When Can Baby Sleep With a Stuffed Animal

• Continue soft toys out of the sleeping environment for babies nether vii months of age considering they may embrace the nose and mouth and interfere with breathing.

• The risk posed by suffocation by the presence of soft objects in the babe's sleeping surround outweighs whatsoever benefit to the babe from a soft toy. It is therefore advised not to place soft toys and other soft objects in the cot for babies under 7 months of age.

• Seven-calendar month-old babies are more likely to explore objects in their sleeping environments than younger babies. Some babies over 7 months of age may appreciate a modest object such as a soft toy to provide comfort and connection (transitional object^ane) during times of separation from their parent.
  

1. Transitional objects, such as soft toys are created by the baby to 'build an illusion' to represent mother and all that mother represents. The object signifies that the babe has moved from a sense of his/herself merged with mother, to being a separate individual. Source: Mahalski, PA, Silva PA, and Spears GFS. (1985) Children'south Zipper to Soft Objects at Bedtime, Child Rearing, and Child Evolution. Journal of the American Academy of Kid Psychiatry, 24, 442-46.

Soft toys and babies under twelve months of age

Soft toys should never exist placed in the sleeping environment of an babe under 7 months of historic period. Soft objects in the cot can be a suffocation adventure. Physiological studies indicate that facial obstruction by soft bedding may lead to complete airway obstruction, and/or hyperthermia,¹ and/or adventitious suffocation by rebreathing². Current research supports infant safety guidelines to ensure that quilts, doonas, duvets, pillows, lambskins, soft toys and cot bumpers are not in the infant sleeping environment. The American Academy of Pediatrics^three recommends that soft surfaces and gas trapping objects, such as soft toys and lamb skins, be avoided in an infant's sleeping environment. Pillow-like objects have the potential for asphyxiation and accept been used as a prop to keep babies on the side, and infants have later on rolled onto their stomachs⁴. The prone position significantly increases the risk of sudden and unexpected infant expiry, including SIDS. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recorded the decease of a iv-month-onetime associated with prone sleeping position involving the closure of the kid'southward airway by a stuffed toy. Soft toys tin act in a similar manner as a pillow⁵.

At that place have been cases of asphyxia in cots cluttered with soft toys and where an infant has slipped out of the sleeping environment onto toys and dress placed near to the cot^six. Pocket-sized toys, toy parts and toys on strings are a major cause of asphyxial fatalities acquired by accidental suffocation and strangulation in babies and choking episodes in young children^seven. Toys which are hung across the cot should be removed in one case the child can push on easily and knees or is 5 months of age; whichever comes earliest⁸. Toys can colonise infection when used for babies in Neonatal Intensive Care Units or Special Care Baby Units^ix. Parents and other carers are advised to keep soft toys out of the sleeping environs for babies under seven months of historic period every bit they may cover the olfactory organ and mouth and interfere with animate.

Soft toys for comfort and connection (transitional object) during times of separation from their parent for babies over seven months of age

Between viii and ix months of historic period babies begin to become aware of the separation between themselves and the parent figure. At this time babies may appreciate a pocket-size object such every bit a soft toy to provide comfort and connection during times of separation. Use of transitional objects yet, is not universal and is influenced by cultural and socioeconomic differences^1,10-xi maternal personality and mother-infant interactions¹². Child rearing practices involving high contact eastward.g. breastfeeding, feeding on the babies' cue, co-sleeping, and property the child during the transition to sleep are associated with lower use of transitional objects¹³ . Younger babies are more probable to cocky sooth with a dummy or pacifier, and older babies are more likely to utilise a soft object. Seven month old babies are more likely to explore objects in their sleeping environments than younger babies^fourteen.

Studies examining children'southward attachments to various classes of objects^ten found that strong attachment to blankets is rare around 3 months (8%), peaks at eighteen and 24 months (32%), stays near this loftier level through 39 months, and diminishes steadily to 8% through 63 months. Consistent with these findings, Busch and colleagues found that attachment to blankets and cloths typically appears before 12 months of age while attachment to soft toys or stuffed animals appears around 18 months or later^fifteen.

Babies nether half-dozen months of historic period practise not engaged in exploring objects in their sleeping environment and are developmentally too immature to take comfort from a toy or object to help them manage any separation from mother¹⁵.

Fifty-fifty an object as tactile as the security blanket does non accept to exist touched; visual contact alone evokes its soothing effects¹⁰.

On residue of the current evidence, the hazard of suffocation posed by the presence of soft toys or objects in the baby's sleeping environment outweighs any benefit to the infant from the presence of a transitional object in the cot. It is therefore advised not place soft toys and other soft objects in the cot for babies nether seven months of age.

The Red Olfactory organ Safe Sleeping program is based on scientific evidence and was developed by Australian SUDI researchers, paediatricians, pathologists, and child health experts with input from overseas experts in the field. The 85% drop in sudden unexpected deaths in infancy and the 9,967 lives that have been saved is attestation to the effectiveness of the plan.

For further information telephone united states on 1300 998 698.

Suggested citation:

Ruby-red Nose. National Scientific Advisory Group (NSAG). 2013. Information Statement: Soft toys in the cot. Melbourne, Blood-red Nose. This data argument was first posted in Apr, 2013.

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Terminal modified: 19/3/xviii

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Source: https://rednose.org.au/article/soft-toys-in-the-cot

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