Baby Pillows: The Right Products
12/23/08
One hears of numerous expert opinions on why babies do not require pillows and how dangerous pillows can be for the health of your baby. Most of such advice is needlessly exaggerated and do not give the right picture of whether to use baby pillows or not. It is a fact that children less than one year of age do not usually need pillows and in some cases, the pillows may not be safe for his/her health. But after about a year, using the right baby pillow actually helps your baby sleep soundly.
During the early years, the skull bones are very soft and keeping the head in one position may result in the skull developing a lopsided appearance. A rigid on the back sleeping posture can lead to the development of a hollow at the back of the baby's head. Using a baby pillow can help prevent this and provides the requisite support to the head of your baby. It is important to select the appropriate baby pillow. A feather pillow can cause allergies and a soft pillow may result in suffocation; both are therefore best avoided. The new memory foam pillows are a good buys because they provide the right kind of hold to the baby's head and are non hazardous.
Baby pillows come in all shapes and sizes. It is necessary to choose a correct pillow depending upon the requirements of your baby. Crib pillows are safe provided they are narrow and thin and not too soft. If you visit any childcare unit in any hospital, you will find crib pillows being used. Doctors also recommend baby pillows when your baby develops a cold. The reason is that a slightly elevated baby head helps the baby breath easier when down with a cold. A baby pillow also helps prevent acid reflux and ear infections. Some parents advise that the right time to give your baby a pillow is when the baby graduates from the crib to a bed. The reason that they base this premise is on the fact that on a bed the chances of smothering are greatly reduced as the pillow is liable to fall off. Some babies even start exhibit signs that they need a pillow. The signal comes in the form of the baby using a stuffed toy or a towel as a headrest on its own. Then it's definitely time for you to buy a good baby pillow.
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