DIY crib pillows for newborns

When a baby appears in the house, every mother wants to surround him with as much warmth and care as possible. And since the new family member spends most of his time sleeping, it is important to ensure comfortable and healthy sleep. Bedding is of great importance, namely pillows that support the baby’s head on a still fragile neck. Is it necessary? Is it possible for a mother to sew it herself without violating the ergonomics and functionality? Read about it below.

Does a newborn need a pillow?

If we go back to the origins, children from birth were not given special pillows under their heads, but made do with a diaper folded in four. But we should not forget that for some 50–70 years the environment was much cleaner, people were healthier, childbirth took place naturally, with virtually no aids, and healthy babies were born, without pathologies of the cervical spine in particular.

IMPORTANT! Currently, the number of children with developmental defects of the cervical vertebrae is steadily growing. The reasons are not only disturbances in the process of fetal formation, but also the inept behavior of medical personnel during obstetrics.

To correct such problems, pediatric surgeons most often recommend an orthopedic pillow. Thanks to its shape, it supports the baby's head, limits the range of turns and relieves the load on the cervical spine. An ordinary, quadrangular pillow is not suitable for a number of reasons: a child’s skull does not form immediately, the bones are more like cartilage, and when the baby sleeps on one side or is rigidly fixed, with emphasis on the back of the head, the structure is deformed - a flat back of the head, asymmetry on one side, etc. Violation of the natural position of the vertebrae leads not only to osteochondrosis and early scoliosis, but also to problems in the development of the nervous system.

But there is also an oppositional opinion held by some pediatricians. It is stated that nothing should be placed under the child’s head until he reaches one year of age. After all, the baby tosses and turns, the pillow moves, and the head takes on an arbitrary position. And for infants, this is a complete threat to life - by burying their face, the baby can suffocate.

IMPORTANT! Regular parental supervision is required when using an orthopedic pillow. When regurgitating, there is a high risk of aspiration and pneumonia!

It is also not recommended to use orthopedic pillow models for children under 4 months of age.

The baby should be in a crib without clamps, restraints and other attributes not only under the head, but also around the body. Only edges around the perimeter are welcome to avoid injuries during sleep. And to raise the head, you should use a small bolster that is placed under the mattress. In this case, the bed is a single sheet, and the baby’s head will be at a higher level than the legs, which will eliminate the possibility of regurgitation and make breathing easier.

IMPORTANT! The “old-fashioned” method of tightly swaddling babies had its own logical explanation. The edge of the diaper fell under the back of the head, slightly above the neck, thereby supporting the child’s head. But modern mothers choose this method of swaddling less and less often.

I would like to note that every mother knows which option is preferable for her child. Rely on the medical report about your baby’s health and your sensitive maternal intuition!

We sew a pillow for a newborn with our own hands

The children's goods market offers a variety of different pillows; let's look at the most popular models:

1. Classic. It differs from a standard “adult” pillow only in size, but in general, it is a familiar quadrangular pillow.
2. Anatomical (orthopedic). Special shape and special filler. Most often, latex is quite elastic, does not lose its shape and supports the head. Buckwheat husk also has a positive effect.
3. Fixing. These include various types of rollers, solid or in the form of a tube. These pillows are very comfortable for sleeping during pregnancy and will also come in handy when feeding your baby.
4. Decorative. Such pillows serve as decoration, the child does not come into contact with them, so the decor options and fabrics used can be absolutely any. These pads will come in handy for beautiful Instagram photos!

Material requirements

It is best if the child’s sleeping pillow is made of natural fabrics such as linen, cotton, calico, teak. They allow air to pass through, do not cause allergies, and are pleasant to the baby’s delicate skin. Caring for such fabrics is also quite simple - they can be washed at high temperatures and steamed with a hot iron.

IMPORTANT! For the base of the pillow, you can choose a denser fabric, such as linen. But the pillowcase can be more delicate - flannel or cotton.

You can fill the pillow with natural filler, such as goose feathers, swan down, sheep or camel wool. But do not forget that these fillers can be strong allergens and cause shortness of breath or swelling.

Artificial fillers include synthetic winterizer, holofiber, and latex. They are light, breathable and do not cause allergies. An important advantage is their availability.

We make a pattern and sew a regular pillow

Any thing starts with a pattern. In order to cut a pillow for a child, you will need the following tools:

• selected fabric and filler;
• ruler, pencil, scissors;
• tailor's chalk or bar of soap.

The cutting can be done directly on the fabric, because it is a rectangle, approximately 40*20 in size. Fold the fabric right side inward and iron it. It will be better if the fold line coincides with one of the long sides of the pillow.

Draw a rectangle, make a small allowance around the entire perimeter of the pattern. You can cut out the details. Sew the parts, leaving about 5 cm unsewn.

Turn out and fill the workpiece with the selected filler. Sew the remaining area with a hidden stitch. The pillow is ready!

ATTENTION! A pillowcase for such a pillow can be sewn in the same way, slightly increasing the size. Since the product is intended for babies, you should not use zippers, buttons or other hard elements.

Sew a butterfly pillow

The pattern is based on a trapezoid:

1. On a piece of paper we draw the first side of the figure - a vertical segment 17 cm long.
2. From the bottom point, draw another line perpendicularly, 11.5 cm to the right - the base of the pattern.
3. From the top point we lay another perpendicular, but already 14 cm long. The ends of these bases are connected.
4. From the bottom point of the original base we put 4 cm upward, and then 3.5 cm - the center of the circle, which will be under the child’s head.
5. From the center we draw a circle with a diameter of 7 cm. From its center we draw a perpendicular to the first vertical line until it intersects with the second side of the figure - this is the most bent point of the butterfly’s wing.
6. We connect this point with the corners with a smooth arc.
7. We lengthen the outlines of the wings - each base of the trapezoid is divided in half, perpendiculars are drawn from the resulting points outside the plane of the workpiece, set aside 1.5 cm.
8. Smoothly connect these points to the corners of the figure. Next, you can cut according to the allowances.

It is very convenient to sew a pillow from pieces of quilted fabric. Their thickness will be enough for the central circle, and for the wings you will need about 100 grams. padding polyester. Also, you need calico or cotton fabric for the front side.

ATTENTION! The pattern for the pillow can be drawn by hand. To do this, fold a sheet of paper in half, set aside half the length of the future product from the fold line and mark the outlines of the wings with lines. Having determined the center, mark the semicircle.

Fold your fabric with the right sides facing in. Trace the resulting pattern, leaving seam allowances of 1-1.5 cm. Mark the central circle on the fabric. Pin the fabric together with safety pins and you're ready to cut out the pieces!

We do the same with quilted fabric. You will get 4 identical parts. Fold in pairs - the wrong side of the cotton parts is in contact with the front side of the quilted fabric.Baste each pair together, and then the two resulting parts, with the cotton side inward. Machine stitch along the outline, leaving a small area for filling. Turn it inside out.

REFERENCE! To ensure that the workpiece turns out well, cut the allowances close to the seam, but without cutting through it. Pay special attention to the places where the fabric curves.

Sew around the center circle. Add your choice of filling to the wings. For convenience, you can use a sushi stick. Sew the remaining area with a blind stitch.

Pattern and sewing of a pillow in the shape of a bear

Models of pillows in the shape of animals are very popular. The teddy bear pillow pattern can be easily adjusted based on the basic pattern discussed above. Simply round the edges, removing the unnecessary bend in the center.

We transfer the pattern to the fabric, cut out the parts in duplicate. For the ears you will need 4 blanks. We sew them with the right side inward, leaving the base unsewn, and turn them inside out. Lightly fill with padding polyester. Sew the finished ears to the top of one of the parts. The further process is similar to making a “butterfly”. You can decorate the pillow with sewn-on elements made of felt; they are safe and will add mood to the finished product!

Pillow for a newborn in the shape of an owl

Part – we cut out the base in two copies. Eyes, a beak, a bow or any other decor are sewn to one of them on the front side. At this stage, you can give free rein to your imagination and come up with your own hero! Then we proceed according to the streamlined scheme described above. Thus, you can make several wonderful options for baby pillows for your baby or please your familiar mothers with a useful gift!