When to Start Using a Pillow?

I agree with you...that is how I knew my son was ready for a pillow. He would ball his blanket up and fall asleep on it.

My son was 2 1/2 when he got a pillow and i purchased one from Ikea, its blue and flat (I believe flat is best when they are young) The ikea was perfect, its about 4 inches by 4 inches and only costs I believe a buck or two. My daughter is 18 months and i still have not introduced her to a pillow and she seems to be quite content without one.

No expert, but I think a child's sleeping position (the one they eventually favor during periods of deep and soundest sleep), may be a factor. I know for adults the basic rule is to choose a flat pillow for tummy sleepers, average loft for side sleepers, and thickest for back sleepers. Something to do with best position of the neck/upper spine.

My four year old grandson has lived with us for close to two years, and we have a flat pillow on his bed. He usually falls asleep on his back, but I have noticed he often winds up on his tummy, and has moved down or sideways, totally away from the pillow. This leads me to believe that tummy sleepers probably don't need a pillow at all.

I can only suggest you observe your child's position and level of comfort and go from there. I am thinking that, for little heads and necks, a thin flat pillow is the way to go, and like my grandson, a child will instinctively move around as needed to find their most comfortable spot.

Reminds me of my very short-haired dog. His instincts tell him it's absolutely necessary that he insist on sleeping all the way under my covers for his maximum sleeping comfort!

:)

My two oldest both started when they were about two and moved into a big kid bed because we had another baby on the way. The doctor said that it was absolutely fine, and they loved their pillows.

I guess my daughter was about a year old. We found a little square pillow that was perfect.

Thanks for asking. I just asked our Dr. and she said okay if the child wants one. Our son in 17 months. He balls his blanket up to make one and when he snuggles with us, the first thing he does is get himself one of our pillows. I was still curious what others had done. Thanks for the help!

Hi J.,

I read that pillows aren't necessary until after age two, and I believe that was on www.babycenter.com.
My son is 19 months old and still isn't using a pillow yet. He seems quite content!

Happy New Year to you, too!
M.

We also got the little blue pillow from Ikea and it is great. It's probably about 10x10 in and maybe only an inch thick. Our son started using it at 9 months (got an ok from his pediatrician, may not be suitable for all 9 month olds though, so ask your ped first for anyone with a young one) because he was stuffing his blankie or whatever he could under his head. He loves it. We had also tried a toddler pillow but it was much too thick. The Ikea one was perfect. I sewed a couple of pillowcases to cover it and it works great. He is now almost 2 1/2 yrs old so has been using it a while.

Hi, J.

My daughters got theirs after they were used to their toddler beds and requested it (over and over). They wanted a pillow like their mommy and daddy. We gave them flat ones that weren't much like a pillow at all! They were happy to be like the big folks.

When I put my daughter in her big girl bed at 2, I got her a toddler pillow which was smaller, not too overly fluffy and made for toddlers (BabiesRUs). She still loves to snuggle with it however is 6 now and has a full sized pillow.

I was almost a year old when my grandmother made me a baby pillow out of the family duck feather hahaha.. AND you know I carried that thing with me till about 6 yrs ago. I loved that pillow. I was 6 inch wide and 12 inch long and not too thick. She made all the lil pillow cases for it too. I was so attached that I was on my way back home from a trip ..remembered I had left it where I was staying and turned around and drove back 100 miles to get it! hahahah...

My son got his the same age. She made his too but out of old pantyhoses.

Istarted my kids with pillows when they went into big kid beds. My daughter was 16mo, my middle son was about 18 mo and my youngest who is 15 mo has a pillow in his crib because it helps him sleep better. I wouldn't do it any earlier than that.

My son is 16 months and has been using a pillow since he turned one. He loves having a pillow and has never had a problem having one. :)

Happy New Year J.! My daughter was a year old when we gave her a pillow for her crib. She was always tucking her blanket under her head, rather than using it to cover her, so I knew it was time. We used a small crib pillow that had just a little raise to it so that she was not in any danger of suffocating. Pottery Barn for Kids has them for a reasonable price (we paid $12 two years ago) and they also offer really cute pillow cases to go with them. When she moved into a big girl bed at 18 months we got her a toddler bed pillow that we got from Denver Mattress (it came with a waterproof mattress protector for $19).

Madison got a pillow around 18 months after she had been in her toddler bed for 2 months