Do infants need pillows?

Question:

Should infants sleep with a pillow under their heads?

Response:

Thanks for asking this very important question.  The links (below) to the American Sudden Infant Death Syndrome website and the American Academy of Pediatrics Association’s website offer valuable information on why pillows are probably not a safe thing to have in a baby’s crib.  They both agree that infants are safer (and truth be told happier) without a pillow.  Personally, my son didn’t get a pillow until he turned two years old.  He never knew what he was missing. 

After thinking about this question, I am now wondering what a chiropractor would say about infants and pillows.  My question is… does a pillow affect the growth of the spine (since infants sleep more than they are awake) during their 13 to 14 hours of sleep each day in the first year of life? 

A Parents Guide to Safe Sleep

Reducing the risk of SIDS

Tracey Bryant Stuckey

Chief Creative Learning Officer
Wiggle Giggle Learn
tracey@wigglegigglelearn.com

 

Developing a child’s memory

Question:

Can I help my baby remember?

Response:

Yes, you can help your baby remember. Many parents want to know the “magic” to helping develop their child’s memory. The “magic” has everything to do with your child’s five senses. If you teach new concepts and expose your child to variety in this world through seeing, feeling, tasting, smelling and hearing, your child will remember. You must also be sure that your child’s learning environment is set up for success. The environment shouldn’t be cluttered, disorganized or overly stimulating with a lot of “stuff.”

The environment should change frequently and your child’s boundaries within that environment should grow outward. This will help your little one’s curiosity and ability to learn through doing.

What are some things you can remember vividly? Why do you remember them so well? Is it because you can still smell the smells, hear the sounds, taste the goodness, feel the special feelings or seeing the sights? Early experiences in and outside of your home are tremendously important to the development of your child’s memory and his connections to future learning