How old is the best pillow for children?

When does the baby start using a pillow? Many mothers may confidently answer: around 4 months! Babies learn to lift their heads around 3-4 months, at which time the cervical spine develops a forward physiological curvature. In order to maintain this physiological curvature and keep the body position comfortable, it is best to start using a pillow at this time...

It sounds reasonable, but it's not that simple.

The reason why people need pillows is because the spine has four curves, one of which is the cervical curve. If you don’t use a pillow, you will have difficulty breathing when sleeping, which will affect your sleep quality. However, the development of the cervical curve in infants is different from that in adults and cannot be generalized. (Follow the WeChat subscription account: Duo Ma Parent-Child Time, and chat about parent-child parenting)

What do doctors say about baby pillows?

Domestic pediatricians believe that the forward cervical curvature is truly formed only after the baby can sit up independently, and only then does he begin to need a pillow. Using it too early will cause the neck to lean forward excessively, which is not conducive to smooth breathing.

The Hong Kong Department of Health recommends that babies under one year old do not need to use pillows to sleep well.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that using pillows on babies before the age of one greatly increases the risk of suffocation. It is best not to have soft items such as pillows, stuffed toys, and crib guards on the baby's bed. Children at this age like to sleep on their stomachs, and accidents are easy to happen if adults do not keep an eye on them all the time.

When should children start using pillows?

1. In fact, the baby's cervical curvature is indeed formed when the baby sits independently, but the curvature at this time is very small and basically will not cause any impact on sleep. Therefore, there is no need to worry that the child's sleep quality will be affected by not having a pillow. (Follow the WeChat subscription account: Duo Ma Parent-Child Time, and chat about parent-child parenting)

2. There is currently no clear research showing when children should start using pillows, but studies have shown that the chances of babies encountering danger during sleep after one year old are significantly reduced, so it is relatively safe to start using pillows for babies at this time.

3. If you are worried that your baby sweats too much when sleeping or the mattress is too hard, you can fold a sweat-absorbent cotton towel in half and place it under the baby's head.

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