Many parents think that offering baby a pillow to sleep will make the little one sleep well and provide enough comfort. But the reality is that a pillow poses a threat to your baby's wellbeing and health if used during the early months of life. The reasons are as follows:
A soft cushioned pillow can lead to suffocation if your baby's delicate head sinks into it.
Keep away from the traditional horseshoe pillows too. The mustard or rai used in these pillows can pose to be a choking hazard if it spills out by any chance. The modern day horse shoe pillow might come with stuffing like sponge, thermocol balls etc, which are still of same concern. Also read about the sleep safe rules you should follow for your baby.
Horseshoe pillow can restrict your baby's head and neck movements. If your baby's head is firmly placed on the horseshoe pillow it can make it difficult for your baby to move the neck in case she wants to spit up food after feeding. Bringing out some amount of food, while asleep is a common phenomenon in babies, especially when not burped properly. Unable to do this because of the restricted movement can lead to choking in the baby on her own vomit.
Adult pillows aren't a good choice for your baby as it can lead to a strain in the neck and also obstruct airflow leading to suffocation.
Some studies also suggest that using pillows can lead to SIDS or sudden infant death syndrome in babies. Know more about sudden infant death syndrome.
The only way to avoid such accidents due to pillows is to make your baby sleep in the crib, cot or the bed sans the pillow. Make sure you place your baby on her back to reduce risks of SIDS too.
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