Age for a little stuffed lovey

We just had to stop swaddling and do transition to the crib pretty much at the same time and it's awful. My one twin has no problem, could sleep in a NASCAR if he had to. The other, just wants to be held and will only sleep in our bed. Not happening. He loves and I mean loves his bear. He has had an attachment to this thing since the beginning as we had it in his incubator in NICU after we were discharged. He can roll back to belly and belly to back. Can it go in the crib with him? Some websites say yes. He falls asleep no problem if he's holding it up to his face. We remove it, screams. We have tried CIO and he will cry on and off for an entire night, it's pure misery! The first night we did CIO he cried 2 hours straight and then on and off consistently every few minutes for another 3 hours. We finally all had enough and were worried about him, we went in to get him and he starts smiling and laughing as soon as DH picked him up. I was so angry... he eventually came in the bed but I don't want to create bad habits but he won't sleep unless he's in our bed, how he knows I have no idea.

Message edited 7/23/2017 8:35:05 PM.

Age for a little stuffed lovey

how big is it? how hard/soft? is it furry?

all 3 of mine have had a lovey since 6 months old. but it's one with a bear head and blanket. the hed maks it heavy to fall off their face.

can you move the bear once he's really asleep? I basically do anything for sleep lol. if he knows how to roll around and you think it's safe I say give it. just with no blankets too

Age for a little stuffed lovey

I wouldn't. I know that's not what you wanted to hear but I'd be too nervous. I just let my 19 month old bring her stuffed Minnie in for naps about a week ago (still don't allow anything overnight) but I'm also crazy. I never let her sleep in bed with us, either. Co-sleeping makes me way more nervous than a stuffed animal.

I would try CIO again or the Ferber method, which is a gentler CIO.

Re: Age for a little stuffed lovey

Re: Age for a little stuffed lovey

So I kept it on the opposite end of my kids where it was there but not in arms reach. Once they could roll over, I took it out and gave it back at about 9 months old. The stuffed animal was small and not a blanket though. I don't like the blanket ones because they make me too nervous.

Re: Age for a little stuffed lovey

I think my son was about a year old when he started sleeping with a small stuffed animal in his crib.

Age for a little stuffed lovey

My daughter was nearly two when I gave her a stuffed animal to sleep with--I was nervous putting anything in her crib- my pediatrician recommended following the AAP guidlines to prevent SIDS and I did well past the one year mark. Tears I can handle. I never did any type of cry it out with my daughter- I felt if she needed reassurance then I would give it to her.

Age for a little stuffed lovey

We started using a lovey (small bunny head with small blanket attached) around 8 months. At that point she was rolling and sitting no problem. She never put it over her face though. That would probably have made me nervous. She still sleeps with it at 3.

Age for a little stuffed lovey

it would make me nervous to leave it in there all night with him. if you think he will fall asleep that well with the lovey, could you put it in the crib with him and sit there on the other side of the room for a few minutes until he falls asleep and then take it out? i didn't let my kids have anything in with them until they were around 12 months or so.

another option that i always recommend when the child loves to be swaddled but starts rolling over is the zipadee-zip. my second LOVED his and slept in it from about 6 months to about 14 months.

Re: Age for a little stuffed lovey

Re: Age for a little stuffed lovey

Posted by TwinMommyToBoys

Posted by BlueDiamonds

it would make me nervous to leave it in there all night with him. if you think he will fall asleep that well with the lovey, could you put it in the crib with him and sit there on the other side of the room for a few minutes until he falls asleep and then take it out? i didn't let my kids have anything in with them until they were around 12 months or so.

another option that i always recommend when the child loves to be swaddled but starts rolling over is the zipadee-zip. my second LOVED his and slept in it from about 6 months to about 14 months.

He loves this bear. It's with him all day long.... I have never heard of this zipadee- zip?! I'm going to look into this. I ordered the halo swaddle in a medium for him but it no longer has the swaddle portion over the hands so I'm going to try that but I'll look into this too. He was sleeping from 8:30p-7:30a since 9ish weeks. At 6.5 months old he shouldn't be doing this I feel. He will cry until he gets his way and just cannot self soothe.

Re: Age for a little stuffed lovey

. At 6.5 months old he shouldn't be doing this I feel. He will cry until he gets his way and just cannot self soothe.


Children at 6 months old do not manipulate- manipulation is a concept that a child that young cannot begin to understand --the brain is still too immature--sleep regression between 4-6 months is common- he could also be starting to teeth. As for self soothing at 6 months old it is not uncommon for a child to need help comforting themselves- switching your son to the crib might disrupt life for awhile but he will adjust- it is safer for him to sleep in his crib than in your bed or in a pack and play--I would give it time.

Re: Age for a little stuffed lovey

Our ped suggested it at 2 months. our kids never took to it.

Age for a little stuffed lovey

I wouldn't have a problem giving it at that age, but you have to do what you're comfortable with. Dd was much more aware of her body from day 1 than ds is. That being said, dd was in her own bed with a quilt/sheets/pillows/the whole shebang by 17 months, so I think I'm on the early end of stuff.

Age for a little stuffed lovey

DS started sleeping with his lovey at 7-8 months

Age for a little stuffed lovey

My DD has been sleeping with burp cloths since Day 1. She loves them and holds them while sucking her fingers. She only has them in her crib and that's it. She's 13 months now.

Re: Age for a little stuffed lovey

I used the really small square aiden & anais ones. I tested it on myself and you can completely breathe through them if they land on your face.

Age for a little stuffed lovey

we started using ours in his bed around 4.5 months. I would periodically place it over his face and make sure he could move it. once I felt comfortable enough that he was able to move it I allowed him to have it at naptime since I could watch him on the monitor. Once I saw he was fine with it & it improved his quality of sleep I let him use it at night.

Re: Age for a little stuffed lovey

DD is 2 now, but has had her loveys for as long as I can remember. I'm pretty sure she slept with it at 2-3 months old.

Re: Age for a little stuffed lovey