Pillow for a child: which one to choose?
Is it possible to imagine a good rest anda sweet dream without a light, air cushion, in which the head is buried? In fact, not always people prefer such "royal" attributes for sleep, someone more respects hard cushions, someone likes orthopedic latex head restraints. Down featherbeds and a dozen pillows are one another less - these are, rather, elements of a fairy tale about the Princess on a pea or Mrs. Metelitsa.
Every person has his own ideas about comfortand convenience, based on health status, personal preferences and age. It is about the age limitations that will be discussed in this article, and to be more precise, whether a pillow is needed for the child, at what age and exactly what it should be.
When the pillow is not needed
The first thing to say is that pediatricians andorthopedists do not recommend to lay kids on any hill, their sleeper should be moderately hard, smooth and absolutely safe. This state of affairs is a rule that is not subject to reservations and nuances until the child is one year old.
This taboo is explained very simply - proportionsbodies in children in comparison with adults are completely wrong: their large and heavy head does not need support, its unnatural position can cause a curvature of the cervical spine. A cushion for a child who is not yet able to control his movements, does not have sufficient coordination, can be dangerous. Kids at this age are not able to independently turn over and change the position of the body in a dream - this responsibility rests on Mom's shoulders. The more important is the absence of soft pillows, regardless of their filling, and the more so that a child may well, having buried his nose in bed, die from lack of oxygen.
Sweet dreams of infants
If there is a real need to change the position of the baby's body in a dream (runny nose, bad sleep, discomfort, frequent regurgitation), the following measures can be applied.
- In children's shops are sold specialmattresses, lying on which, the child will not be in a horizontal, but slightly inclined position. In fact, the head of the baby is located on a hill, then the pillow for the child is not needed at all. You can arrange such a sleeping place without resorting to specialized products, placing a low roller under the mattress.
- In the complete sets of sleeping accessoriesnewborns often have thin (not more than 3 cm) mattresses, which are the most optimal variant of the pillow, because it is low enough, hypoallergenic and has the right size (it lies on the entire width of the crib).
- Cushion for a child who barely appeared onlight, can be done with the folded several times a soft diaper - this will help slightly raise the head, avoiding excessive curvature of the vertebrae.
The Kid grows up
A lifetime of sleeping on a bed without a substrate forhead child, of course, can not. Parents always try to create the most comfortable and safe conditions for the rest of their children, and when they grow up, there arises a reasonable question about the age at which a child needs a pillow and how to choose it correctly.
At about three years, you can try to packcrumbs on the hill, at this age the children are so physically developed that they are able to spin independently, lie down as they like, they can safely be left alone with a pillow.
Those less than this accessory for sleep should notbe high. Trading networks offer a good range of products for children's sleep, including head restraints, which have the necessary size and shape. This can be a rectangular or square pillow. For a child of 3 years, you can still use the one that was bought in the complete set at birth, but most often parents and children prefer to acquire a new one.
Nothing is eternal
Adult people often by their very natureconservative, and picking up a perfectly suitable thing, they do not regret parting with her, especially when there is no need. Children are constantly growing, especially kids that are changing every day literally before our very eyes. To them it was convenient and comfortable to sleep, you need to change their sleeping accessories in time: a cot in the sides of which the baby rests against the crown and heels sticking out from under a short blanket, a pillowed pillow, or one that is not matched in shape, sleep factors.
An adult who has grown up can be offered to sleepan orthopedic pillow, which in the center has a shallow hollow. Such a product can be made of latex or sewn on special patterns of traditional cotton fabric and filled with different fillers that parents and children select according to their preferences.
As for adults, a pillow for a child should not be in use for more than 4-5 years, it must be periodically cleaned to get rid of dust and harmful microorganisms.
The first pancake is lumpy
A child who is not used to sleep at allfeatherbeds, surrounded by a huge number of down rollers, needs a particularly careful choice of its first accessory for sleep. It may happen that the first pillow that comes to hand does not suit him. For a child of 3 years, which is better? Special, matched for age, or just any of those that are at home, does the filler, the material of the upper fabric, size and shape play a fundamental role?
Of course, all these aspects must be taken into account. When going to the store, it's best to take the baby with you and give him the opportunity to participate in the selection. He should lie down on the pillow and decide whether it is comfortable for him, softly or not, whether it has the right width, length and height. Do not be angry with the baby, if after the first night he realizes that he made the wrong choice. It is better to go to the store once more than to expose the child to daily anguish from headaches or aches in the body after awakening.
Baby pillows
Manufacturers offer a lot of childrenpillows, each of which has its own disadvantages and advantages. What are the differences? First of all, it is a filler, but the common feature is that the top must necessarily be sewn from natural material (cotton, linen, silk, bamboo fiber cloth), this will help to avoid sweating of the head and neck during sleep. Natural fabrics perfectly pass air, they absorb moisture and are easy to clean.
As an internal filler, you can choosefluff or its derivatives (a mixture with synthetic additives), sheep's wool, buckwheat, grass - is that of natural. Of course, the environmental friendliness of these materials is a plus, but some of them are allergens, and it's also problematic to clean them yourself. Woolen cushions that have not been properly processed and cleaned can have a rather specific smell, which will intensify during the hot season and at high humidity. Buckwheat and grass are recommended as good fillers for the pillow, but they can be harsh, over time large pieces of plant fibers are crushed into a smaller fraction that pours through the pillowcase.
Pillow for a child (3 years) which is better, ifIs the baby allergic? In this case, you should pay attention to latex, holofayber, silicone and sintapuh. These materials are soft, safe, products made of them (with the exception of latex) can be washed in a car, they dry quickly and even with very intensive use will last about 2-3 years.
How to choose a pillow for a child?
Do not choose a huge and very magnificent, betterall draw attention to the model, where a hidden zipper is sewn into the side seam, this makes it possible to easily remove an extra softener and make a "dum" of the right height.
It is necessary to avoid too cheap products, becausethey can be from a technical, not intended for domestic purposes, sintepon. Parents of children who are prone to allergies should study the composition of the materials, of which the bedding is composed, as well as the presence of impurities in them.
Arguments
Any question concerning the child always hastwo sides. The same applies to whether you need a pillow for your child. From what age can you let him sleep on the hill? As usual, much depends on the baby: if he desperately asks parents to give him a personal pillow in 2.5 years, it is so much easier for him to lie, and sleep is stronger and sweeter, then there is absolutely no reason to deprive the child of pleasure.
Scientists of the Institute of Sleep argue that a person forhealthy rest, in principle, does not need a pillow, it is rather a tool for satisfying its own convenience, which nevertheless does not carry any harmful beginning if it is matched with the mind and allows to occupy the correct, ergonomic position of the body in a dream.