When your little one starts to wiggle around, show interest in toys and act more like an older baby, you may think it’s time to put them in a big kid bed, and maybe buy a pillow for them. Here's what we want to share with you regarding pillows for infants:
- The first pillows in the world, known to archaeologists, appeared in Mesopotamia 7,000 years before our era. People slept on the ground and used stone pillows so insects wouldn't crawl into their noses or mouths [1]. Infants already slept in suspended cradles back then, so they managed without pillows.
- Mass production and use of pillows began in the 19th century. And they only started putting them in baby cribs in the mid-20th century.
- From a medical point of view, babies under a year old don't need pillows or blankets. Experts consider that these objects increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) [2].
- Pillows are especially dangerous for children who have just learned to roll over. The most common cause of suffocation in children over four months old is their nose sinking into the pillow when they turn over in their sleep [3].
- Sleep positioners (flat pillows with rolls on the sides) are often advertised as helpful accessories that may protect babies against SIDS and flat head syndrome. But experts now believe they may increase the risk of both [3].
