doona

[rylea's mum]

i just read that you shouldnt give your baby a doona or pillow till they are between 2-3 , because they can wriggle under and overheat or suffocate,

ok my lil miss is 8.5 months and i have had a doona on her for the past week( a cot doona) no pillow but.

has anyone else used one this young or before 2-3 years old
am i a really bad mum, should i go take it off her?:confused:

[nemosmum]

Personally I wouldnt (and didnt use one)

My ds is almost 2 (in 6 weeks time:smiliedance: ) and he has only just now moved to a big bed and been given a doona and pillow.

[Spewiesmum]

I've just started putting a cot quilt and blanket on top of DS (7.5 months). It's tucked into the sides of the cot like a sheet so he can't pull it up. I also put him in his sleeping bag underneath. I've found he can't roll anymore as the bottom of his bag gets tangled so he's permanently on his back.

I check him just before I go to bed and if he's managed to move at all, it's up towards the top of his cot and he's cold (he hates being covered).

I understand the SIDS guidelines but you can not allow a child to freeze through winter (even a Brisbane one;) ), and I will not put a heater in his room.

[MumsieMel]

Both of my children went into a big bed at 1 yr old, with a doona and pillow. And no problems. :thumbsup:

Remember the SIDS are guidelines and include MANY factors. :yes:

So can i ask how they suggest to keep your child under 2 warm without a doona??? :confused:

[nemosmum]

I used sleeping bags, thermal underwear OR bonds suits plus blankets,

With blankets its harder for a young child to get underneath them, a doona to me seems lighter in weight and therefore easier to get underneath JMO:) and obviously the opinon of SIDS too :D :thumbsup:

[draught]

While it is all very well saying that the SIDS guidelines are just guidelines, let's not forget that they are there for a reason - babies have died from suffocating under doonas. Not just one or two babies but quite a few. So maybe stick to blankets until they are a little older. And there is nothing wrong with a low setting column heater in their room to take the chill off the air - or a sleeping bag. Personally I wish that the bedding companies wouldn't keep making cot doonas - people say "well they can't be that dangerous - otherwise they wouldn't be allowed to sell them" - when in fact people are allowed to sell a lot of things that are dangerous and we need to take responsibility as parents for the safety of our children.

Sorry to be so vehement about this but I know of a case where a baby died by suffocating under a doona and the details will never leave my memory.

[MumsieMel]

DRAUGHT
i can understand that. :(

I suppose it is up to each individual, if you use cot bumpers, etc over heat the room, over dress them...

They also so that it is better to have a cold child them one that may over heat.

I personally factor in all the risks and work out what i think is necessary for my children, ie we dont smoke, they arent overly dressed, the doonas are tucked in, etc....

[nemosmum]

Great post Draught:thumbsup:

Its good to be reminded that you can never be too careful where your child/ren are concerned:yes:

[HugsAndKisses]

I've also struggled with this problem...we are in coffs and it has been so cold here for about 2 weeks and winter only officially started yesterday:eek:
i have a donna, a wool blaket and lots of other baby blankets...I have tried using the doona but i do agree they are a bit light and easy to slip under so i stopped using it...so then i tried using lots of baby blankets together but he kicks them off easily so again :no:
so now ive been using his wool blanket which is so warm and i have heard even they can be dangerous but it doesnt seem to lift as easy it kind of moves with him :laughing: but i think it has to do with wat your child wears to bed as to wether the blanket stays on them or not (hopefully u get wat i mean) some clothes just seem to hold on to certain fabrics...
so i guess im saying that i do agree donnas are a bit dangerous but thats just one mothers opinion and it really comes down to wether you trust what you are doing is right....i mean i dont want to be rude but the AP support thread is talking about how people co sleep with there children and the sids people dont agree with that eighther but thats wat some mothers find works best for them, im one of them so yeah hopefully i wont offend anyone but thats JMO best of luck with everything:hugs:

[HugsAndKisses]

has anyone else used one this young or before 2-3 years old
am i a really bad mum, should i go take it off her?

also just wanted to say this doesnt make you a bad mum you obviously love your child enough to question the safety of this so i would think that makes you like any other mum who wants to keep there children warm and safe in winter :hugs:

[draught]

Before anyone takes offence let me just state that I am not insinuating that anyone is a bad mother, or doing the wrong thing - I am just reminding people to be careful with what you decide and why you decide it as the consequences can be so serious.

In the case I am aware of the baby wasn't overheated, the parents didn't smoke, etc - the only factor was the doona. I could never put one on my girls before they were 2 - nor can i co-sleep as we use a doona - because the images and the suffering that family went through have stayed with me. I also have babies who move around a lot, so any bedding always ends up tangled, untucked etc.

[MumsieMel]

DRAUGHT
No offence taken :hugs: i dont blame you, i guess everyone is different, like i would never use a bumper or fill a cot with toys etc.

[~Emmylou~]

My DD is 18 months old and I still don't put her under a doona....she moves around way too much and it's not uncommon to find her facing the complete opposite direction to the rest of the bedding in the morning. Doonas are too easy to slide under and it just feels to risky to me.

She wears a singlet, flanelette jammies, socks and a blanket-thickness zipup body suit thing over the top. It's similar to a sleeping bag but has legs instead of the bag bit. If it's really cold I tuck in a blanket over her, but she always kicks it off. Her hands are always warm when she wakes up in the morning so I guess she's staying warm.