Why Do Babies Get Attached To Blankets?

Most parents worry that their child's clinging to his or her security blanket is a sign of cowardice or insecurity. Thus, trauma can occur when young children are forced to give up comfort items like blankets or stuffed animals before they are emotionally ready to do so. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that giving up comfort items like pacifiers and security blankets is a normal part of maturing.

This item, whether it's a dog-eared stuffed animal or a tattered blankie, seems to be permanently attached to your child, as he stubbornly refuses to leave the house without his love and won't even let you wash it.

The "blankie" or security blanket is an integral aspect of childhood for many infants and young children. Many sleepless nights and stressful outings have been avoided by parents thanks to this lovable item.

Seeing an infant or toddler protectively holding on to a blankie is a sight that can melt even the hardest of hearts. The scene is not only endearing, but also evocative of tranquil rest for a weary mother and her sleeping, cuddly offspring.

A child's security blanket may as well be a family member during those early years. Getting ready to go on a trip and need to pack the diaper bag? Snacks, water, wet wipes, bib, nappies, baby rattle, and a security blanket should all go into the pack.

A child will get even more attached to their blankie if they give it a personality. Giving the blankie a name and character makes it feel just as genuine as their other companions. One of the cutest sounds in the world is a little child calling out for "Dashie" or "Banjo" before settling down for a sleep.

To a youngster, a security blanket is a comforting companion, and to parents, it's a guarantee that their child will soon be asleep after they've acquired one. In this article, we will discuss the best practices for introducing your infant to his or her first blanket.

We have the best range of baby nursery blankets to keep your baby just right day and night. 

Significance

Since security blankets help kids feel safe and secure, it's no surprise that kids love them so much. In most cases, the child will give the blanket or toy a specific name and be extremely attached to it. In order to feel secure, to cope with pain and separation from parents, and to be able to go about their daily lives without these things, children are helpless. In accordance with the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, most children choose a security blanket between the ages of 8 and 12 months and keep it for several years.

Identification

Since they ease the change from complete reliance on an adult to greater autonomy, security blankets are often referred to as "transitional objects." These helpful items serve their purpose mostly due to their cuddly texture and the comforting sensations they evoke, which serve as reminders of home. When a youngster has a security blanket, it represents everything safe and familiar to her: her bed, her clothes, even her scent. She's attached because it's something she's used before and finds comfort in, and it's useful because it gives her more independence.

Benefits

When going through the emotional upheaval of weaning, some kids find comfort in a security blanket. Because nursing is such a personal and nurturing experience for both mother and child, the transition to solid food can be a difficult one when it comes time to wean. When a child's bedtime routine includes cuddling up with a comfort blanket, the American Academy of Pediatrics notes increased benefits for the youngster.

Theories

A youngster may develop an attachment to her security blanket or toy if she attributes some sort of unique quality to it, according to research published in the journal Cognition in 2007. Professor of the University of Bristol and Dr. of Yale, the study's primary investigators, drew parallels between children's attachments to their blankets and adults' attachments to mementoes, noting that both groups hold the conviction that certain sacred inanimate things house hidden properties or consist of some essence of their own original owners.

Misconceptions

Many parents are concerned that security blankets encourage unhealthy habits like thumb sucking. But the AAP says that this behaviour is completely normal and harmless. Similar to the use of comfort blankets, thumb sucking is a common and healthy way for young children to calm themselves. This is only a short-term affixation. Children eventually outgrow the need for protection items like blankets and learn to cope with stressful situations in other ways.

Why Are Security Blankets So Popular Among Babies?

Around the age of seven months, all babies suffer separation anxiety. In fact, this is a perfectly normal stage in the infant's growth. Your infant may wake up crying at night because of separation anxiety.

Babies can learn to rely on something other than you for comfort if you provide a security blanket to them around the third month mark. The blanket thus serves as an attachment object, something the infant can return to in order to feel safe or fall back to sleep.

The blanket is warm, fuzzy, and comforting, with a familiar scent and a pleasant, smooth texture that is perfect for snuggling up with your little one. They can get quite used to it no matter where they sleep. It has the potential to soften the blow of being away from home.

Infants and toddlers are frequently transferred from one location to another. A baby can feel more at ease anywhere if they have a blanket or other familiar object with them.

Selecting A Good Blanket

If you've decided to give your child the comfort of his or her very own blankie, the next step is to go shopping for one.

Essential details to keep in mind include:

Soothing Qualities

When shopping for a blanket, it's crucial to rely on your sense of touch. The ideal blanket would have a warm, comforting, and silky feel. Cotton is the most suitable material because it fulfils all of these requirements. Organic cotton is better for babies and the environment because it is not treated with harmful chemicals.

Eco-Friendly Options

Your infant's face will frequently be covered by the blanket. They'll be breathing through the fabrics near proximity to their nose and lips. Look for blankets that have been printed using water-based inks and that have not been processed with chemicals. 

Buy A Backup

What would you do if your infant has become so attached to their blanket that they cry every time you try to wash it or if you accidentally lose it? Picking a blanket that can be easily replaced or for which you have a spare is a smart move.

Many people would advise getting two of everything. Your mind may rest easy knowing that your baby has two of their favourite blankets. Furthermore, there is no need to employ MacGyver-esque solutions to preserve the blankie in sleep-able shape if it gets old or ripped.

Once you and the child have settled on a comfort item, it's time to introduce it to the youngster.

Introducing The Blanket

You can start using the blanket on your infant after they have been born and have been alive for about three months. Baby blankets and other soft items are not permitted in the cot until the baby is seven months old, per Red Nose (formerly SIDS) rules. Instead, always have the baby wrapped in the blanket and cuddling close to you while you soothe them. In time, the infant will identify the blanket's scent and feel with the soothing sensation you provide.

Make sure you provide the blanket to your loved one during snuggle times that are not tied to physical discomfort, such as when they are not hungry or scared. You should make sure the baby is in a relaxed, content state before introducing the blanket.

The parent should provide the youngster with whatever they can, including the blanket.

You'll quickly learn that placing the blanket on the bed next to the infant calms them. The blanket will become a trusted companion at bedtime, reassuring the child even when you can't be there. It's also great for road vacations, sleepovers, and other adventures. Anything that will help keep a baby quiet is welcome, especially if you have more than one child.

Your baby will probably feel more at ease falling asleep in a new environment or with a new carer if they have their favourite blanket with them. They'll start to rely on their security blanket.

Security Blanket Options Are Beautiful

You can choose from several lovely organic baby blankets offered by Kippins. Their cotton collection is comfy and light, with a breathable weave. The water-based inks are safe for your kid because they don't use toxic chemicals.

The cotton used in the Kippins collection is harvested using only the safest and most environmentally friendly techniques. From the farm to the store, they take the utmost care in producing their goods.

Kippins has a great selection of baby items, so you may pick the perfect comfort item for your baby.

Children did not choose copies of their toys over originals when given the option, unless it was the same toy they slept with every night. Only a fifth of the kids would let anyone make a copy of their favourite thing, and even those who did eventually agree wanted their original toy back.

Attachment toys and transitional objects were once supposed to give newborns who did not sleep with their mothers a sense of comfort and stability.

However, the findings from the copy box studies indicate that youngsters feel that their items have some extra attributes that cannot be physically replicated in addition to these physical characteristics.

This special quality extended to the belongings of well-known people as well. Hood and Bloom put a goblet made of metal in the copier and informed the 6-year-olds that it was either valuable because of its metal content or historically significant since it had belonged to the Queen.

Children were fooled into thinking a silver goblet replica was just as valuable as the real thing when shown both the original and a copy. However, the real one belonged to a monarch and is now worth significantly more.

Hood and Bloom compare this type of thinking in young children to the way adults think about "essences," or the intangible qualities we attribute to items that give them their individual identities but which we treat as though they were tangible. As a result, some mature individuals may understand why collectors believe that unique artefacts or vintage clothing still retain some measure of the original owner's personality. In a similar vein, it helps to explain why we shun possessions that had belonged to murderers.

Looking for blankets for baby cot? Look no further. My Baby Nursery has you covered.

Why Does It Happen?

It's common for infants to develop attachments to things like cot blankets, plush animals, or even their thumbs by the time they're a year old, though this behaviour typically reaches its pinnacle the following year. Why? Because T.O.s help toddlers feel safe as they start to become more independent and explore their environment. T.O.s are also reassuring during the years when children's anxieties of the dark, of strangers, and of dogs begin to develop.

What Should You Know?

Don't stress if your toddler graduate's kindergarten with his stuffed animal. Most children are ready to part with their security blanket between the ages of two and five, though they may still cling to it on occasion. The bond is typically healthy, but you should keep a watch out if your child would rather spend all of his time with his T.O. than with other people. If this is the case, it could be time to investigate potential causes like an upsetting scenario at home or an issue with the babysitter.

What To Do About It?

Let's start with some common mistakes. Never make fun of your kid for being too attached to something, and don't force him to part with it. However, there are things you may do to help him release his grip when the time is right:

• If possible, set limits. Let your child know that he can take his teddy bear to the house but not the park. For example, you may be told that you can bring it into the car but not into the store. (He might even listen to you for a change — "Let's keep Teddy at a house where he won't get lost or dirty").
• Enlist the help of your child. Before sending him outdoors to play, make sure he has a plan for keeping his blanket secure. You could also recommend that he secure it in the car seat or stroller before dropping the kid off at daycare.
• Arrange for laundry pick-ups and drop-offs. Train your youngster to accept having his lovely washed (ideally when he is sleeping). Both of your noses will appreciate it.
• If feasible, you should buy two of them. When the primary item goes missing, you may quickly replace it with its duplicate (and avoid a meltdown in the process).
• Prevent him from getting bored. If you keep him occupied with activities like arts and crafts, puzzles, and construction toys, he won't have as much time to cling to Teddy.
• Turn up the cosiness. In order to ensure that his T.O. isn't the only person he can turn to for comfort, it's important to give him lots of reassurance and hugs.

Science Supports The Use Of Security Blankets And Loveys.

According to studies, a child's favourite stuffed animal or comfort blanket can have positive effects. Researchers have shown that children who are given comfort objects like blankets and stuffed animals report increased feelings of self-worth and confidence.

Why? For young children, comfort items like blankets and stuffed animals can serve as a reassuring crutch while they adjust to new environments, say goodbye to their parents or carers, or just get through a hard patch. They are "less bashful and more concentrated than children who don't use these things" when they have a security item like a blanket or lovey with them.

The positive effects of allowing youngsters to have comfort items like blankies and loveys go far beyond improved concentration and lessened shyness. According to the findings, their lovely items are like the first training wheels for convincing themselves 'you're all right. Children have an innate sense of safety that allows them to take calculated risks, learn from their experiences, and develop.

Having a support system to lean on helped boost confidence, and then it was time to take off the training wheels.

Children get confidence and courage to take more risks in the future if they start doing so now.

A Child's Confidence Is Helped By A Lovie

Your lovie-dependent youngster may be more confident than you give him credit for, despite appearances to the contrary. He may require his blankie to feel secure in social situations or to adjust to new environments (like daycare).

Children that have connection items were shown to be "less shy and more attentive than children without them," according to a study done in 2011.

Don’t Diss Lovie!

While it may be inconvenient to lug an old blanket to the cafe, Goddard recommends that parents not insist on leaving it in the car.

Adolescents may develop attachment issues if their self-appointed object is challenged, criticised, or refused.

Since the child or infant has no other means of coping with, comprehending, or competing with the outside world, the presence of the item enables and encourages emotional well-being. In the absence of such an object, the infant or child's genuine feelings may be hidden, repressed, or ignored.

In a nutshell, the kitchen tongs, together with your child's favourite blanket or stuffed animal, are aiding in his current and future development. That's the dream we all have for our kids.

An Indicator Of Future Positive Relationships

Your kid's success in making friends in the future can be gleaned from the depth of his attachment to his lovie, or "transitional item."

As psychologist Colleen Goddard points out in her piece "More than simply bears" for Psychology Today, self-referential contexts and meanings are essential for human growth.

Individuals construct their own meanings based on the characteristics they identify in the external stimuli they interact with, most notably the autonomous objects they acquire, select, or find.

My Baby Nursery has a wide range of baby cot nursery blankets to choose from. 

A Lovie Does More Than Provide Comfort

A love or security blanket, often known as a "transitional object," can provide immense solace to a young kid. Any parent whose child has ever cried out for his or her affection when the child was distressed or didn't want to be separated from it will understand the comfort this brings. However, the benefits of a lovie extend much beyond that of simple solace.

In 1951, a psychologist by the name of Dr. D.W. initially defined the lovie as any object to which a baby assigns special value and through which the child is able to make the necessary transition from the first oral interaction with mother to actual object-relationships.

According to him, a lovie is a crucial tool in the transition from dependence on mum to functioning as an individual.

Conclusion

Many babies and toddlers depend on their "blankie" or security blanket. Give the blankie a name and personality to make it feel like a friend. Most kids choose a lifelong security blanket between 8 and 12 months. Security blankets reduce anxiety, helping youngsters transition from dependent on adults to independent.

Some parents worry that comfort blankets would cause their children to thumb-suck, but experts say this is false. The ideal blanket is warm and silky. Chemical-free organic cotton benefits babies and the environment. Choose an easy-to-replace blanket if you don't have one. Use the blanket on your newborn after birth.

The blanket's scent and touch will remind your infant of you. The blanket will comfort your child at bedtime even if you can't. Research suggests that kids with stuffed animals like blankies and loveys have stronger self-esteem and confidence. Your child may feel more comfortable in unfamiliar places or with new people if he has his favourite blanket or stuffed animal. According to a 2011 study, youngsters with connected products are "less bashful and more attentive."

According to psychologist Colleen Goddard, a child's attachment to his love, or "transitional item," is vital to his growth. For example, a favourite blanket, stuffed animal, or another comfort item may help infants transition from verbal communication with mum to object associations.

Content Summary

• Most parents worry that their child's clinging to his or her security blanket is a sign of cowardice or insecurity.
• The "blankie" or security blanket is an integral aspect of childhood for many infants and young children.
• A child's security blanket may also be a family member during those early years.
• Children will get even more attached to their blankie if they give it a personality.
• This article will discuss the best practices for introducing your infant to his or her first blanket.
•  Since security blankets help kids feel safe and secure, it's no surprise that kids love them so much.
• In accordance with the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, most children choose a security blanket between the ages of 8 and 12 months and keep it for several years.
• Since they ease the change from complete reliance on an adult to greater autonomy, security blankets are often referred to as "transitional objects."
• When going through the emotional upheaval of weaning, some kids find comfort in a security blanket.
• When a child's bedtime routine includes cuddling up with a comfort blanket, the American Academy of Pediatrics notes increased benefits for the youngster.
• Many parents are concerned that security blankets encourage unhealthy habits like thumb-sucking.
• Like comfort blankets, thumb-sucking is a common and healthy way for young children to calm themselves.
• Babies can learn to rely on something other than you for comfort if you provide a security blanket to them around the third-month mark.
• A baby can feel more at ease anywhere if they have a blanket or other familiar object.
• Essential details to keep in mind include: When shopping for a blanket, it's crucial to rely on your sense of touch.
• Picking a blanket that can be easily replaced or for which you have a spare is a smart move.
• Your mind may rest easy knowing that your baby has two of its favourite blankets.
• You can use the blanket on your infant after they have been born and alive for about three months.
• Baby blankets and other soft items are not permitted in the cot until the baby is seven months old, per Red Nose (formerly SIDS) rules.
• Instead, always have the baby wrapped in the blanket and cuddling close to you while you soothe them.
• Kippins has a great selection of baby items so that you may pick the perfect comfort item for your baby.
• However, the copy box studies findings indicate that youngsters feel that their items have some extra attributes that cannot be physically replicated in addition to these physical characteristics.
• This special quality extended to the belongings of well-known people as well.
• Children were fooled into thinking a silver goblet replica was just as valuable as the real thing when shown both the original and a copy.
• However, the real one belonged to a monarch and is now worth significantly more.
• Hood and Bloom compare this type of thinking in young children to how adults think about "essences," or the intangible qualities we attribute to items that give them their individual identities but that we treat as tangible.
• Because T.O.s help toddlers feel safe as they become more independent and explore their environment.
• Don't stress if your toddler graduates kindergarten with his stuffed animal.
• The bond is typically healthy, but you should watch out if your child would rather spend all of his time with his T.O. than with other people.
• However, there are things you may do to help him release his grip when the time is right: If possible, set limits.
• Let your child know he can take his teddy bear to the house, not the park.
• Before sending him outdoors to play, make sure he has a plan for keeping his blanket secure.
• To ensure that his T.O. isn't the only person he can turn to for comfort, it's important to give him lots of reassurance and hugs.
• According to studies, a child's favourite stuffed animal or comfort blanket can have positive effects.
• The positive effects of allowing youngsters to have comfort items like blankies and loveys go far beyond improved concentration and lessened shyness.
• Having a support system to lean on helped boost confidence, and then it was time to take off the training wheels.
• While it may be inconvenient to lug an old blanket to the cafe, Goddard recommends that parents not insist on leaving it in the car.
• Since the child or infant has no other means of coping with, comprehending, or competing with the outside world, the item's presence enables and encourages emotional well-being.
• Without such an object, the infant or child's genuine feelings may be hidden, repressed, or ignored.
• In a nutshell, the kitchen tongs and your child's favourite blanket or stuffed animal aid his current and future development.
• Your kid's success in making friends in the future can be gleaned from the depth of his attachment to his lovie, or "transitional item."
• As psychologist Colleen Goddard points out in her piece "More than simply bears" for Psychology Today, self-referential contexts and meanings are essential for human growth.
• A love or security blanket, often known as a "transitional object," can provide immense solace to a young kid.
• However, the benefits of a lovie extend much beyond that of simple solace.
• According to him, a lovie is a crucial tool in transitioning from dependence on mum to functioning as an individual.