When Can a Baby Begin to Use a Blanket?

Always remember: Never, ever use a normal blanket with a newborn baby. Many new parents may not be aware of this, but blankets (and any soft bedding in cribs for that matter) increase the risk of suffocation as well as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by a large margin. As such they should be avoided, especially when your child is very young.

In fact, for a newborn child it is often better to use sleepers, wearable blankets, or other sleep sacks that don’t carry the risk of accidentally wrapping around your child’s face and potentially suffocating them. These ‘safe’ alternatives should be used right up to the point where it is safe for your child to move on to a blanket.

The big question is: When can a baby begin to use a blanket?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics along with most other medical professionals, the age when it is safest to start letting your child using a blanket is 12 months. Before then the risk is still too high, but at 12 months your child should be able to roll over as well as pull the blanket away from their faces if need be.

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule of thumb, so it is important that you monitor your child the first few times they use a blanket anyway. Some mothers like to start their children on blankets a lot earlier than is recommended, but you should be aware that doing so comes with risks even if you feel that your baby is dexterous enough.

Go ahead and talk to other mothers about it if you like – at moms.com or other similar websites. What you’ll start to realize is that there are many varying opinions regarding the use of blanket, but from a medical standpoint it is always that 12-month landmark that is used to recommend safe use.

Also be wary of many marketing gimmicks that claim to have ‘baby-safe’ blankets. Unless it is a type of wearable blanket that cannot be pulled over the baby’s head, odds are it isn’t any safer than a regular blanket.

All said and done, this is a decision that every parent needs to make on their own, but now that you know the risks and the medically recommended course of action, it should be a lot easier for you to make the right choice.