When can a newborn baby be placed on his tummy: age, time and conditions for laying the baby out. When should you go to bed at night? When can a child lie down?

The baby was born, and with his appearance, mom and dad have a million questions in their heads. All of them, of course, are very important, parents still have to figure out the answers to each of them as the child grows up, and in today’s article we will tell readers about when you can put a newborn on his tummy, how to do it and why this is necessary at all.

Charging for the little ones

Children spend the first months of their existence in the womb. At the initial stage of formation and in the next few months, the baby swims freely in the amniotic waters, voluntarily moving its arms and legs. The closer the time of his birth, the more cramped he is in the uterus; accordingly, the baby’s posture is constrained, and his possibilities of movement are limited. Having been born, the child finds himself in a new environment. It will take a long time for him to learn to use his body coherently, but to speed up this process, it is necessary to help the baby.

To do this, you should start doing the first physical exercises and light massage with him as early as possible. But when can you put a newborn on his tummy without harming him? Neonatologists are clear in their answer - immediately after birth, if there are no contraindications to this. For greater self-confidence, mothers can delay this moment until the day the umbilical wound heals.

When is it possible?

So, in general terms, we found out when you can put a newborn on his tummy. So that young and inexperienced parents can be guided by specific dates, this can begin when their child is two to three weeks old. On average, a newborn's umbilical cord heals on the 7-10th day; the clothespin holding the knot may fall off even earlier, but the umbilical cord itself secretes ichor for some time, so it is better not to subject the baby to heavy stress.

More detailed recommendations in each specific case will be given by a visiting nurse or local pediatrician. Health care providers are required by law to visit the child weekly during the first month of life. During visits, they assess his health and give parents recommendations on caring for the baby. They can also demonstrate how to tummy time a newborn and other useful exercises.

If you do not start working with your baby on time, this threatens delays in his statokinetic development; accordingly, there will be a lag in mental, psychological, and emotional maturity.

How to place a newborn on his tummy correctly?

Now that parents know when to turn their baby over, it's time to figure out the best way to do it. Having barely been born, the child is not able to make such a somersault on his own; his weak physical form simply will not allow him to turn around. The mother (or father) herself should help the baby. At this moment, the child should be calm, fed, and dry. After eating, you need to wait at least half an hour, otherwise he is guaranteed to burp and may, unable to hold his head, inhale the expelled liquid through his nose.

Before turning the newborn onto his tummy, it is better to undress him; the absence of clothes that hinder movement will contribute to the mutual success of mother and baby. When turning your child around, you need to confidently and reliably support him. The starting position assumes that one hand of the mother lifts the baby’s neck and head, and the other is positioned diagonally, grasping part of his legs, butt and back. It is with this brush, on which almost the entire body of the baby is located, that he needs to be turned onto his tummy, carefully supporting his head.

Having adopted this position, a healthy baby will first reflexively, and then quite consciously, begin to raise his head, training the muscles of the neck and shoulders.

What's better to lie on?

It is important to know not only when you can lay your newborn on his tummy. It is worth properly arranging the place for his training. It is best to do this on a changing table or directly on the floor. However, the latter option requires more careful preparation. The surface should be warm, clean and moderately hard. What does it mean?

It will be easier for the child to rise if he feels support under him. Pushing away from a soft sofa or mattress or a lush blanket can be problematic for him. Besides, it's dangerous. A child, without keeping his head in an up position, may not turn it to the side and rest his nose against the fabric, limiting his access to oxygen.

Many mothers are also interested in when it is possible to place the newborn on his tummy on an exercise ball. In this case, there are no special instructions; if the child’s belly button has healed, then it is completely permissible to practice with it on a fitball.

What if the baby doesn’t want to?

The child solves several important problems for himself at once. The first is strengthening your own body, improving coordination of movements, physical and mental development, which we already talked about earlier. The second is to help with the passage of gas and improve the process of peristalsis. And it is this indicator that very often becomes the reason why a newborn does not like to lie on his tummy. This may cause him temporary discomfort in the form of colic and pain.

However, when a mother turns her baby over from her back, she really helps him. Rocking the baby on the ball while he is lying on his tummy will be especially effective. The surface of the fitball will gently and gently massage the problem area. The baby's gas will pass faster and it will be easier for him to poop.

Me myself!

Don't get too carried away with the situation that is new to your child. Pediatricians talk not only about when you can place a newborn on his tummy, but also how often this should be done. The first days, charging lasts no more than one or two minutes. Gradually, this time can be increased to fifteen minutes in one approach. The frequency of laying out depends on the child’s sleep and wakefulness patterns. If the intervals between his rest are about 1-1.5 hours, then during each of these long periods it is worth placing the newborn on his tummy.

It happens that the child himself tries to roll over, rocking on his back. There is no need to interfere with his exercise, especially when it comes to attempts to change his body position, but parents should understand that normally the process of a full-fledged revolution should not occur earlier than 3-4 months. At an earlier age, this may indicate increased muscle tone, which is a symptom of many neurological diseases.

When should you teach your baby to roll over onto his stomach?

From about the second month of life, the baby becomes much stronger; from this age, you can diversify activities aimed at improving his motor activity. During this period, you can begin to encourage him to roll over by performing the necessary exercises.

For this purpose, it is worth laying the child on his tummy, and putting him on his side, and, offering him a variety of toys, encouraging him to move independently. The next stage will be teaching the baby to throw his leg in the direction of the intended turn. When the baby learns to hold his head better, the mother can turn him onto his stomach directly from his back. To do this, she needs to hold the baby’s leg in a level position with one hand, and with the other, lift the second leg behind the first. The baby will reflexively begin to roll over. To achieve the maximum effect from the exercise, it should be done 2-3 times in each direction. Let us remind you that the child must be more than one month old.

Taboo

Well, the last question regarding this topic: Doctors do not recommend doing this. Babies sleeping in this position are at greater risk of dying from sudden infant death syndrome. This is information provided by the World Health Organization. It is easier to minimize this possibility if you remove all soft toys and pillows from the baby’s crib and do not use soft bedding, feather beds and blankets as a mattress.

With the birth of a child, a young family faces many different problems. Sleeping for a baby can be called one of the most difficult. We will tell you how to properly put a newborn to sleep, what conditions the baby needs for quality and comfortable rest.

The importance of quality rest for a baby

In the first weeks of life, the baby sleeps a large amount of time. A baby can sleep for about 20 hours a day. Rest at night and during the day has the following meaning for a little man:

• in a dream, children grow up and develop;
• the baby’s strength spent during the day is restored;
• during rest, the nervous system is strengthened;
• A newborn in a dream accumulates strength for the next busy day;
• the information received by the baby during the day is processed.

Parents are obliged to create conditions for their child to have quality day and night rest. In addition to the necessary conditions, it is important to learn how to properly put a newborn baby to sleep.

What time should I put it to bed?

The smaller the newborn, the more time he needs to sleep. To figure out how long to put a baby to bed, you need to know the rest standards for children of a particular age period.

There are certain sleep norms for babies in the first weeks of life and in subsequent months:

• Babies from 1 month to 3 months can sleep for a long time. The total amount of sleep day and night reaches from 15 to 18 hours. And newborns can sleep for 20 hours, waking up only for feeding. For newborn babies, it is necessary to create a daily routine and adhere to certain hours of rest and feeding. If parents do not help the baby decide on the time to fall asleep, then the baby will fall asleep and wake up chaotically, which will not be beneficial. In this age period, parents must determine for themselves what time to put their newborn to bed so that he feels comfortable;
• in the period from 3 to 6 months, it is advisable to prepare for night rest from 7 pm, and at 8 pm the baby should already be asleep. Normal sleep for children during this period lasts until about 7 am. A tiny baby may wake up to be fed.

You need to put your baby to bed at night at the same time so that the baby develops a habit. To help your baby, enter the following mandatory actions before bed:

1. bathing;
2. create specific lighting in the nursery;
3. take care of silence by eliminating extraneous sounds in the apartment;
4. To ensure that the newborn sleeps longer in the first half of the night, feed him more closely in the evening.

Important: for normal, high-quality sleep, the bedtime ritual itself is important.

Sleep during the day

The baby needs rest both at night and during the day. To properly put a newborn baby to sleep during the day, you need to adhere to the following rules:

1. Cover the nursery window with loose curtains. You should not create a feeling of rest at night during the day. It is necessary for the newborn to distinguish between sleep during the day and at night;
2. try to create a calm, cozy atmosphere before falling asleep, eliminating extraneous noise and other irritating factors;
3. Put your baby to bed at the same time every day. A newborn from 1 to 3 months sleeps up to 3 times a day;
4. Before bedtime, feed your baby, but not too tightly. The more a newborn eats, the longer he will sleep. The main rest time should be at night;
5. you can sing a lullaby, or turn on quiet, calm music;
6. You can put your newborn to sleep outside during the day, if the weather permits.

By resting during the day, the baby relaxes and replenishes his energy reserves.

Sleep at night

The bulk of a newborn's sleep occurs at night. You can properly put your newborn baby to sleep at night using the following simple tips:

1. start preparing the tiny man for the night in advance. 3 hours before bedtime, you can only play quiet games;
2. create an appropriate, comfortable atmosphere in the nursery that induces sleep;
3. ventilate the nursery, ensure a normal level of humidity;
4. accustom your newborn to a mandatory bath before bed, and then put on cozy pajamas made of natural fabric;
5. if a baby under 12 weeks is too active, he can be swaddled during the night's rest;
6. Before putting your newborn to bed in the crib, feed him;
7. If your baby is bothered by colic in the tummy at night, you can add a few drops of a special anti-colic remedy to a bottle of milk or baby formula. The doctor will tell you which remedy is best to choose;
8. Be sure to sing a lullaby to your child, because the sound of a mother’s voice and her presence contribute to better falling asleep and a longer night’s rest.

In order for the baby to sleep longer at night, it is necessary to control the amount of daytime rest. Getting your newborn to sleep at night will be easier if you stick to bedtime routines and bedtime routines.

Correct position

The correct position of the newborn during sleep is of great importance when laying down. First of all, you need to prepare the crib. The mattress should be smooth, dense, without dips. The baby pillow is not used. The baby's head should be at body level.

Now let's look at the possible sleeping positions for a baby.

Sideways position

Doctors advise putting a newborn to sleep sideways after discharge from the maternity hospital. This position is considered optimal because the baby is placed to rest immediately after eating. Babies often burp, and lying sideways will not suffocate.

In a half-side pose

In this form, it is necessary to properly put the newborn to sleep in the crib if colic and frequent regurgitation are bothering you. This way the baby won’t burp, and the gases will go away unnoticed.

Children may toss and turn while resting. To prevent rolling over, you need to place a rolled blanket under the baby’s back. Many children scratch, so they can wear special protective gloves (scratch gloves).

If the baby sleeps sideways or half sideways at night, then he needs to be periodically turned over to the opposite side. In this way, problems such as torticollis will be avoided.

On the back

You can put your baby to sleep on his back. But this situation carries with it some danger. On the one hand, resting on your back is useful because the spine is in a natural position. The danger is that the baby may burp after feeding and suffocate in its own regurgitation.

To properly place your newborn to sleep on his back, you must follow the following rules:

• Although the baby lies with his face up, his head needs to be turned to the side, securing this position with a roller. You can use a diaper as a bolster;
• If the baby sleeps on his back for a long time, then you need to move his head to the other side so that the neck does not bend.

There is a contraindication for this position in sleep. This is a pathology of the hip joints (congenital dysplasia). There is no need to place your baby on his back if he is often bothered by colic.

On the tummy

If you put a newborn baby to sleep on his tummy, this position will serve as a preventive measure for better passage of gas and problems with digestion of food. Lying in this position, the baby will not choke if she burps.

Putting a baby to sleep on his tummy is correct. This is explained by the fact that in this position the baby’s muscle tissue is strengthened. The neck and back muscles become stronger.

There are some rules to follow when placing your baby on his tummy:

1. choose a hard mattress (preferably orthopedic);
2. no pillow needed;
3. There is no need to put oilcloth sheets under your laundry. A well-chosen diaper is enough for your baby;
4. Do not place toys in the crib, it is better to hang them up.

While sleeping on your tummy, you need to periodically approach your baby and check if he is comfortable.

Like an embryo

Some babies, even closer to 2 months, continue to sleep with their legs pulled up to their tummy. This position can cause muscle tissue overstrain. If after a month or 6 weeks the baby straightens up, then there is no need to worry.

Regardless of what position you put your newborn to sleep in, you need to turn him over periodically to prevent torticollis, bedsores, diaper rash, and pressure on fragile bones and muscle tissue.

How to quickly put your child to sleep?

Young mothers are sorely short of time. That’s why the question of how to quickly put a newborn baby to sleep is so pressing for them.

First of all, you need to understand how important quality rest, day and night, is for a baby. Therefore, it is necessary to provide the baby with high-quality sleep conditions, and at the same time avoid stressful situations during bedtime. Quality rest includes the following components:

1. feeding the baby before bed, don’t start laying it down right away. It is correct to put a newborn in the crib after waiting a little while he burps. And in this matter one cannot rush;
2. competently choose bedding. Avoid soft mattresses and pillows. There is no need to cover the baby with a bulky, down blanket. All accessories must be made only from natural fabrics;
3. There is no place for a TV or computer in a nursery. It is important to provide the baby with a restful sleep, without extraneous noise effects;
4. every day do wet cleaning in the room, where the crib is located;
5. before any sleep (night or daytime) it is necessary ventilate the room;
6. use herbal infusions for evening bathing. Infusions of plants such as chamomile and sage will help you quickly put a newborn to sleep;
7. It happens that a child has difficulty falling asleep. Doesn't matter don't put him in your bed. In addition to addiction and reluctance to sleep alone, such a habit is dangerous. A baby can suffocate next to an adult. You cannot breastfeed your baby in a lying position, thereby achieving rapid sleep. So the baby can also suffocate;
8. up to 12 weeks can you put the baby's crib next to yours?. At such a tender age, it is important for the baby to feel the presence of mommy and her smell. This will make falling asleep faster.

There is no need to strain and think about how best to lay the baby down. After watching your child for some time, you will understand in what position he falls asleep faster and sleeps for a longer time. There is no single answer as to what is the optimal sleeping position for a baby. Each newborn is already an individual, so parents will have to adapt to their baby.

If you follow the above recommendations for putting a newborn to bed, then each time the baby will fall asleep faster and sleep longer at night. It is important for parents to understand that by showing patience and affection, showing your child your love, you can get positive results in solving any problem.

In order for the baby to be able to fully rest, it is important for parents to understand what time to put the child to bed, to catch the moment that will be the optimal time for a useful journey into the world of dreams.

Often new parents believe that if the child wants to sleep, then he will certainly fall asleep. However, it is interesting that the National Sleep Foundation (USA) has long conducted a study according to which every person, regardless of age, consciously resists sleep. And even a newborn baby is no exception!

There are scientifically proven basic principles that help organize depending on his age. In the course of their research, scientists came to the conclusion that a child’s sleep will be most restorative at certain periods of time. These principles will help you figure out the very time to put your child to bed at which will be beneficial for the baby. However, blind adherence to these rules is unacceptable. It is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the toddler and evaluate its activity.

To find out when and what time to put your child to bed, you need to compare two facts:

• Recommended time period;
• Signs of baby fatigue.

Each child may have different signs of fatigue, sometimes there may be several of these signals. Recognizing your baby's signal language can be challenging.

Those babies who were born more recently show symptoms of fatigue more clearly. Until about 4 months, it will be easy for moms and dads to recognize them. After the 4th month, the baby can already trick his parents around their finger, changing already familiar signals or showing them less clearly. In this case, parents will have to carefully monitor the young sly. When a child wants to sleep, he will show several signs of tiredness one after another at short intervals. The task of adults is to monitor the system and help the baby fall asleep immediately. Attentiveness will allow you not to miss the moment. The younger the child, the smaller the window into his sleep. If you get into the right interval, the baby will quickly fall asleep. It is important to prevent the baby from becoming overtired and help him fall asleep on time. Otherwise, sometimes styling can turn into a real nightmare!

How to quickly put your child to sleep?

How quickly parents can put their child to sleep directly depends on their observation skills. A number of signs will help you cope with this task easily:

Child rubs his eyes

This sign of fatigue can be noticed in both children and adults. Babies under 4 months most often signal their desire to sleep by rubbing their eyes. There is a scientific explanation for this symptom. Wetting of the mucous membrane of a tired eye occurs in insufficient quantities. By rubbing our eyes, we stimulate the sebaceous glands and tear ducts, which moisturize the dry surface. There is a direct connection between the eyes and the heart. Light pressure on the eyeball and extraocular muscles causes the heart rate to slow. In other words, the baby rubs his eyes, and his heart begins to beat a little slower, preparing the body for sleep and reducing activity.

Child yawns

Not only children, but also adults, and even animals yawn when tired, lack of oxygen, lack of muscle movements and, of course, when drowsy. It is not difficult to explain this fact: yawning helps to renew the air in the lungs, which is carried through the blood throughout the body. As a result, emotional stress and physical fatigue are reduced.

The baby tends to suck the breast, pacifier, finger or anything that comes to hand

Even in the womb, the child develops a sucking reflex, which persists up to 1-1.5 years. Even at 3-4 years of age, children can retain sucking movements in their sleep. And this is not surprising! To survive in the new world, the baby simply needs the ability to suck. When sucking, the digestive system and brain work better, nutrients are absorbed well, and the baby feels comfortable. In addition, sucking is a great way to calm down, relieve excitement and relax, and, therefore, prepare for sleep.

The child rubs his head, nose, ears, pulls his hair

No matter how the baby rubs his head, nose, ears (with his hands, on a pillow, on his mother, or otherwise), he tries to switch his attention from the outside world to the inside. Such children's movements are a way to calm down and get ready for sleep.

The child is capricious and does not want to play or communicate

If the whining and whims of your little one are accompanied by a “glazed over look,” then this is a sure sign that the child is overtired. He has enough information for this period of wakefulness; it’s time to relax and gain strength for new discoveries.

The child wants to be in his mother’s arms, does not allow her to leave even for a minute

For every baby, the most important guarantor of safety and peace is the mother. Mom for him is protection, calm, peace. When a child is tired and wants to sleep, it is quite natural for him to want to be under the protection of his mother.

Every parent of a small child should know that the exact answer to the question “What time should I put my child to bed?” no one can give. There are general recommendations for time intervals for each age, but the main factor in determining sleep time should be the baby's fatigue. Monitoring the above signs will help prevent your baby from becoming overtired. The child will show the first signs of fatigue in a relatively calm state. And it’s better not to miss this moment! While the little one is calm and rubbing his eyes or otherwise showing his fatigue, it’s time to send him to bed. This is the best answer to the question of how to quickly put a child to sleep.

If the baby is already capricious, showing aggression, excessive activity or excessive cheerfulness, then most likely he is overtired. A symptom of missing the moment for going to bed can also be a violation in the coordination of movements. The fact is that with excessive wakefulness, some of the neurons in the brain fall into sleep without their young owner. This explains why a child bumps into corners, trips, drops toys, etc.

Many parents report that their child has difficulty falling asleep at night or during the day and does not show signs of tiredness. In this case, you need to help the baby show you that he is tired. At the age-recommended bedtime, give your little one 100% of your attention. A quiet darkened room, calm activities, and soothing music will help you. Just lie down or sit with your baby and you will probably soon notice signals that indicate fatigue.

Your attentiveness to your child's signs of fatigue will bring quality sleep and restful wakefulness. Remember! The best time to put your baby to bed will be determined by the baby himself.

If your child has poor sleep, or you don’t know how to calm your baby, child sleep consultant Olga Snegovskaya will help you. Healthy sleep is one of the most important components for the proper development of a child and a good atmosphere in the family. Entrust all your children's sleep problems to a professional, listen to the recommendations, and you will certainly improve your baby's sleep!
Contact details: phone +7 903 0117303, e-mail [email protected]

In almost every consultation, we begin our analysis with the mother precisely with this question.

Moreover, the situation greatly depends on the country of residence. In Russia, for example, I see every day how people with infants and one-year-old children go out into the street at 20-00, or even later.

Where? For what? What to do there if it’s winter outside and it’s already dark? Therefore, today we have a detailed answer to the question: what time should you put your child to bed?

Time to sleep

Surely you have heard more than once from grandmothers or older relatives that children should fall asleep no later than 9 pm, and wake up in the morning by 6-7 o'clock. Calculate, from 21:00 to 6:00 the baby will sleep for 9 hours, with a daily sleep norm of 12 hours, during the day the little one will have to sleep for another 3 hours.

This is what they did in Soviet times. This schedule was convenient for working mothers who returned from maternity leave after only a year, and three hours of daytime sleep fit perfectly into the kindergarten’s daily routine. Daytime nap time slowly decreased as children grew older, and by the time they were in first grade, sleep during daylight hours was completely abandoned.

When should you go to bed?

The physiological time range of what time a child should be put to bed from 3 months to 5-6 years is 18:30-21:00. Wake up - 6-7 am. Surely, you had a situation when the baby in the evening, around seven o’clock, began to rub his eyes and lay down on the pillow.

And what did you do?

• Turn up the music;
• Everyone around begins to entertain the baby, fearing that if he falls asleep now, he will definitely not survive until the morning, but will only interrupt his sleep.

This is the wrong tactic.

The child’s biological clock turned out to be smarter than you; it clearly determined when to sleep, but when it encountered resistance, it eventually gave in and adjusted to the schedule you imposed.

Why should you put your children to bed before 9:00 p.m.?

1. The human body is subject to the influence of biological rhythms, in this case we are talking about the change from day to night and vice versa. So, in the dark, the body requires rest, and the hormone melatonin indicates this. This sleepy hormone helps us fall asleep, and it begins to be produced in the evening;
2. The hormone acts on the human body as a good relaxant: the body temperature decreases slightly, the amount of glucose in the blood decreases, and the muscles are relaxed. If you don’t lose this moment and lie down, then sleep will envelop you in a matter of minutes;
3. In children, melatonin begins to be produced from 18:00 to 20:30. You should determine the specific ideal time for falling asleep by observing your baby. Rubbing his eyes or laying his head on your shoulder - don’t waste the moment. If you miss it, the next two hours will be very active, the hormone melatonin is replaced by the hormone of vigor, cortisol. Now it will be more difficult to put the baby to sleep; tears and hysterics are possible, as well as repeated waking up at night.

Why is it dangerous for a child to be awake at night?

Nature has determined for us when and how much a child should sleep. The most basic natural indicator - it has become dark, it’s time to sleep, there is light in the window - we wake up.

You can deceive nature, which is essentially what you do every evening by turning on the lights and curtaining the windows in the morning. But the baby’s body suffers with this approach. Every evening, missing the ideal time to fall asleep, the child experiences stress. One moment one hormone was relaxing him, and a few minutes later another one was agitating him. Hence the hysterics, waking up at night, and even nightmares.

But it’s okay if the baby still fulfills the daily requirement of sleep, for example, due to daytime rest, otherwise the child’s body works for wear and tear, and the nervous system is simply overstrained.

Is there such a thing? Then change your schedule immediately. Experimenting with sleep patterns at an early age can have consequences.

Child's age and ideal time to fall asleep

You're probably wondering why I call such a long period of time when you need to put your baby to bed. This is due to the age characteristics and individual needs of the baby.

So, one child needs 9 hours of night rest, and the other sleeps no more than one hour during the day, but at night he gets a full night’s sleep - twelve hours.

So, let's look at the ideal time to put a child to bed in the evening, in relation to age.

• The first three months of life. Babies from zero to three months can sleep a lot. But they rarely do this while lying alone in a crib. For more information about the sleep characteristics of a 2-month-old baby, read the article How long does a baby sleep at 2 months?>>> Everything written there is relevant for both a 1- and 3-month-old baby;

• 3-6 months. The ideal bedtime is 19:00-20:00, sleep should last until 7:00. The baby still often suckles at the breast in his sleep and may wake up at night to “take a walk” (Read the article if you are interested in the question of how long to feed your baby at night?>>>). It is important to monitor the child’s daily rhythm, not allow him to overstay and put him to bed on time;
• 6-12 months. An excellent time to fall asleep is around 20-00; during the day the baby sleeps 2-3 times. The transition from three to two sleeps begins, which can greatly disrupt the regime and shift falling asleep at night to a later time. At this age, interruptions in dreams often occur and the child can very often hang on the chest at night, and without it cannot fall asleep at all;

It's time to start studying the course How to teach a child to fall asleep and sleep without breastfeeding, night awakenings and motion sickness, then by the year you will improve your child's sleep and enjoy good nights.

• From 1 year to 1.5. A child under one and a half years old usually has 1-2 naps during the day. Read more about a 1-year-old child’s sleep in the article How much should a 1-year-old child sleep?>>>

The time you go to sleep at night will depend on the time you wake up in the morning and the duration of your daytime sleep. In any case, you should strive for the child to fall asleep before 21-00;

• Age from one and a half to three years. During this period, the baby adjusts to one nap during the day. Sometimes children may have difficulty getting to bed during the day, sabotaging the process. If your child is 2 years old or older, and you are no longer breastfeeding, then I recommend watching the seminar How to quickly put a child to sleep?>>>
• 3-4 years. The main guideline of the sleep schedule is the amount of time you are awake; this phase should be 5-6 hours. For example, your baby opened her eyes at 6 am, daytime rest should begin no later than 12:00, two hours later the baby wakes up and enjoys life, but already at 19:30-20:00 it’s time to put the child to bed.

This is a great age to teach your baby to fall asleep alone in his crib. An online seminar will help you with this: How to transfer a child to a separate bed?>>>

• Preschool age. If your child attends kindergarten, check with the teachers what time the kids go to bed and whether your child is sleeping or just resting. This point is important so that you can calculate the time when you need to go to bed. The daily sleep norm for a child under 5 years old is 11 hours, then every year the norm decreases by half an hour. For example, a 4.5-year-old baby who sleeps for an hour and a half during the day and goes to bed at 6:00 in the morning should go to bed no later than 20:30;

Of course, going to bed early for your baby has certain inconveniences. If dad comes home and the baby is already asleep, don’t be upset. You can play with your child in the morning; everyone will benefit from such a positive start to the day.

Most likely, long before the baby is born, caring parents select a crib, mattress and everything necessary for him. After all, a newborn most often spends his first weeks of life lying down. Therefore, the task of parents is to organize the baby’s sleeping place in the best possible way. If the baby feels comfortable in the crib, this will lead to excellent sleep for him, and therefore rest for the mother. But most parents are perplexed by the topic - “At what months can you put your baby on a pillow?”.

Adults are undoubtedly accustomed to such a sleeping item as a pillow. Without it, sleep will not be as comfortable and happy. And many of them think that a pillow is also very necessary for a child from his first days. Parents begin to visit stores and their eyes widen at the variety of this product. But doctors are unanimous in their opinion that a pillow for a child in his first months of life, and possibly years, is simply not needed. Thus, using an ordinary pillow that adults are used to is not recommended by pediatricians for children under three years of age.

Pillow for a child up to one year old

Pediatricians around the world are against placing a baby on a pillow until one year of age. And their opinion is very reasoned. So, when using a pillow for a child under one year old, there is a risk of suffocation. Babies rarely sleep in one position; very often they toss and turn in their sleep and thus can accidentally bury their nose in the pillow and suffocate. In addition, a baby sleeping on a pillow can develop an abnormal formation of the spine. We must not forget that the head of a newborn, compared to the body, is not in the same proportions as that of an adult. Therefore, overstrain in the baby’s cervical spine will not occur. Another unpleasant aspect of using a pillow for a child is the considerable likelihood of developing allergies due to the filler. From all this it follows that sleeping without a pillow for a newborn has greater benefits and value than with one.

How can you replace a pillow for a child?

Firstly, you can place a cotton diaper folded in several layers under the head. The convenience of this method lies in the fact that, if necessary, the diaper can be easily replaced with a new one. After all, babies burp very often.

Secondly, you can use a large towel. They roll it up, lift the mattress, and place this roll of a towel in the place where the baby’s head is located on the crib. Many mothers appreciate this method, noting its convenience. The cushion under the mattress does not roll down, and the angle of the mattress can be adjusted to any angle. But pediatricians recommend do not exceed it by more than 30 degrees. Today, some manufacturers produce cribs on which you can set this angle of inclination without resorting to additional bolsters.

But, if for some reason a pillow should still be present in the crib, then one should proceed from the age of the baby, and not because of the mother’s liking for this or that product. So, a flat pillow for newborns will be an excellent way out of this situation. When purchasing it, you just need to remember its height. As a rule, the height of the pillow is equal to the baby’s shoulders, which is 1-2 cm. Don’t forget about its hypoallergenicity.

Regardless of whether it will be purchased special flat pillow for newborns, or the parents will do without it, but the mattress should still have an angle of inclination. There are the following explanations for this:

1. To improve blood circulation in the head.
2. This is especially true for babies who often burp a lot not only after feeding.
3. Stuffy nose. A small angle of inclination of the mattress will promote freer breathing.

When the baby's age approaches one year, parents can already think about buying a special pillow for him. But this situation is purely individual. And pediatricians advise that if the baby is comfortable sleeping without a pillow, then there is no need to purchase one yet. And if the baby tries to put toys, a blanket, or his hands under his head, then it’s time to choose this sleeping accessory.

But unfortunately, there are cases when a baby is born with pathologies or acquires certain diseases in which sleeping without a pillow is simply unthinkable. Then parents should ignore the advice of doctors that there is no need for a pillow until children are 1-3 years old.


A pillow for a newborn is necessary to purchase if:

1. The baby suffers from congenital. This pathology should not be underestimated, but it is worth taking on its elimination from the very first days. In this case, placing the child on the pillow is simply necessary. After all, its head should be located only in the correct position, the outcome of the treatment depends on this. To remove torticollis, doctors recommend buying an orthopedic pillow for a child.
2. The infant has an abnormal structure of the skull bones. This applies to those babies who choose the same position to sleep. And the baby’s bones in this period are very soft and easily deformed. In this case, you need a pillow with a depression to fix the baby's head in the desired position.

But some mothers who have encountered this problem report that they can do without a special pillow. If the baby likes to sleep with his head only on the right side, thereby causing deformation of the skull bones on the right side, then you should roll up a cushion from the diaper, place it along the baby, as if tucking him in, and forcefully turn the head to the left. No matter how much the baby tries to turn his head back, the roller will not allow him to do this. But you should know when to stop and still allow your baby to sleep on the side he likes from time to time, otherwise deformations of the skull bones may affect the other side.

1. The baby has been diagnosed with hypertonicity. Then an orthopedic pillow for a baby will be an additional way to combat illnesses.
2. If a child often burps, then his head must be on his side when lying down. In this case, it is practically impossible to do without a pillow.

The decision about whether your baby will sleep on a pillow or not should be made consciously, based on the personality and health of the baby. In addition, it is worth soberly assessing whether you can purchase a quality product. After all, not all manufacturers are equally conscientious. You can stumble upon a terrible pillow filling that will quickly develop an allergy in your baby. There is no need to chase cheapness, because the health of your baby depends on this product. If high-quality pillows are not available in your city or town, then let your baby sleep on a swaddle or raise the mattress at an angle with a towel.

Technologies do not stand still and today many manufacturers create pillows labeled 0+ (from the first days of life).

The right pillows for children from birth to one year

1. Inclined pillow. The name of the product speaks for itself. The shape of the pillow is not made as a uniform canvas, but at an angle. Most often this angle is 30 degrees. If you decide to purchase this product, then do not forget that in this case you need to place the child on the pillow not only with the head, but also with the upper part of the body. Such a pillow will provide easier breathing and protect against the risk of choking when regurgitating.
2. Anatomical pillows. This product is applicable if it is recommended by an orthopedist or pediatrician. The pillow is not sewn with a smooth fabric, but with a small depression in the center and side elevations. This pillow holds the newborn’s head in the desired position very well. Experts recommend using it if a baby has torticollis, a displacement of the vertebrae in the neck, to align the bones of the skull.
3. Cushion to prevent suffocation. All young parents, without exception, are very worried that their baby may suffocate in his sleep, burying his nose in the pillow. Manufacturers of baby pillows have come to the aid of parents by creating a unique product that resembles a sponge in a cotton cover. Porous polyurethane foam is very breathable and safe for the children's spine.
4. Pillow for holding the baby in a lateral position. The side sleeping position for newborn babies is considered the safest, because the baby can burp at any time. Manufacturers have created a puzzle-shaped pillow. It consists of two connecting parts, which allows you to keep even the most resourceful kids in the right direction.

What pillow should a child sleep on after one year?

When discussing this topic, experts may have differing opinions. If some pediatricians advise purchasing a pillow for a child, others will be against it, saying that a pillow is not needed until the age of three and is only a hindrance to health. In this case, parents must make their own decisions regarding the need for this item. After all, if a baby sleeps well without a pillow, constantly slides off it in his sleep, or simply throws him out of the crib, then there is no need to force him to sleep on a pillow. If a pillow is considered an indispensable sleep aid, then when choosing, parents should analyze which pillow filling is the most appropriate in their case. And also choose the right size and shape of the product. The pillow size 60x40, used by adults, may be suitable for a child only after 1-1.5 years.

1. The pillow cover can be made of cotton or linen.
2. The filling of a pillow plays a very important role, so it is worth exploring all possible options as fully as possible. Fillers can be both natural and synthetic. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Natural fillers are environmentally friendly and allow air to pass through well. The disadvantages include the high cost of some items, the possibility of developing an allergy (very rare), and the specific smell of some products may not be to everyone’s liking. Synthetic fillings do not ventilate well and can cause excessive sweating, but they are prized for their durability.
3. The seams of the pillow should not distract from sleep. You should choose tailoring with internal seams or flat seams.

Of the fillers, we especially highlight:

3.1. Feather and down. Surely a natural filler known to everyone. But choosing a high-quality pillow with this stuffing is very difficult, because you need to be sure that the manufacturer has carried out all the necessary manipulations to process the raw materials (heat treatment and anti-allergenic treatment). Otherwise, there will be a high risk of allergic reactions.

3.2. Sheep's wool- another highly sought-after natural filler that holds temperature well. In summer, such a pillow can give you coolness, while on cold winter nights, a pillow with sheep's wool will provide warmth and warmth. The negative side of this padding is that it falls off quickly. Manufacturers have come up with a good way out of this situation. They dilute wool with synthetics. But felting of wool is not the only negative side of the material. Sheep wool is a very allergenic padding.

3.3. Holofiber. An artificially created filler that appeals to many consumers. It retains its elasticity and wear resistance for a long time. But it can cause severe sweating due to poor breathability.

3.4. Sintepon. Many parents choose this particular filler because of its cheap pricing. But such products are short-lived and strongly provoke sweating.

3.5. Comforel. Silicone fibers based on artificial down. Airy, soft, tender and free of any allergens.

3.6. Lyocell. New generation filler. The finest fibers are made from wood. The advantages include good air conductivity, like natural fillers. At the same time, it is impossible to get an allergy using a pillow with lyocel.

3.7. Buckwheat husk. Most often, this natural filler is used in the manufacture of orthopedic products. Among the advantages we highlight:

• sleeping on such a pillow gives the effect of a massage;
• Buckwheat husk has a memory effect.

Memory foam pillows have a beneficial effect on the body by relieving tension in the neck muscles. Disadvantages include a distinct rustling sound and a characteristic odor. Some consumers may not like these features.

3.8. Latex. A filler that has gained fame among many orthopedists and buyers. The latex pillow is free of allergens and creates a memory effect that encourages quality sleep due to the natural position of the head. The only drawback is the high cost.

3.9. Bamboo fiber. Natural filler without allergens, elastic and wear-resistant.

3.10. Polyurethane foam. A very hard and dense artificial filler used in orthopedics.

3.11. Polystyrene. Used in orthopedic pillows of moderate hardness. Does not provoke allergic reactions. The consistency resembles a sponge, because polystyrene is a foamed polymer.

3.12. Polyester. Well ventilated artificial filler.

1. Breathability. A very important property of any filler. This characteristic determines whether your head will sweat in your sleep or not.
2. Elasticity. The quality of a pillow can also be judged by its elasticity. With the right pillows, the shape must be restored after lifting the head. If the pillow is loose and overly soft, then you should think twice before buying it, or better yet, abandon it altogether.
3. Material safety. Important characteristics when choosing a pillow are the safety of the filler and fabrics. Often, harmful dyes can trigger allergies.
4. Shape and dimensions of the product. A baby pillow is considered to be a product with dimensions of 40 cm by 60 cm. This size is standard and many manufacturers of children's underwear include just such pillowcases in the set.

The sizes of orthopedic products are often smaller than standard ones. Namely:

• 18 x 25 x 2.5 cm (for one and a half year old children);
• 25 x 29 x 3 cm (1.5 - 3 years);
• 35 x 39 x 5 cm (3 – 7 years);
• 35 x 58 x 8 cm (for children over 7 years old).

There is no need to try to give your baby a larger pillow than his age requires. Otherwise, not only the head may be placed on the product, and this will be a bad preventive measure for maintaining normal neck vertebrae. And the risk of suffocation will increase significantly if the pillow is larger than necessary.

The shape of the pillow should resemble a rectangle. There are many interesting products on sale in the form of numbers, letters and other items, but sleeping on such a pillow is not recommended. They can only be used to decorate a child's room.

1. Seams. It is better if the seams are internal. If the seams are located on the outside, then you should pay attention to the stitching, stitches and threads. The threads must be strong, and the stitching must be done often and evenly.
2. Lightning. A zipper on a pillow is an optional, but very necessary accessory. With its help, it is convenient to remove the cover for washing and checking the condition of the filler for suitability.
3. Wash. Whatever the pillow is, it must be washed from time to time, like all children's accessories.

Having withstood more than one wash, a high-quality pillow must retain its shape.

How to choose a pillow for a child? — Doctor Komarovsky (video):

When the baby should start sleeping on a pillow is decided by the mother, based on his characteristics and personality. If the baby loves, then it is better for him to buy a polystyrene pillow or simply raise the corner of the mattress. If the baby is prone to frequent regurgitation, then it is better for him to sleep on his side and for this purpose purchase a special pillow that helps support the baby’s body in this position.

According to Dr. Komarovsky There is no need for a pillow, if not up to two years, then definitely up to a year. Evgeny Komarovsky also warns mothers that there is no need to sterilize the pillow, otherwise you can increase the chances of your baby getting allergies. This is due to the fact that the more sterility surrounds the baby in his home, the more susceptible he is to picking up an infection somewhere, since the immune system will not work at full strength.

At what age does a child need a pillow (video):

If a pillow is needed on the recommendation of a doctor (pediatrician or orthopedist), then you should take this seriously. After all, orthopedic pillows are not a PR move for companies in pursuit of profit. Such products are indeed manufactured in accordance with the standards.

By providing the baby with everything necessary for a sound sleep, parents thereby ensure good health and psyche for him, and hours of rest for themselves.