Children with pillows and children without pillows when they grow up will have 3 differences
When a new baby is born, many mothers who find it difficult to sleep will think that the baby is lying too low. Many parents immediately give their children a very high pillow and feel very secure without knowing that this is a very dangerous “culprit” for the baby.
5 dangers when letting children use pillows
– May lead to suffocation
If you think that using a high pillow so that the baby can sleep better, the mother is wrong. A baby’s delicate head can sink into the pillow, increasing the risk of suffocation. Moreover, when lying on the side, the infant’s nose can be pressed against the pillow, restricting air flow.
– Increases the risk of SIDS
In addition to suffocation, pillows increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). If it is a foam pillow, flexible plastic beads, in some cases accidentally come off, the child can breathe in leading to suffocation.
For extra safety, the mother can use a traditional horseshoe-shaped pillow to fit the infant.
– Make the child hot
Most popular infant pillows come with attractive covers, usually made of polyester or a non-cotton fabric. This can increase the heat below the baby’s head, affecting the overall body temperature.
When children sweat too much from lying on the pillow, it can lead to heatstroke in the hot season, which is life-threatening.
– Can lead to flat head syndrome
Flat head syndrome is a common birth defect. The bones of the head of a newborn are still very soft, if they sleep the wrong way, the pressure on the skull can cause the head to deform. Premature babies are often more susceptible to this syndrome than full-term babies.
It is important for the mother to put the baby to sleep properly, or use a special pillow for the newborn, so that the head can be flattened.
– May cause neck sprain
Most infant pillows are soft and uneven, which can sprain an infant’s neck while sleeping for hours.
Parents should be careful when giving their children a pillow. Photo: Internet
Effects of sleeping on pillows for babies
1. The child’s head is flat, the head shape is disproportionate
Whether it’s a vaginal birth or a cesarean section, a baby is compressed by the birth canal, which can cause the brain to be slightly deformed. In the eyes of some elderly grandparents, the shape of the head that is too long and flat will not be beautiful, so they deliberately put the child on a pillow early to change the shape of the head.
However, giving infants a pillow too early will make the back of the head flatter, the head shape is disproportionate and easily deformed, when the child grows up, it will be very difficult to change.
2. Affect the baby’s spine development
Currently, there are many types of specialized pillows for babies and children. However, babies in the first 3 months should not use pillows, because it can affect the spine and the neck part that is under more pressure during development.
3. Make your child rely too much on pillows
Adults often cannot sleep without a pillow because they are used to using it for a long time and are dependent. For babies, sleeping with pillows too early will make them gradually become dependent, if you take them to the laundry, they will easily toss and turn and have trouble sleeping without a pillow.
It is best not to use a pillow for the baby within the first 3 months, you can use a folded towel to support the baby’s head. When it comes to pillow age, it’s best to choose some kind of low, soft pillow.
Do not let your child use a pillow that is too high from an early age. Photo: Internet.
When can children use pillows?
The answer to the question “should children lie on a pillow?” depends greatly on each child’s developmental milestones. Putting a baby to bed too early or too late affects the baby’s posture and development.
– Newborns don’t need pillows
Newborns up to 3 months old do not need pillows, their heads are at shoulder level. When lying on the back or lying on the side, the head and body need to be on the same plane. Because at this time, the baby’s head and neck are very soft, lying on the pillow now will put pressure on the cervical spine, leading to deformity, making the neck crooked.
– Children from 3 to 6 months old need a thin pillow
At this time, the child’s spine begins to curve physiologically, so a little high pillow is beneficial for development. Parents should use pillows with a height of less than 3cm, the best way is to simply use a regular cotton towel, folded 2 times. This pillow will help your baby feel more comfortable when sleeping.
– Children over 6 months old need appropriate pillow thickness
During the period when the child starts to crawl and sit, the spine in the thoracic area begins to bend physiologically backwards, the shoulders gradually expand, at this time it is necessary to increase the thickness of the pillow appropriately.
Children who do not need a pillow can still sleep well. Photo: Internet.
How to choose the right pillow for the child?
– The pillow is not too soft, not too hard
Depending on the age of the child, parents consider choosing the softness of the pillow. Usually, children don’t like hard pillows because sleeping will not be comfortable. Therefore, the best way is to choose pillows that are not too soft and not too hard.
– High breathability
Parents should choose pillows with high breathability because children easily sweat and drool. To prevent bacteria growth, your baby’s pillow needs to be easy to clean and kept clean on a regular basis.
– Suitable thickness
The thickness of the pillow should not be too high or too low, so it should be suitable for the child’s neck. If the pillow is too high, it will easily injure the child’s cervical spine. Children from 3 months should lie on pillows 1-2cm high, children from 6-8 months should sleep on pillows 3-4cm high.
Source: Aboluowang, Zhihu, QQ
at Blogtuan.info – Source: Afamily.vn – Read the original article here
