Can I use a blanket in the crib or not?

mgolles · May 2011

I need a consensus on this - all of the books/mags/sites I've been reading lately are saying NOT to put the baby in a crib with a blanket until she is old enough to move the covers away from her face. The recommendations have been to use the blanket sleeper nightgowns instead to reduce the risk of SIDS. My mother and all her parent friends (age 50 plus) think this sounds completely crazy and are appalled that I would consider putting the baby to bed without a blanket in the winter time.

So what is everyone else doing these days about blankets?

SoonMrsCruz · May 2011

My DS sleeps in a sleep sack and under he wears a long sleeve footed pajama. I'm not worried about him being cold because he's layered well. I wouldn't want to risk anything happening with a blanket.

Scout05 · May 2011

We swaddle, and we will move to sleepsacks when she's done swaddling.

I will not put a blanket or bumper or anything else in her crib. They make sleepsacks and PJs in different fabrics, it should not be that challenging to make sure she is warm/cool enough depending on the season. We have A+A muslin sleepsacks for this summer, as we have been using those blankets to swaddle and I like the fabric weight.

amanda_430 · May 2011

at the hospital, they used a blanket after the baby was swaddled. so we have been doing that at home. I just make sure it is super tight in the sides of her packnplay and I'm right beside her since she hasn't moved out of room yet.

SeasideBride06 · May 2011

Scout05:
We swaddle, and we will move to sleepsacks when she's done swaddling.

Same for us too. Now that it is warmer I just put her in a onesie and socks before swaddling instead of a sleeper.

g00dg0llymsm0lly · May 2011

We swaddle her tightly either in a blanket or one of the velcro swaddlers, but never put her to bed with a loose blanket.

perplexed59 · May 2011

In the end you will just have to do what you are comfortable with. I personally do use blankets in the crib on the lower part of Alice's body. I live in a draft old house and when she was born it was really cold here. Even if I cranked the heat it would still be cool in her room. I'm comfortable with this so I do it. If you're hesitant then I wouldn't.

skio · May 2011

I use a blanket most nights. It's hand-crocheted and I'm comfortable with it. DD likes the weight of it on her, even though it's not very heavy. She's always swaddled tightly on her back and the blanket is on her lower half so that if she kicks, she kicks it off rather than onto her upper half - it's always kicked off in the mornings. We also use an AngelCare monitor so I get extra peace of mind from that.

misssurly · May 2011

I feel weird not having a blanket on her... but we layer her up under her swaddler depending on the temperature. We also keep the bedroom a bit warmer at nights, she sleeps in a bassinet beside me. Once she's no longer swaddled I think we'll use sleepsacks or tuck a small blanket tightly at the foot of the crib where she can't move too much.

shamyfowler · May 2011

DD sleeps in a PNP right next to our bed. I use a blanket it and tuck it under the sides of the mattress. I feel completely comfortable with this. I check on her several times a night.

JsMama125 · May 2011

I swaddle DS, and then put a blanket over him if he is sleeping on his back, but if he is sleeping on his tummy i usually put 2 blankets on his lower body because he likes the warmth. I feel comfortable doing it, so I do it, and also because he just kicks them off rather then covering his face... But if you dont feel comfy doing it then don't.

juliane2004 · May 2011

We swaddle till 5.5 months, then we use sleep sacks (a blanket they cant pull over their head).

Spin313 · May 2011

With both kids we've always used a blanket on their lower half.

JustOne · May 2011

After she was done being swaddled and prior to her starting to grab at things, we would sometimes put a blanket on her lower half and over her sleepsack if it was cold. She has the coldest room in the house. But now that she is grabbing and pulling at things, I will not put loose fabric in the crib.

anangelbug · May 2011

No. I mean you CAN but everything we were told from hospital classes etc were nothing in the crib except baby. No bumpers, no blankets, no toys. We just dress her in a long sleeve nighty or gown and put her in a sleep sack. If she is in a gown we put socks on her. We live in Florida and keep the air super cold. They say babies like to sleep cooler. It's when they get too warm that SIDS risk can increase. We were also told by two different hospitals and one pedi that we shouldn't be swaddling arms in at bedtime. They are seeing a rise in SIDS and think all the swaddling is too blame. Either they can break lose and suffocate or it takes away their ability to startle and their startle reflex can save them from a potential SIDS moment. Our angel care went off the other night for the first time and later I realized I had forgotten to turn the air down low so I think she overheated. But once the alarm went off, she startled and was fine. I had a hard time thinking of her sleeping without a blanket at first but now I'm fine, the Halo sleep sacks are awesome. She started moving around alot around 5-6 weeks old so if we had a blanket on her lower half I can see how she could easily get bunched up in it.

smitt2619 · May 2011

juliane2004:
We swaddle till 5.5 months, then we use sleep sacks (a blanket they cant pull over their head).

This is a picture of a Halo sleepsack, which is exactly what we have been using to keep my LO safely warm. Despite what our parents did when raising us, it is no longer considered safe to use loose blankets in the crib, not until at least age 1 year. Instead, a sleepsack is a very safe "blanket" because baby can not pull it over his/her face during the night or get tangled up in it. And I find it more practical anyhow, my LO would just roll away from a blanket and it them wouldn't keep him warm, just be a possible SIDS/suffocation risk floating around the crib. Halo makes them in fleece, cotton, and velboa (my fav!), and in lots of cute patterns. Get some of those.

webdeziner1 · May 2011

I am with NOWABABY.....we have blanket in the crib and PNP...but always tucked in tightly on the bottom and sides. At this age it's a watching game. I watch.......he does whatever he wants to........ I adjust. But the smiles I get are so worth it!!!!

Hugs '

H

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