Selection and description of pillows for children from 1 to 5 years old
A pillow is the most important attribute for a good rest. It should be comfortable and pleasant to the touch. However, the right pillow should not be too soft or hard. So how do you choose this sleeping accessory for your baby?
Why the right choice is so important
It is in childhood that the body actively grows. And the most important phases of development the child goes through during sleep. Therefore, sleep should be sufficient in time and full, nothing should interrupt it. And the bed and bedding seriously affect the quality of rest.
Another reason why you should pay special attention to choosing a pillow is its effect on the spine. From birth, the formation of the correct posture and the formation of the spine begins. It turns out that the position of the back plays a very important role in correct posture while the child is sleeping.
Too high a pillow will lead to a slight bending of the body, and, as a result, to impaired blood circulation and the formation of an incorrect position of the bones of the spine. It is not by chance that the spine is called the “root of life”, because if there are problems with it, it means that other organs will not function properly.
All of the above arguments show how important it is to choose the right pillow for your baby. After all, it is much easier to prevent health problems than to try to solve them later.
Children's pillow: what is it?
What should be the right pillow for a child? For the sake of fairness, we note that there is no definite answer to this question. Each specific model is selected individually for the child: his height, age, health status and personal preferences. For example, a pillow for newborns cannot be imagined in a teenager's bed (and, by the way, on the contrary, too). The pillow consists of three components: main body, filler, pillowcase.
The main part, as a rule, is sewn from dense synthetic fabric or linen. The most important thing to pay attention to when choosing a base is the density of the weave of the threads. The main thing is that the filler is safely hidden and does not get out.
With a wide range of pillow fillers, you're guaranteed to find an option for your little one. The main criterion for choosing a filler is its hypoallergenicity. What are the options:
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Feather and down. A couple of decades ago, these were the most popular fillers. And today, due to the fact that there is a sufficient number of modern safe and inexpensive fillers for pillows, they are not so in demand.
The main disadvantage of feather and down pillows is that they can cause allergies. The second important point is that such a filler accumulates dust and promotes the growth of bacteria and microorganisms, to put it mildly, not good for your baby.Moreover, such pillows can absorb moisture, and over time lose their original shape, as the filler churns into tough lumps.
- Wool. This is another natural pillow filler. Compared to the previous ones, wool has more advantages. Sheep or camel wool is usually used. The only drawback is that such pillows do not hold their shape well and are not suitable for organizing a children's bedroom.
- Natural silk. This filler is undeniably the best of the above. Hypoallergenic, moisture and air tight, does not accumulate static electricity. The only, and quite understandable, drawback is the price. Therefore, for a child's pillow, which is recommended to be changed frequently, the option is not the most suitable one.
- Bamboo. Pillows with this filling are not recommended for baby pillows, especially if the pillow is intended for a small child. The thing is that bamboo does not hold its shape well. Otherwise, the filler is not bad at all.
- Eco-fiber. If you have the opportunity to purchase a baby pillow with such a filler, do not hesitate to make the right choice. Despite the fact that the material is synthetic, it has all the properties of natural silk. At the same time, it is much cheaper in price. The only caveat: take care of an anti-static pillowcase, as the eco-fiber accumulates static electricity.
- Buckwheat husk. This filler is stiff and perfectly copes with the orthopedic function. Stays cool in hot weather. Breathable. Of the advantages, it is also worth noting that ticks do not start in buckwheat husks, and such a filler is hypoallergenic. And yet, for a very small child, such a pillow is not recommended due to its rigidity.
- Latex. We present this option only for completeness of information. For children from adolescence, these pillows should only be used on the advice of a doctor.
Finally, the third component of the pillow is the pillowcase. A number of requirements are also imposed on it. In addition to the aesthetic component (after all, your baby will have to "meet" with a pillowcase often), there are a number of conditions.
First of all, the fabric must be hypoallergenic, antistatic, breathable, and must not retain moisture. It is better if the pillowcase is made of natural soft material. And remember, the younger the child, the more often the pillowcase needs to be changed.
Choosing a pillow depending on the age of the child
At different ages, a child needs pillows of different sizes and compositions. Let's conditionally divide the child's period into three parts: from infancy to 3 years, from 3 years to 6, from 6 years and older.
- For newborns, you can use a folded diaper, a reclining infant pillow or positioning model, and a butterfly pillow as a pillow. Some parents prefer that at the very beginning of their existence, the baby does not have a pillow at all. If, nevertheless, any variant of the pillow or its similarity is chosen, then its width should be exactly the width of the bed.
- From 3 to 6 years old, it is recommended to use pillows filled with ecofiber or buckwheat husk. If there are specialist recommendations, then purchase a special orthopedic pillow. The most optimal size of a baby pillow for this age is 50x40 cm.
- For a child over the age of 6, it is best to purchase a pillow with bamboo filling, ecofiber, or a shape memory pillow.
Does a newborn need a pillow?
The controversy on this topic has not subsided for many years. Some mothers argue that a pillow is not needed at all for a newborn baby. In doing so, they refer to the supposedly competent opinion of doctors and pediatricians. However, the recommendations of children's doctors are precisely that during sleep the child's head is on a height of 1-1.5 cm. This means that a pillow (or its like) should still be there.
Of course, you can refuse a pillow for a baby, but in this case there is also a risk of suffocation. It's no secret that babies love to sleep on their stomachs. In the absence of a pillow, the baby will bury its face in the mattress, which, in turn, does not allow air to pass through. As a result, the child may suffocate.
When choosing a pillow for a newborn, remember that it should have the following properties:
- Hypoallergenic.
- Air permeability.
- Naturalness.
- Large width and low height.
There are so-called non-foam pillows. The model has a height of 1.5 cm, width - along the width of the bed, filling - buckwheat husk.
A reclining pillow is another great option for a baby. It is an inclined plane made of durable material so that the child does not fall through to the base of the pillow. In width, such a pillow occupies the entire width of the bed, and in length it is such that the upper part of the baby's body is placed on it. The pillow has an inclination of no more than 30 degrees.
The positioning pillow is large enough to accommodate the entire baby. This model received the name "positional" because of the special limiters located on the sides. Thanks to these restraints, the baby's body is held in a certain position. The pillow is indicated for muscle atony, as well as when the baby sleeps very restlessly and constantly wakes himself up.
Butterfly and donut pillows get their names from their characteristic shape. By using a butterfly pillow, you can support the newborn's head in a certain position and prevent it from turning too much during sleep. This model has a recess in the middle, so as a result, the baby's head is at a height of only 1 cm.
A bagel pillow is used only as directed by a doctor, in the case when there are problems with the spine. The pillow is placed under the neck, so that the spine is fixed in a certain position.
Speaking about caring for baby pillows, it is worth noting the following: if you wash or dry clean, then you need to use special compounds. In dry cleaning, it is better to immediately warn that the pillow is for children. However, in most models, only the pillowcase is washed, and the filler is removed for the duration of the wash. This applies to buckwheat husks, herbs, cherry pits and the like.
Today, a huge variety of pillows of various shapes are available: in the form of animals, plants, cartoon characters and so on. And often parents doubt whether it is worth using such pillows for sleeping. The answer of experts is unequivocal: it is not worth it. They are decorative for that, to decorate the interior. And for a good rest, it is better to purchase a special pillow that meets the above criteria.
Video: how to choose the right pillow for your child?
