Do newborns need pillows? Newborns generally don't need pillows. The function of the pillow is to support the cervical spine and relax the neck muscles. The adult spine has a physiological curvature at the neck. When lying flat and lying on your side, your neck is suspended, so you will feel more comfortable with a pillow. The newborn's spine is straight, and the physiological curvature has not yet formed. When lying down, the back and head are in the same plane. Moreover, the newborn baby's head is relatively large, almost shoulder-width, so it is natural to lie on his side without a pillow.
The reason why newborns don't use pillows (1) The newborn's spine is straight and has not yet formed physiological curvature. When the newborn lies flat, its back and back are on the same plane, which will not cause muscle tension and stiff neck.
(2) The newborn's head is big, almost equal to the shoulder width. It's natural to sleep on your back, and you don't need a pillow.
(3) The newborn's neck is very short, and its head is raised, but it is uncomfortable, and it is easy to form head and neck bending, which will affect the newborn's breathing and swallowing, and even lead to accidents.
How old is the baby? You can use the pillow of 1. If individual newborns have the phenomenon of milk spilling or spitting, you can slightly raise the upper body, or use a towel to fold 2-3 layers about 1-3 cm as a pillow to prevent spitting.
2. When the baby is three or four months old, the cervical vertebra begins to bend forward. At this time, you can sleep with a pillow with a height of 1 cm.
3. When learning to sit for seven or eight months, the baby's thoracic vertebrae begin to bend backwards and the shoulders develop wider. At this time, the child should sleep with a pillow 3 cm high.
4. Too high or too low pillows are not conducive to the baby's sleep and normal physical development.
How to choose the size of the baby pillow The length of the baby pillow is best equal to the width of the shoulder and slightly wider than the baby's head. The height of the pillow will gradually increase according to the baby's age.
The pillow core determines the hardness of the pillow. The best pillow core materials for baby pillows are buckwheat husk, rapeseed, chrysanthemum, sun-dried tea and so on. These materials have moderate hardness, hygroscopicity and air permeability. If the pillow core you choose cannot be cleaned, it needs to be aired regularly, and it is best to replace the pillow core once every six months.
China has traditionally used hard particles as pillow cores to give babies the habit of sleeping. The baby's skull is soft, the fontanel and skull seam are not completely closed, and the pillow is too hard to cause skull deformation. The pillow core made of down and vacuum cotton is too soft to support the cervical vertebra well, and may even block the baby's nose and mouth, causing suffocation. Moreover, these pillow cores provide a hiding place for mites and dust, which is easy to cause baby allergies.
Pillowcase You'd better choose a soft cotton pillowcase for your baby. Babies spill milk easily, and pillowcases should be washed frequently and need more preparation.