The health and growth of an infant to a large extent depends on adequate sleep. To aid in putting the baby to a sound sleep requires the use of appropriate baby accessories. Baby pillows are a part of the baby essentials that help your little one sleep well. Not only does a baby pillow provide support to the head of your baby, it also helps prevent reflux. A baby pillow helps keep the head of the baby slightly raised, above the rest of the body and thus helps prevent the baby from bringing up the bottle of feed ingested just before sleeping. This slightly elevated position of the head also helps in breathing easily especially when your baby has a cold when the air passage could be possibly constricted due to mucus. The skull of a baby is very pliant and if left lying in one position for too long can result in cranial deformity. Baby pillows help give the requisite support and prevent such cranial deformity.
There have been a number of negative reports on the dangers of using baby pillows, mainly out of the fear of the baby smothering in a pillow. S uch a thing can never happen if you choose the right kinds of pillows. A simple precaution is never to choose a feather pillow or a soft pillow. The former can lead to smothering and the latter can cause allergic reactions in some babies. Also, always make sure that the pillow cover is made of soft cotton or linen and not synthetic material which can also cause skin irritation. Hospitals and maternity wards use narrow thin pillows for baby cribs which are firm yet soft. Baby pillows are also made of memory foam which is a good bargain. Most supermarkets, malls and specialized baby care shops stock baby pillows. While costs vary, it is always more prudent to buy a recognized brand for the assured safety and quality.
Finally the most important question: what is the right age when you can introduce a baby pillow? There are no thumb rules. However most doctors recommend the use of baby pillows after the baby attains the age of one year. Other ways to know when to use a baby pillow is by looking out for indications from the baby. These indications come when your baby begins utilizing a favorite stuffed toy as a pillow or a bed sheet as support, a sure sign of need to buy a pillow.

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