've been thinking of trying to find a backup for him too, just in case).

[Big D]

Thanks so much for sharing your lovey stories with me! It sounds like the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience! I have a soft throw-blanket on my bed that I know he likes, maybe I will give it to him and see if he gets attached to it. It's big enough that I could cut it in half so we'd have a back up for wash days and emergencies. It sounds like 18 months old is a pretty common age to get attached to a lovey. I hope it will help!