All adults do not imagine a comfortable sleep without a soft and airy pillow and believe that babies also need it. Pediatricians claim that babies up to a full year do not need it, babies still do not know how to roll over in a dream without problems and can bury their nose in the bedding and suffocate. Because of this, the baby should not be cushioned, it should roll over without hindrance and have a lot of space around.
What can a newborn sleep on
The baby needs to sleep on hypoallergenic tissues and materials, the bed must be spacious and without any restraints above the head of your baby. The sides in the bed will save the child from falling and bumps.
On a note! Doctors advise to place a four-fold flannel baby diaper folded under the head and neck.
Such a homemade pillow will raise the baby’s head and will not deform its spine and cervical spine, excluding the development of scoliosis and the possibility of sudden strangulation in a dream. This method was used by our grandmothers and proved to be effective, since most children did not have torticollis and other problems with the musculoskeletal system.
Can a newborn sleep on a pillow
Pediatricians have a negative attitude towards pillows in newborns, at least up to a year. They justify this with the fact that babies often toss and turn in their sleep, bedding can shift and harm the fragile spine of the newborn. In general, it is better not to use all additional items under the neck and back of the child, since the musculoskeletal system is not yet fully formed and has not become stronger, and these things can harm it.
Important! Orthopedists are advised to use a pillow for a child from a year on.
If a baby is diagnosed with torticollis, different deformations of the skull or spine, then the orthopedist will prescribe special orthopedic pillows for babies that will fix the head of the baby in one direction. This treatment is carried out only from the fourth month of life of the baby.
What pillow does a newborn need in a crib?
There are many pillows on the market now, it remains only to find the right one. Some popular models:
Orthopedic. You should buy it only according to the testimony of an orthopedic surgeon. The most popular model is the butterfly, it supports the neck and skull of the baby. You can use it only from the second month of the baby. It is made on the basis of all the anatomical features of the structure of the baby. Often it is used if the baby is diagnosed with torticollis, spinal cord or neck injury, premature babies. The pillow fixes the head in a certain position, which contributes to a speedy recovery.
Positioner. It helps to avoid most problems with a fragile children's spine, fixes the baby in a certain position and reduces the load on the back, relieves muscle tone.
Tilted. It is suitable for healthy children, it must be placed under the child’s body to ensure a certain correct tilt of the body, this is about 30 degrees. It helps to avoid unpleasant regurgitation of milk and colic.
Bagel. It is most often used in babies with torticollis. You can make it yourself, just roll up an ordinary cotton wool and bandage with a roller, make a bagel out of it and wrap it in cloth. Healthy children should not sleep on such a pillow, you need to do without it at all.
Limiter. It restricts movement during day and night sleep. The baby sleeps better with this attribute, and the mother is less nervous.
Important! Any pillow must be covered with natural fabric (cotton, linen).
What size pillow should be
It is believed that the ideal size is a four-folded flannel baby diaper. Special pillows are made by many companies and have different sizes depending on their purpose. The orthopedic look has a size of 25x18x2.5 cm.
Important! A pillow of standard size 50x70 is suitable for children from 7 years old, newborns should not be put on this.
What does the doctor advise
According to doctors, this element should be selected carefully, like other household items for the baby. It must be hypoallergenic, breathable, have excellent orthopedic properties, environmentally friendly.
Modern doctors unequivocally answer the question of the need for pillows for a newborn: The physiology of infants up to a year allows them to do without this bed attribute, and their sleep will not suffer at all from its presence or absence. Moreover, for newborns it poses a danger of strangulation, the development of scoliosis of the thoracic and cervical regions, so babies can safely do without a pillow for up to a year.
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