Cute and Comfortable Baby Sleep Pillows
10/30/08
A baby sleep pillow is not only essential to your child's comfort, it is also a prominent part of the decoration of your child's bed. The right pillow can make your child's bed into a soothing and relaxing place to sleep. There are hundreds of baby sleep pillows on the market, including some really cute designs. Does your child like robots? Fairies? Giraffes? A favorite sports team? Somewhere, there is a pillow he or she will love.
It's also easy to make a baby pillow especially for your child by decorating a blank baby sized pillowcase with iron on decals, applique, or embroidery. It's best to decorate only one side of the pillowcase. Most decorations are a little rough, and can be uncomfortable for your child to sleep on.
You can also make a pillowcase for your child's baby sleep pillow from scratch. Measure the pillow along the outer seams. To find the dimensions of the fabric you need to make the pillowcase, add half an inch to all sides, plus two to four inches along the longest side so you can finish the open end of the pillowcase. For example, if the pillow is 12" by 16", you will need two pieces of fabric that are each about 13" by 19". Before you cut the fabric, wash it to preshrink it and to remove the sizing (a kind of starch that bolt fabric is treated with). Line up the pieces with their "good" sides facing inward, and, leaving a half inch seam, sew three of the four edges together. To finish the open end of the pillowcase, roll up the edge as though you were double rolling the cuff of a sleeve, then sew around the innermost seam so that the raw edge is folded under and hidden. once you turn the pillowcase right ride out, you are finished! You can decorate the baby pillowcase further, or you can choose a pretty fabric and leave it as is. It's best to pick cotton, jersey knits, or flannel, but if you plan only to decorate with the pillow, you can make it out of a delicate fabric like silk, plush, or velvet.
Remember not to give pillows to children under the age of two. Infants can suffocate if they sleep with pillows, so doctors advise parents not to give small babies pillows. Toddlers may also not need pillows, since their proportions are so different from adults'. If you are not sure whether your child needs a pillow, let them try it for a few nights, and save it for later if they decide they do not like it.
Making or finding the perfect baby sleep pillow for your child should be quick and easy with this advice. Ask your child to pick out a pillow or help you create one, or surprise them. Happy sleeping!
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