There is no doubt that a mother expects only the best for her baby, and would do everything within her ability to make sure that her child is safe, secure, and comfortable. Extra care is always taken when it comes to sanitizing the feeding bottles, the crib, the play area, and the various toys and accessories that are within the child’s easy reach. However, there is one area where a mother's intention may slightly deviate from the outcome: choosing the right baby pillow for her baby.
Most mothers tend to make bad choices when it comes to buying baby pillows, and it usually is the fault of not being able to readily understand the baby's needs. Generally, mothers judge what the child needs based on what they deem comfortable and safe based on their own standards. This could be a serious and fatal mistake when it comes to your baby's pillow.
Most women choose baby pillows with comfort in mind, unaware that they are sometimes compromising their health and safety for their wrongly perceived sense of comfort. For example, women tend to choose the softest pillow they can find, with the idea that a soft, gentle material corresponds to comfort and ultimately, their peace of mind. Unfortunately, pillows that are too soft are actually anything but comfortable, and may even result in SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
SIDS usually happens when the baby's bedding or pillow is too soft that their breathing area becomes severely limited, resulting in their nose and mouth not being able to breath any air except the ones they have already exhaled. This is a lethal situation since humans exhale carbon dioxide, which can be toxic regardless of their age. Prolonged inhalation of carbon dioxide instead of oxygen will almost always result in brain damage, coma, and even death.
On the other side of the equation, baby pillows that are too stiff shouldn't be used, for reasons that are slightly more obvious; first it is highly uncomfortable for the baby's sensitive head and neck, and it could pose a physical risk if your baby is already capable of crawling and liable to throw himself down on his pillow. For children less than 2 years old, prolonged use of stiff pillows could deform the child's head.
When choosing the right pillow for your baby, a perfect balance between comfort and safety should be observed. In physical aspects, your baby pillow should be neither too hard nor too soft, and should be of the proper height based on your baby's head. Choosing tall pillows will strain the baby's neck area. In terms of texture and material, try to choose pillows that are smooth and don't have any fur. This holds true even if your child does not have any allergic reaction to small, foreign particles. And as a good rule of thumb, try to gauge your baby's reaction. Mothers will have a basic idea if a certain object makes her baby feel uncomfortable. If they become ornery every time you use a certain pillow, there's a huge possibility that the baby doesn't like it.
Source: http://www.propeller.com
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