A lovey – the go-to object your baby uses for self-soothing – can provide security and comfort your baby. Once adopted by your baby, a lovey can serve as the sleep trigger you so desperately crave when your baby can’t seem to settle down to sleep. A lovey can also help make transitions easier, such as sleeping in the car on a long road trip or napping at daycare. Consider these three types of loveys that have worked for other moms.
Security Blanket Lovey
Since full-size blankets aren’t recommended for use in cribs, a small security blanket might make a successful lovey for your baby. Consider investing in or sewing a taggie blanket. Babies love to caress the soft, silky tags. Satin tags or trim make the most effective lovey blankets, as babies love to rub the satin between their fingers and on their faces. One lovey blanket recommended by moms is the Aden & Anais issies™ security blanket. Small and portable, made of a breathable muslin material, and trimmed with soft satin, this might be the most ideal security blanket you’ll find.
Burp Cloth Lovey
Surely you have an ample supply of burp cloths for your baby’s more-out-than-in stage of eating. A soft burp cloth can easily double as a lovey, especially since your baby may frequently doze off while eating and associate the burp cloth with sleep. One mom shared with me that she used muslin squares as burp cloths during her baby’s early years. Her baby became attached and now uses them as loveys. We’ve had the same experience with small prefold cloth diapers. We used them as burp cloths, and now my baby loves to wave one around and rub it on her face as she falls asleep. Best of all, since we have a bunch, we never have to worry about her lovey being dirty or lost.
Doll or Animal Lovey
Maybe your baby has a favorite stuffed animal she loves to snuggle close to. A small stuffed animal or doll could easily become a lovey. In fact, many babies take to specially designed loveys that combine a small plush animal head with a soft security blanket. One mom friend uses a Peppa Baby Belle Bonding Doll as her baby’s lovey. These handmade dolls are made of soft, safe, natural materials, and they easily absorb and retain scents so that they smell familiar to your baby. Whichever lovey you choose, try to associate it only with naptime and bedtime so that you don’t encourage over-dependence on the object for your baby to feel safe.
Introducing a lovey early on in a baby’s life can help establish and solidify the connection your baby makes with it, but not all loveys are created equal. You may have to try one or two different types before you find a lovey your baby is willing to call his own.
More from this mom:
5 Reasons My Baby is Sleeping Through the Night
4 Parenting Books to Read Before Your Baby is Born
5 Places to Meet Mom Friends
Connect with Jennie Lee Williams on Facebook and her blog.
