How old before sleeping with blanket/s.

[rbnyc]

My baby is 13 1/2 months old. He's also very big, strong and coordinated. He weighs about 26 pounds. He's almost 34 inches tall.

It's starting to get cold, and I can't find a sleep-sack big enough for him.

I've read about putting baby to sleep on his back and putting a blanket over him up to his chest, and tucking it in tightly so it won't move up to his face. But my son moves around a lot in his sleep and doesn't like to be confined.

Tonight I have him in warm pajamas and 2 pairs of socks, but it's going to get colder, and I know our landlords are going to be conservative with the heat.

At what age is it generally considered safe to let your baby sleep with blankets.

Are SIDS guidelines generally for babies younger than one?

I'm not finding the answers in my web-searching.

My gut feeling is that my son is strong enough to shift positions or more a blanket if it is covering his face and making it hard for him to breathe.

I want him to be warm and safe.

Parents of older kids--when did you start letting your kids sleep with blankets? How about pillows? stuffed animals?

Thanks.

[MrsMatt]

1. Blankets should be fine now

SIDS is more of an issue with younger children (greatest risk is between 2-4 months of age - when they are just starting to roll over).

We never bothered with blankets, because our daughter would always kick them off (she still does and she's eight). We used footed blanket sleepers - just get 2T or 3T sizes, and put a onesie on underneath. That should keep him warm enough.

I used to order the two piece fleece footed pajamas from Lands End. They were a bit on the expensive side, but they are still in great shape and when my son (13 weeks) is old enough, he'll be able to wear them as well (especially since I didn't purchase any "girly" ones).

[rbnyc]

3. Thanks! (nt)

[SoCalDem]

2. Once they can sit on their own and have good control of their hands

they are fine..They don't need a pillow...Pillows are breeding grounds for upper respiratory system germs and dust mites..

a tight fitted sheet, and a thermal blanket (not tucked in) is all you need.. "footy jammies" and a blanket is plenty..

[rbnyc]

4. Awesome.

That's what I thought, but I couldn't find anything that specific ly said that, and I'm a tad on the cautious side.

;-)

Thanks!

[SoCalDem]

6. When our youngest was 8 months old, he kept climbing out and

actually gave himself a concussion when he did a header over the side of the crib.. After that , we just put a gate across the doorway, and put his crib mattress on the floor..It was better for him to occasionally end up on the carpet in front of the dresser, than to haver to take him to the ER, unconscious again..

When he did it, he turned grey, his lips went purple, and he was not breathing... I was doing CPR before it was chic:)

Every time he hit his head, he would lose consciousness and stop breathing...until he was 3 or so..

He graduated summa cum laude with a 4.2 GPA..so apparently it did no lasting harm.. except make us CRAZY

[rbnyc]

9. wow!

scary! I'd have put the mattress on the floor too!

[abelenkpe]

5. 26 pounds!

Sounds like your little guy is doing very well! He'd probably be fine with a blanket. I still have my son in a sleep sack at nite. But he uses a blanket during daytime naps. I found some bigger sleep sacks online here:

https://www.inventiveparent.com/halosleepsack.htm.

Check 'em out if you'd like. But I wouldn't worry too much. Good luck!

[rbnyc]

10. Thanks for the link!

Yeah, he's in the 99th percentile for height and weight. Everyone thinks he's 2.

:)

[MediumBrownDog]

7. My son is about the same size and age

14 months, about 28 pounds. I found sleep sacks for this winter here:

http://www.onestepahead.com/product/86181/1174/117.html

The XL size is for 26 to 36 pounds. Wearing it is part of his going to bed ritual, so once he outgrows this, we're in trouble! Once he gets in "bag o' baby," as we call it, he knows it's bedtime.

[abelenkpe]

8. 'bag o baby'

That is hilarious! We call Connor our little sleestack once he gets into his sleepsack. Don't they look like sweetpea from Popeye in those things? I will be sad the day he no longer fits into one, as I am when he outgrows anything.

[rbnyc]

11. cool. great link. (nt)

[mzteris]

12. blanket sleepers

work great! Add socks/undershirt underneath if it's really cold!

Kids rarely keep blankets neatly tucked in, anyways!