Babies And Stuffed Animals: What You Need To Know
Babies and stuffed animals have always gone hand in hand. Either because the toy comes as a gift on a special occasion or for another reason, the truth is that, even before its birth, the baby already has several doormat friends.
Babies love stuffed animals because they can experiment with their sense of touch. The reason is simple: they are easy to handle, have a smooth texture, and can be squeezed as much as you like. Therefore, they allow you to experiment with force.
At first, when the baby is discovering everything, his hands squeeze everything they find. Thus, they take a stuffed animal, squeeze it and experiment with the sensations that it produces. The stuffed animal is a way of discovering how to hold and release something, in addition to mom and dad’s thumb.
Babies and stuffed animals in contact
Stuffed animals are toys that are around the baby from birth. Usually in your room there are already a couple of them waiting for you and in some cases, even more than two. Very few stuffed animals are left as mere decoration when there is a baby in the home.
Contrary to popular belief, even though it is recently purchased, that does not imply that the stuffed animal is clean. In fact, stuffed animals are the perfect magnet for dust, and in stores it is inevitable that they will catch at least a small layer. In order not to spoil it, we usually shake it and little else, but this may not be enough for the baby.
At this stage, we must provide a friendly environment for the baby. An environment in which, little by little, the baby adapts to the outside world. Dust is one of the hostilities to face. A stuffed animal can hold an overwhelming amount of dust for a baby, it can potentiate or develop allergies and in general, interfere with the development of its respiratory capacity.
The best way is to put them in a cloth bag, close it tightly and put them in the washing machine. Once they have dried well, they are ready to be in contact with our baby. Many times we do not want to clean them in the washing machine for fear of spoiling some detail. But there is nothing to worry about, the cloth bag usually protects quite well from any damage. Another option is to wash them by hand.
Other details to consider
In stores, the variety of models is overwhelming. Each one has a more striking and often irresistible design. But do we really know which one is best for our baby? Babies and stuffed animals are a very tender and infallible duo but we must be very assertive, especially during the first months. Here is an example of what may be the best option as a baby’s first stuffed animal.
It is necessary to avoid that the stuffed animal has small parts since these are potentially dangerous for the baby. The pieces can be swallowed at some point of carelessness. We make the same recommendation with shiny details. It is necessary to avoid glitter ( glitter) because it comes off easily and can cause irritation to the baby’s skin or fall directly into the eyes.
Texture is the most important of all. The less hair the stuffed animal has, the better. It is preferable that it be made of cloth fabric, or some smooth cotton fabric. (Like the ones in the photo shown above) On the other hand, a light stuffed animal will suit the baby. Although all the stuffed animals are light, the baby notices a considerable difference in their density. The softer and less rigid they are, the lighter they will be.
The maintenance of the stuffed animal
Another aspect that must be taken into account is the maintenance of the stuffed animal. We must wash our baby’s stuffed animals periodically, since they will pass through many places and be touched many times.
They have to be cleaned, yes. Every time they fall on the floor somewhere other than the baby’s room. Otherwise, the dirt will go directly to the hands, mouth, nose and eyes of our baby if we are not attentive.
At first, whenever they get excited, babies often throw the stuffed animals into the air or drop them on the ground. We must be aware of it. It also doesn’t hurt to be vigilant to catch the stuffed animal in time before it falls to the ground (although this can be difficult at times).
If we go to the park or for a walk, we must be prepared to remove the stuffed animal from the baby if it gets dirty. Keep in mind that babies and stuffed animals are the ideal duo but you have to be careful during the first years of life.
