Snuggling up with a cozy blanket is one of life's simple pleasures, and as parents, we naturally want to extend that comfort to our little ones. Perhaps you've received an adorable baby blanket as a gift and are eager to incorporate it into your baby's sleep routine. But when is it safe to do so?

Red nose Australia and AAP has great info on this - you can read it here.

Current safe sleep guidelines emphasize the importance of babies sleeping on their backs in a cot or bassinet, free from items like pillows, soft toys, and loose blankets. These measures are crucial in reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and ensuring a safe sleep environment. 

To shed more light on this topic, we’ve consulted with Gaby from Little Muffins Sleep School. In this article, she will share her expert advice on the appropriate age to introduce a blanket to your baby's cot or bed. 

Insights from Sleep Consultant Gaby at Little Muffins

When to introduce a blanket to your little one? One of those many questions we have as parents right … When?

Developmentally toddlers lack impulse control until around the age of 3 years. Under this time they also can’t always manage to keep blankets on or pull them over themselves to cover them “properly” meaning the idea of a blanket doesn’t actually work to keep them warm.

In a cot or toddler bed you may be able to tuck blankets in tightly and securely but a child also moves quite a lot In sleep and doesn’t always stay the “right way up” so layering up with clothes and tog rated sleep suits for warmth and safety is recommended.

My personal recommendation is - It’s best to wait until they’re in a big bed! At around 3 years old - sometimes 2.5 years. It is quite common to see many families and clients even move to toddler beds first or a little earlier than 2.5.

While there is no actual age recommendation on when to offer blankets the studies conducted and policies in place have baby and toddlers best safety interests in mind which is why I recommend the age I do (as stated above).

Many sites comment on medical professionals statements of “soft bedding poses little danger in healthy babies over 12m of age and ideally when 18m or older.

This is where I’d encourage you to do what is best for your child with all of this important information in mind and based on the child’s individual development and patterns, considering all safe sleep practices.

If you have any questions or need support with your sleep, please don't hesitate to reach out to me on Instagram or at www.littlemuffinssleepschool.com.au