i'm gonna ask one more for opinions - new mum!?

Question

can you put blankets over babies? my neighbour told me that they can suffocate with blankets so she put her twins in thick body suits for the winter and light body suits for the summer. is this ok or will they get cold? can you tell i'm a first time mum?

Answer 1

I am a long-time mom. Back in "the day" when I was raising my 3 older children, who are now 28, 25, and 22, we parents did everything wrong according to today's parenting recommendations. Our babies slept on their tummies, we used extra blankets on cold days, we let our babies take naps on our beds (even on our water bed!) and we kept stuffed animals in their cribs. Somehow, I managed to raise them to adulthood with few problems and they are perfectly healthy today. SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is a very real concern for all parents of infants. It is the current recommendation that babies be put to sleep on their backs on a firm mattress with a tight-fitting sheet. For warmth, a sleep sack or heavy footed pajamas are recommended. In addition to my 3 adult children I also have a 9 year old ( what a surprise for us!). When she was born, I felt just like a first-time mom since so much had changed. I have been a child care provider in my home for 20 years, so I stay current with the latest "recommendations". Because they change frequently, I always take them with a grain of salt, add a little common sense, and trust lessons learned from experience. Now...in regards to the real question about covering infants with a blanket. It is recommended that you don't, but many parents, including myself, use/used blankets on their infants with no problem. A lightweight blanket laid across their chest, legs, and feet and then tucked under their arms with their arms above or on top of the blanket reduces the chance the baby will pull the blanket over his/her face. While there is a risk of suffocation, it is rare. I have cared for several children who like to have their faces covered when sleeping and pull the blanket up on their own. This issue will only be of concern until your baby begins to roll over on his/her own. At that time, it is still recommended to initially lay the baby down on his back to sleep, but it is fine if he rolls over to his tummy on his own. Many older babies (and toddlers and children) move a lot during their sleep and won't stay covered anyway and using a heavy blanket sleeper in winter is a good solution. Generally, babies are comfortable in the same amount of clothing/covering you are using. You can use blankets on infants, just use lightweight coverings and don't put on too many. Of importance to note is that even if you follow every recommendation to the letter, a baby can still die of SIDS. Additionally, the recommendations do not translate to mean that every baby who sleeps on their tummy or uses a blanket or doesn't sleep with a pacifier will die of SIDS. Trust your instincts, babies are pretty resiliant and can withstand many parenting mistakes.

Answer 2

A blanket is safe. You can get crochet blankets which have holes in but will still keep baby warm - at least then if the blanket does go over baby's head he can still breathe.
Babies have a reflex that makes them shake their head gently from side to side if their face gets covered up anyway.
Best way to do it is to swaddle the baby (how they wrap the baby up when he's born), baby feels as safe as in the womb and is tucked up nice and snug.
You can also get a sleeping bag for babies to use instead of blankets. Its like a pinafore dress sewn up along the bottom!
Have a look at Mothercare.com, under nursery, then bedding, then sleeping bags. Its got some pictures - you can get them cheaper though. I've seen them in George @ Asda for around £10.

Answer 3

hi there,
yes its fine to put blankets over babies, the way they say you should make the cot is tuck the sheet and blanket at the very bottom of the cot or crib so the blanket only comes half way up and babies feet are near to the end of the cot this is so the baby does not wriggle down and get its face under the blanket
regards
sarah

Answer 4

You can buy blankets that Velcro so it isn't possible for the baby to suffocate under it. But the body suits are a good idea.
You don't have to worry about the baby suffocating under it. I only use blankets if I am eye's sight at all times. The make fleece body suits. It's basically a blanket, but it goes on the baby like a snow suit. Keeps baby warm and cozy, not too hot, and it's safe.

Answer 5

blankets are fine just when you put the baby to bed put him/her as far down in the cot as possible (feet to foot postion) and make sure the blankets do not go any higher then babys shoulders.

The beauty of blankets is you can add and remove layers as nessceary so the baby will not overheat.

If you are still worried by a baby sleeping bag/ grow bag that acts like a blankets but they can not wriggle under them.

All new mums worry at first but you will soon become confident and follow your instincts

Answer 6

It is fine to use a blanket to swaddle your baby when they are young. As they get older and no longer want to be swaddled, sleep sacks are the safest bedding for a child. They come in a few different varieties (some long sleeved, some sleeveless, etc) and work really well!

We used sleep sacks (which you can find at almost ANY baby store) for my son until he grew too tall to fit (they are one size fits all) After that we started using light blankets...but by then he was crawling and was able to reposition himself if the blanket was touching his face.

Answer 7

You can use a blanket, not like a heavy quilt but a regular baby blanket. Babies naturally get hot when they sleep so using the thick body suits can be just as hazardous as a blanket since the body temp has no fluctuation to the babies comfortability. The blanket can be kicked of or they can stick a leg out if they are too hot. My daughters were like me and had to have their feet sticking out. Also I am sure you check on your baby enough during the night to recover them if they need it.

Answer 8

Halo sack or Halo sleep sack. It is a wearable blanket. It is the greatest thing. I loved it with my kids. I didn't have to worry about the blanket sufficating them and knew that they were warm. I didn't use it with my first and she was constantly waking up because she was cold after kicking off the blankets. I used it with my second and third. They are the best. Just type Halo sleep sack in your search engine. I bought ours at Target, but saying you are a mum you may not be in America. Good Luck

Answer 9

I have three wonderfull grown-up 'kids' and they were all covered with blankets when it was cold and a sheet if it was hot. When they were new-born I wrapped them tightly, not too tight, this made them feel secure. All you need to be careful of is that they don't get too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter.
Congratulations on the new baby, you'll make a wonderful mum.

Answer 10

I use blankets all the time. Babies don't like to be too warm though. I try to use blankets to cover the lower half of his body, it eliminates choking but helps to moderate all over body temperature. Depending on the weather, make adjustments to garments and the heaviness of the blanket you use.