How to Know If a Baby Can Sleep With a Stuffed Toy

Trying to figure out when baby is ready for things is confusing. There are so many questions, and so many different opinions. Medical research, however, has led to some very important guidelines regarding when baby can do many things.

Instructions

1. Wait until the baby is at least a year old. Because young infants do not have the coordination to move something away that is covering their face, suffocation can occur. Also, stuffed items, such as pillows and stuffed animals increase the risk of a baby's death by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). This risk declines significantly after the baby turns one.

2. Keep stuffed toys small. The bigger the toy, the more likely it is that it could cover the child's face and cause suffocation.

3. Consider the baby's development level. Normal development for a 1 year old is being able to crawl, sit up and easily move things away from their face. This is what makes it safer for a 12 month old than a younger infant to sleep with a stuffed toy. If baby is behind in any of these development categories, it is probably a good idea to wait a little longer before allowing a stuffed toy in the bed.

4. Make a bed for the stuffed toy. If baby is very attached to the stuffed toy, make the toy it's own bed. That way baby can tuck the stuffed toy in and know where it is as soon as she wakes up.

5. Know the risks involved. Suffocation and SIDS are both real possibilities that can occur if a baby sleeps with a stuffed toy too soon.