Research shows that if you use a duvet or comforter, your baby is more likely to sleep through the night at a young age.
Compared to babies without duvets, babies with duvets are more secure during times of change, stress, or separation. Subsequent research has even shown that nurturers or comforters can be just as effective as parents in calming the baby in situations of moderate distress.
Purchasing a comforter as a sleep aid is a good first step if your baby has a hard time sleeping through the night. You need to make sure it is baby safe, has no loose parts that could be a choking hazard, and is designed for babies. It’s also important that you get something that’s easily replaceable, in case the other one goes missing.
You can let your baby use a quilt as a sleep aid, helping him fall asleep by hugging and stroking him. Choose something pale as bright colors or patterns will turn her on instead of helping her sleep! Something soft and fluffy will be more comforting, but make sure the pile isn’t too long, as you don’t want your baby breathing in any fluff. Make sure it’s washable too, as you’ll definitely need to wash it at some point!
Before giving the comforter to your baby, keep it close to your skin for a few hours or overnight so it smells like you. From infancy, you can put the duvet in your baby’s basket or crib so that he can smell it or see it nearby.
Even newborns find security and comfort in having something that looks and smells familiar placed in their crib or cot and this can help them get back to sleep on their own. However, it is important that in the first few days your baby can only see and smell you, so keep it out of her way until she is happy to give it to you to cuddle. A comforter that you can attach to the bars of the crib can avoid worries in these first days.
Between 6 and 12 months, your baby will be more aware of his surroundings and will know when you leave the room, but he won’t know when you come back! This can lead to separation anxiety. Using a baby quilt can reduce this anxiety by acting not only as a sleep aid, but also by providing something that is constant and familiar to your baby in any situation. It is quite possible that you will develop a positive comfort dependency on her at this stage.
A child will normally keep their duvet until they are between 3 and 5 years old. At this time he will learn to function better in different situations, even when you are not around. However, you may still need it to help you sleep at night.
Once a comforter is effective in helping your baby sleep, it is likely that he will continue to rely on it in times of anxiety or when he is worried, tired or scared, as well as for naps or when he is separated from you.
Let your child guide you and let him stop using the duvet the day it is ready. Once he’s older than 5 and happy to try new things and cope with difficult situations without it, it’s a good idea to discourage daytime use, although you can continue to use it for sleep and when feeling vulnerable for many years to come.
If you push too hard to get your little one to stop using his comforter, he may go the other way and cling to it even more. Cut back on how often you have him during the day, but let him have you at night and when you know he may need a little extra comforting. This will help her transition from being a baby to being a happy and confident girl.
