When do you give your child a blanket in the crib?
My son is growing out of feetie pajamas and the weather's getting warmer so we're putting him to bed in less clothing. At night, the temperature drops and his room cools down. I'm afraid he's waking up or sleeping poorly because he's cold. When do you introduce a blanket in the crib? Is a receiving blanket enough? We got some knitted blankets as gifts and they have lots of holes. I'm sure he could breath just fine but I'm concerned that he'd get a finger or toe stuck.
I don't want to put him in a sleep sack, like we used when he was a few months old, as he moves around a lot in bed and plays really well in his crib when he wakes up. I think the 'sack' would be too restrictive.
6 Answers
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My son hated anything that restricted him, so swaddling didn't last long and sleepsacks just weren't his thing. We actually used a blanket since birth, as they had one on him in the hospital and at home the one we used was knit with holes. The first 2 months he kept it on him, months 3-5 it rarely stayed on him, but he needed to touch it. Months 6+ he seems to like to pull it over his head, or somehow be touching it. We don't worry, because we know he can breathe and move himself as needed if it's in his way.
Use your judgement, watch your baby with a blanket in the crib a few times- on a monitor or in person for a while. You'll get a sense of what works.
Hopefully, you'll all sleep well one way or another!
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We still use a sleepsack for our 20 month old. He runs, jumps, and climbs in it. I don't think it is too restrictive. I don't know why but I'm paranoid about using a blanket. Our oldest was scared of blankets (????) until he was almost 3 so he slept in a sleepsack for a long time. Probably when winter rolls around we'll use a blanket but for now a sleepsack seems to work fine. It particularly works since he is very squirmy and would kick off his blanket in no time.
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In contrast, our 16 month old has been sleeping with blankets for some months now. We stopped worrying about SIDS after 6 months, and introduced blankets some time before 1 year. I think the blankets help her fall asleep, they're soft and snuggly, but she never wakes up with one on, so I don't think blankets really solve the cold-in-bed problem.
We use socks if the pajamas don't have feet, and prefer feet-y pajamas overall... at least, up to the age of potty-training (and I'd wondered why I didn't see many size 4 pajamas with feet!)
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While visiting Europe, I saw my nephews in very nice fancy sleepsacks. I bought two warm ones, one with sleeves, one without, in size 100cm (3 feet and a few inches) for next winter. They really are for beyond baby, in terms of size.
We have the same issue with our kid's room temp that in the evening it may be quite warm, but at night it gets chilly. I'm not sure I have a plan as to when to introduce a blanket instead, but my guess is not this summer. Maybe next...
Or not: looks like there are big kid versions around, as well.
http://www.parenting-success.com/parenting/halo-big-kids-microfleece-sleepsack-purple
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I've used a blanket in bed with my daughter since birth. Once it got too warm for feet pajamas but her legs would still get cold at night. I keep the blanket on her legs only and not above her waist. She doesn't move much at night so it never gets up by her face or anything. I was a little nervous about it at first, but since she doesn't even know it's there it hasn't been an issue. I say use your best judgment based on your child's sleep habits.
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For me the biggest reason to not yet go the blanket route is that I want my kid to be able to stand up and jump around in bed and then be able to lie down and put herself (ideally) back to sleep without getting tangled in blankets or getting cold. She looked like she'd be able to climb out of the crib any day now. That will probably signal the time to move to a big girl bed, and maybe attempt at those blankets. Maybe... :)
I've had the same experience -- our son is almost 15 mo old, and he still sleeps in a sleep sack at night. He has no problems moving around in it. Every morning, we find him standing up in the crib, wandering from one side to the next, pulling down on things, pushing buttons.... He's found a way to compensate for the "sackiness"!
- Evelyn, Jun 2, 2010