Crib sleeping: blanket placement?

CrimsonStar · February 2012

I put DD down for a nap on her back, in hopes to transition from RnP to her crib soon. She laid on her back, arms sprawled out, and I had a blanket over her up to her armpits and tucked into the sides. Seemed all good, and let her sleep. Cue her crying 45 min later, I checked on her and the blanket was all up in her face, tangled in her arms. Argh.

Did I do something wrong and have no idea how crib back sleeping is supposed to be done, or she just grabbed the edge of the blanket and played with her hands, inadvertently getting the blanket in her face? Is there a certain way the blanket should be that I'm clueless about?

I do feel dumb asking, thanks for any advice

smilelari · February 2012

There should be no soft bedding, including blankets, in the crib.

JMC11511 · February 2012

We use a swaddle blanket, so it's actually supposed to be used for swaddling. He currently sleeps with one arm out and open at the bottom so his little legs are out of the blanket too. We're close to being unswaddled though.

sap05e · February 2012

I know some people use blankets, even in the crib, but I don't unless I am right there in front of LO (swing or bouncer seat mainly). Those sleep sacks are so much easier and safer.

lkm2006 · February 2012

I think the general rule is no blankets. With that said, we do use a light weight blanket. LO sleeps on his tummy (we apparently break all the rules) and I pull a blanket up to his bottom and tuck it under his sides. I think if he was on his back I would feel uncomfortable using a blanket in worry of him pulling it over his face.. That really isn't an issue on his tummy though

mben1119 · February 2012

You shouldn't have a blanket in the crib at all.

CrimsonStar · February 2012

Okay, I just remember seeing a photo in one of the books that was exactly that; baby laying on back with blanket tucked into the sides of the mattress. We do have a sleep sack, so I'll use that.

As if I'm not stressed out enough with multiple things right now, I also endangered my child w/blanket in her crib. I knew that... [shakes head] Thank you

jnealet · February 2012

lkm2006:
I think the general rule is no blankets. With that said, we do use a light weight blanket. LO sleeps on his tummy (we apparently break all the rules) and I pull a blanket up to his bottom and tuck it under his sides. I think if he was on his back I would feel uncomfortable using a blanket in worry of him pulling it over his face.. That really isn't an issue on his tummy though

Don't worry, you're not the only one. We use a blanket and she sleeps on her tummy. I put it about mid back and then scoot the blanket down by her sides, so she would really have to work at it to pull it over her head.

baby3ob · February 2012

dont feel bad about it - a lot of new moms dont know that you shouldnt and get pressure from those who had babies 20-30+ years ago to use a blanket. i have my mom and grandma bug me EVERY day to PUT a blanket on her while she's napping and at bedtime. I don't know how many times I tell them that the general rule is no blankets, and that a sleep sack (fleece mind you!) is just as warm.

MrsHamilton2b · February 2012

I do tummy sleep as well. I do not have blankets in the crib though, I am a fan of those warm onesies at night

authorofdreamz · February 2012

I'm a bad mom I use a blanket. I keep it at about waist level and she has never put it near her face. She does the opposite, and kicks it down so I don't worry for right now. Swaddling, sleep sacks, etc do not work for my LO so I use a blanket because she needs something to keep her warm. By the time she is older and moving around it will be summer so I wont need a blanket so I don't think it is a problem.

skipperkelly · February 2012

Stole this from the American Academy of Pediatrics website:

Feet to Foot

For those of you who choose to cover your sleeping babies with blankets, the AAP recommends using the ?feet to foot? method as an easy and effective way to keep them from getting tangled up. Simply place your baby?s feet at the foot of the mattress, cover him with a blanket, and tuck the ends of the blanket into the sides and foot of the crib.

I've used this method a couple of times with LO. He prefers the sleep sack but on really cold nights I'll put him in a fleece sleeper with the blanket tucked in really tight. It never got near his face even though he kicked out of it once. It's not something I do all the time but it didn't seem to be an issue.

Jenny952 · February 2012

I must be a bad mommy because I put a blanket on DD. Her room is always chilly and before using a blanket, her legs and feet got so cold. She is swaddled up tightly in her halo blanket, and then I have a blanket that I lay over her at her waist and tuck into the side of the crib. I think the weight of the blanket helps her feel secure too. Once she's out of the swaddle and starts pulling the blanket up over her face, I'll have to rethink this method.

duffmaker · February 2012

Add me to the list of "bad" mommies... I use a blanket with DD. Whether I swaddle her or not I still use her light weight fuzzy blanket. She sweats way to much in all the other options, fleecy pjs, sacks, swaddle mes etc. and our bedroom is always chilly. I generally have it folded and draped over her, pulling it up to like mid chest level. I don't tuck it in because she will kick it free if she doesn't want it and never fail I lay her the "normal" way in her crib and she rotates herself 90 degrees so her feet are facing the front, so I won't do the foot to end, tuck the blanket under the mattress thing because she would easily get herself caught underneath it! I also use bumpers on 3 sides to, imo we all had bumpers and blankets in our cribs and we're fine right? She looks like she is in an impersonal, cold cage without the bumpers... I keep the long front one off though. Oh and she sleeps in our room, I would be more nervous about it if she didn't.

mben1119 · February 2012

clizh:
Add me to the list of "bad" mommies... imo we all had bumpers and blankets in our cribs and we're fine right? She looks like she is in an impersonal, cold cage without the bumpers... I keep the long front one off though. Oh and she sleeps in our room, I would be more nervous about it if she didn't.

Many people smoked while pregnant in previous decades too, but does that make it right? What about tummy sleeping? I just don't see the point in taking a risk with my baby's life.

LesRN · February 2012

so when is it safe to let them sleep with a blanket or have a toy in the crib? is there a certain milestone or age they need to reach?

vanessa11411 · February 2012

LO gets swaddled and he sweats alot so I just use light jammies, swaddle and he's so long that the blanket doesn't reach his feet. I put a receiving blanket across his feet.

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