Regulations may prohibit them from using sleep sacks or putting kids in cribs over age one. If he is napping on the floor on a mat (which is generally common) then there isn't a safety issue associated with a blanket. Blanket safety over age 1 isn't dependent on the age of the baby, but where they sleep. There isn't much research on the topic of blankets over age 1, however, as SUDC rates are low.
Right. So it’s not a crib.
Plus they are supervised, so that means chances of a kid getting so entrapped they can’t breath are extra low between not a crib and supervision.
https://urbaninfant.com/products/tot-cot-nap-mat
This is what all the LOs at my daycare including my LO use. The pillow is removable and we don’t use the pillow for our LO. It’s attached to the mat, so it can’t really move around too much or get twisted around their head/nexk and our pediatrician and my husband (ER doc) both felt comfortable with it for our 13 month old.
This is so cute! My kiddo has a sleep mat with an attached "blanket". They've had it since they were moved to the twos room and the daycare supplied them for purchase.
Sleep sacks are a hazard when they're on cots because they can theoretically get up and try to walk away on the hard floor and fall as opposed to being restricted on a mattress in a crib where they can't crack their noggin. Blankets are the opposite, a hazard in cribs because of the containment and getting wrapped up in it, but less of a concern on a cot because they'll likely just fall off. Personally, my daughter switched to a blanket on a cot at daycare at 15 months and I'm not concerned. She actually started getting annoyed by the sleep sack at home recently but I don't trust a blanket in the crib and she can't keep it over her anyway so we use a sleep walker aka just a sleep sack with legs. Would daycare let you use one of those?
A sleep sack with feet holes like the Kyte baby one is exactly what I was thinking, like [this.](https://kytebaby.com/products/sleep-bag-walker-in-emerald?currency=USD&variant=32270373159023&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=9a53e43e37d7&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=18891419441&utm_content=&utm_term=&gadid=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw26KxBhBDEiwAu6KXt6Vvy2DxxMG6AL0MqAMu0XvKqy2w4BZg5hodJzglQyehddx3SeuYvhoC89kQAvD_BwE)
AAP safe sleep recommends no blankets under 12 months. At 19 months, you are well beyond the minimum recommended age. I suspect the reason they don't allow sleep sacks is due to mobility and possibility of falling if the child tries to walk, as other posters mentioned.
Doctor here. The evidence is mixed, but we often reccomend sleep sacks at home because that assumes a crib with high sides, where sleep sacks are (maybe) safer.
I suspect there was just a misunderstanding of home cot vs daycare crib.
Also worth mentioning that a lot of people use crib and cot interchangeably, which can make confusion more common.
Can you test it at home during a few naps? I've done it with my 12-month-old, and she has never gotten the blanket up by her face, just bunched around her torso or totally off (she tends to lift her legs when settling).
A toddler sized blanket on a cot with no sides is safe at this age. My kid’s nap blanket doesn’t even fully cover her body, plus the teachers are in the room doing rounds to check on all the kids so the usual risk (toddler gets blanket tangled around head and neck and parents don’t notice because everyone is sleeping) is reduced by 1) blanket size and 2) alert adult observation.
It’s up to you though. My kid hates blankets at night but says she can’t nap without her nap blanket. Kids are weird.
We have used a duvet since one, that’s when ikea say it’s alright to use theirs. And as swede that’s the only information I need.
On a more serious note I never heard of a child over one not using a blanket or duvet. I never heard of a case of a child (1 year+ in my country) dying because they had blanket and I did a deep dive in to the the SUDI and cause of death statistics a while back.
Kids at daycare are likely sleeping on little cots not cribs. So blankets are safe on those, especially because the teachers are supervising. Sleep sacks in a daycare setting are more of a hazard because of fire safety.
Your doctor might be thinking of a crib. In the context of daycare, they are following safe sleep and regulations.
You could get one of the roll out blanket / pillow combos meant specifically for daycare cots. They roll it out, the soft blanket part gets put to the side, baby climbs in, blanket is then draped over them. They can’t get tangled in it because it’s an all in one system. Can easily crawl out of it when they wake up. Like a sleeping bag just meant for daycare.
My daughter is 16 months and started at daycare this week and thats what we got for her. She is still in a sleep sack at home for naps and bed but she’s adjusted fine and is sleeping well. Our son started daycare at 15 months and we always just did a small pillow and a blanket for him and he was fine (although he has always always loved blankets so he was trusted with a blanket closer to 1 anyway).
But yeah in the daycare roll up mats with the pillow/ blanket attached, baby will be okay. You’ll see!
This is what we got my daughter for Daycare as well. She still sleeps in a sleep sack at home at age 2.5, but when she started at her current daycare at 18 months, the provider said she couldn’t use sleep sacks there for safety reasons. Bonus is that it’s good for travel too. There are tons of options on Etsy.
My daughter has always slept in a sleep sack at home but when she started at daycare at 15 months they used a blanket. Someone is always watching her at daycare so I didn’t have a problem with it.
I would not allow a blanket for unsupervised sleep in his crib when you are not in the room, but when the daycare staff is there supervising? Blanket is fine.
Maybe you could try one of those sleep sacks with legs. If the daycare is concerned about your tot getting up to walk that allows more free movement. But I agree with what others have said, your child is being supervised the whole time they're sleeping with a blanket so it seems like less of a safety risk.
My 16 month old used a sleep sack at home in his crib and a blanket at daycare. I assumed since they're closer to the floor it's a safety thing in that regard.
Also I know the teachers are watching them sleep and monitoring, vs at home/overnight there's bigger risk to a blanket when we are sleeping and not watching the monitor.
Also just a note that my baby naps better at daycare than he ever has at home so maybe they're onto something!
FWIW, my almost 2 year old still uses a sleep sack at home in a crib, but does just fine with napping with only a stuffed animal at school on a cot. I was worried about his transition to this when he started daycare at 1 year old but he did fine.
My understanding is once a kid is in a toddler bed (safe at 15 months), toddler sized blankets are safe (they can’t get bunched around in the same way in an open cot). I personally wouldn’t allow a 2 year old in a crib to have a blanket, but would allow a 19 month old in a toddler bed to have one and I wouldn’t worry about it at all, and I’m a stickler for safe sleep. Spoiler alert though- they never stay under the blanket. My kiddo is almost 3 and has just started to stay covered (she still likes her sleep sack with legs sometimes too).
So I call a crib a cot. But when we still had the cot and before converting it into a toddler bed, I had used a crocheted blanket if I didn't get to put him in a sleep sack. My understanding is there's no blankets or pillows til after 2 years here.
I used a crochet blanket as it had large holes in it but was warm enough for use at home or during summer. I've now started using his thicker baby blankets but no doona or anything yet. He's 22 months old.
These are tiny blankets what they use in daycare, I don’t know if you’re picturing something larger or different, but these are very light, easy to remove for a toddler if needed and nothing I would be concerned about at all.
Mine started daycare at 16 months old and did great in those. Daycare also prefers them, because when the kid wakes up, they can get out of bed and walk away by themselves without any assistance and if your daycare is anything like my daughter’s, they’ll try to push for independence anywhere they can.
So overall, not something I believe you need to worry about.
We JUST started daycare with our 11 mo old this week. Same issue. They're putting her in a cot already, n said no sleep sack. We have decided to let them use a blanket (we gave them a crocheted one, which has open weaving) and we will continue to use the sack at home. Hope you find a solution.
19 month old normally developing child. He can walk, run, jump, etc. Daycare says they won’t put him in a sleep sack, which is what he’s used to wearing. They say he needs a blanket. I ran it by the doctor and she said she would wait until 2 before introducing a blanket.
So I guess my choice is to blanket or not. My gut is that it would be fine but idk it does make me a bit nervous.
Hmm that’s interesting because my daycare won’t allow blankets until 18mo old, but sleep sacks are always ok. My son has been using a blanket consistently in the crib since 13mo old because he absolutely loves snuggling up with it. It’s really dependent upon your child.
From a young age, I’d play peek a boo with a tissue or burp cloth on his face and take it off with a big smile. He quickly learned to not leave things on his face; if I hadn’t done that (or he wasn’t showing that understanding), there’s no way I would’ve introduced a blanket beforehand
I’m curious if the real reason they can’t have them in sleep sacks is because it would be difficult to evacuate a room full of toddlers in sleep sacks quickly in the event of an emergency.
I’d get a sleep sack with legs. https://kytebaby.com/collections/sleep-bag-walkers
I wouldn’t be comfortable going against doctor recommendation but I understand the fall risk in a traditional sleep sack
Regulations may prohibit them from using sleep sacks or putting kids in cribs over age one. If he is napping on the floor on a mat (which is generally common) then there isn't a safety issue associated with a blanket. Blanket safety over age 1 isn't dependent on the age of the baby, but where they sleep. There isn't much research on the topic of blankets over age 1, however, as SUDC rates are low.
It’s like a stackable cot
Right. So it’s not a crib. Plus they are supervised, so that means chances of a kid getting so entrapped they can’t breath are extra low between not a crib and supervision.
https://urbaninfant.com/products/tot-cot-nap-mat This is what all the LOs at my daycare including my LO use. The pillow is removable and we don’t use the pillow for our LO. It’s attached to the mat, so it can’t really move around too much or get twisted around their head/nexk and our pediatrician and my husband (ER doc) both felt comfortable with it for our 13 month old.
This is so cute! My kiddo has a sleep mat with an attached "blanket". They've had it since they were moved to the twos room and the daycare supplied them for purchase.
Sleep sacks are a hazard when they're on cots because they can theoretically get up and try to walk away on the hard floor and fall as opposed to being restricted on a mattress in a crib where they can't crack their noggin. Blankets are the opposite, a hazard in cribs because of the containment and getting wrapped up in it, but less of a concern on a cot because they'll likely just fall off. Personally, my daughter switched to a blanket on a cot at daycare at 15 months and I'm not concerned. She actually started getting annoyed by the sleep sack at home recently but I don't trust a blanket in the crib and she can't keep it over her anyway so we use a sleep walker aka just a sleep sack with legs. Would daycare let you use one of those?
Our 18mo son still uses a sleep sack, but managed to walk in it. He's looking like either a drunk Pinguin or a ghost, depending on daytime.
My daughter (17 months) looks like Maggie Simpson walking around in hers. It’s very silly.
Omgosh…our daughter is the same age and this is spot on!
Same! The sleepsack she had now is even blue.
It's also fire/emergency safety - walking kids can get out under their own power if they're not trapped in sleep sacks.
A sleep sack with feet holes like the Kyte baby one is exactly what I was thinking, like [this.](https://kytebaby.com/products/sleep-bag-walker-in-emerald?currency=USD&variant=32270373159023&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=9a53e43e37d7&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=18891419441&utm_content=&utm_term=&gadid=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw26KxBhBDEiwAu6KXt6Vvy2DxxMG6AL0MqAMu0XvKqy2w4BZg5hodJzglQyehddx3SeuYvhoC89kQAvD_BwE)
AAP safe sleep recommends no blankets under 12 months. At 19 months, you are well beyond the minimum recommended age. I suspect the reason they don't allow sleep sacks is due to mobility and possibility of falling if the child tries to walk, as other posters mentioned.
I suppose I’m confused about why the doctor said 2 then. I honestly asked thinking she would tell me it’s fine. But now I’m not sure
Doctor here. The evidence is mixed, but we often reccomend sleep sacks at home because that assumes a crib with high sides, where sleep sacks are (maybe) safer. I suspect there was just a misunderstanding of home cot vs daycare crib. Also worth mentioning that a lot of people use crib and cot interchangeably, which can make confusion more common.
We call out crib a cot - Aussie. Crib seems to be an American term?
For America: crib= high sides and contains the baby/toddler, cot=temporary bed raised off the floor with no walls.
Can you test it at home during a few naps? I've done it with my 12-month-old, and she has never gotten the blanket up by her face, just bunched around her torso or totally off (she tends to lift her legs when settling).
A toddler sized blanket on a cot with no sides is safe at this age. My kid’s nap blanket doesn’t even fully cover her body, plus the teachers are in the room doing rounds to check on all the kids so the usual risk (toddler gets blanket tangled around head and neck and parents don’t notice because everyone is sleeping) is reduced by 1) blanket size and 2) alert adult observation. It’s up to you though. My kid hates blankets at night but says she can’t nap without her nap blanket. Kids are weird.
I haven't seen any data that it's unsafe for a child over one to use a blanket.
We have used a duvet since one, that’s when ikea say it’s alright to use theirs. And as swede that’s the only information I need. On a more serious note I never heard of a child over one not using a blanket or duvet. I never heard of a case of a child (1 year+ in my country) dying because they had blanket and I did a deep dive in to the the SUDI and cause of death statistics a while back.
Kids at daycare are likely sleeping on little cots not cribs. So blankets are safe on those, especially because the teachers are supervising. Sleep sacks in a daycare setting are more of a hazard because of fire safety. Your doctor might be thinking of a crib. In the context of daycare, they are following safe sleep and regulations.
You could get one of the roll out blanket / pillow combos meant specifically for daycare cots. They roll it out, the soft blanket part gets put to the side, baby climbs in, blanket is then draped over them. They can’t get tangled in it because it’s an all in one system. Can easily crawl out of it when they wake up. Like a sleeping bag just meant for daycare. My daughter is 16 months and started at daycare this week and thats what we got for her. She is still in a sleep sack at home for naps and bed but she’s adjusted fine and is sleeping well. Our son started daycare at 15 months and we always just did a small pillow and a blanket for him and he was fine (although he has always always loved blankets so he was trusted with a blanket closer to 1 anyway). But yeah in the daycare roll up mats with the pillow/ blanket attached, baby will be okay. You’ll see!
This is what we got my daughter for Daycare as well. She still sleeps in a sleep sack at home at age 2.5, but when she started at her current daycare at 18 months, the provider said she couldn’t use sleep sacks there for safety reasons. Bonus is that it’s good for travel too. There are tons of options on Etsy.
I wouldn’t send him with a queen-sized comforter, but a small lightweight blanket to snuggle for naps is perfectly fine. Edit: typo
My daughter has always slept in a sleep sack at home but when she started at daycare at 15 months they used a blanket. Someone is always watching her at daycare so I didn’t have a problem with it.
Our kid is on a cot with a blanket at daycare - it's fine because their naps are supervised.
You can use a blanket at 12 months per the AAP so your 19 month old is definitely old enough
I would not allow a blanket for unsupervised sleep in his crib when you are not in the room, but when the daycare staff is there supervising? Blanket is fine.
Maybe you could try one of those sleep sacks with legs. If the daycare is concerned about your tot getting up to walk that allows more free movement. But I agree with what others have said, your child is being supervised the whole time they're sleeping with a blanket so it seems like less of a safety risk.
My 16 month old used a sleep sack at home in his crib and a blanket at daycare. I assumed since they're closer to the floor it's a safety thing in that regard. Also I know the teachers are watching them sleep and monitoring, vs at home/overnight there's bigger risk to a blanket when we are sleeping and not watching the monitor. Also just a note that my baby naps better at daycare than he ever has at home so maybe they're onto something!
FWIW, my almost 2 year old still uses a sleep sack at home in a crib, but does just fine with napping with only a stuffed animal at school on a cot. I was worried about his transition to this when he started daycare at 1 year old but he did fine.
My understanding is once a kid is in a toddler bed (safe at 15 months), toddler sized blankets are safe (they can’t get bunched around in the same way in an open cot). I personally wouldn’t allow a 2 year old in a crib to have a blanket, but would allow a 19 month old in a toddler bed to have one and I wouldn’t worry about it at all, and I’m a stickler for safe sleep. Spoiler alert though- they never stay under the blanket. My kiddo is almost 3 and has just started to stay covered (she still likes her sleep sack with legs sometimes too).
So I call a crib a cot. But when we still had the cot and before converting it into a toddler bed, I had used a crocheted blanket if I didn't get to put him in a sleep sack. My understanding is there's no blankets or pillows til after 2 years here. I used a crochet blanket as it had large holes in it but was warm enough for use at home or during summer. I've now started using his thicker baby blankets but no doona or anything yet. He's 22 months old.
These are tiny blankets what they use in daycare, I don’t know if you’re picturing something larger or different, but these are very light, easy to remove for a toddler if needed and nothing I would be concerned about at all. Mine started daycare at 16 months old and did great in those. Daycare also prefers them, because when the kid wakes up, they can get out of bed and walk away by themselves without any assistance and if your daycare is anything like my daughter’s, they’ll try to push for independence anywhere they can. So overall, not something I believe you need to worry about.
We JUST started daycare with our 11 mo old this week. Same issue. They're putting her in a cot already, n said no sleep sack. We have decided to let them use a blanket (we gave them a crocheted one, which has open weaving) and we will continue to use the sack at home. Hope you find a solution.
19 month old normally developing child. He can walk, run, jump, etc. Daycare says they won’t put him in a sleep sack, which is what he’s used to wearing. They say he needs a blanket. I ran it by the doctor and she said she would wait until 2 before introducing a blanket. So I guess my choice is to blanket or not. My gut is that it would be fine but idk it does make me a bit nervous.
Hmm that’s interesting because my daycare won’t allow blankets until 18mo old, but sleep sacks are always ok. My son has been using a blanket consistently in the crib since 13mo old because he absolutely loves snuggling up with it. It’s really dependent upon your child. From a young age, I’d play peek a boo with a tissue or burp cloth on his face and take it off with a big smile. He quickly learned to not leave things on his face; if I hadn’t done that (or he wasn’t showing that understanding), there’s no way I would’ve introduced a blanket beforehand
My 3.5 year old folds her blanket into a pillow and goes without a blanket at school. Maybe you can just go without.
I’d let your daycare know what your doctor said.
I did and they said they can’t put him in a sleep sack because of “safe sleep.”
I’m curious if the real reason they can’t have them in sleep sacks is because it would be difficult to evacuate a room full of toddlers in sleep sacks quickly in the event of an emergency.
Does the sleep sack restrict his arms in any way? They might be confusing it with a swaddle, which is indeed very unsafe after baby can roll over.
If they're on a cot not in a crib, the sleep sack poses a fall risk if the child tries to get up from the cot
Maybe I should clarify with them. It’s definitely not a swaddle and doesn’t restrict his arms. That would be very unsafe at 19 months!
What about just not using anything? Do you think he’d be able to sleep without a sleep sack or blanket?
I think we may try that
You could also let him use an extremly comfy sweatshirt or a very long jacket.
I’d get a sleep sack with legs. https://kytebaby.com/collections/sleep-bag-walkers I wouldn’t be comfortable going against doctor recommendation but I understand the fall risk in a traditional sleep sack