When would you leave a soft toy in with your child all night?

[giveups]

My daughter has separation anxiety and I think it may help but I worry about the suffocation risk!

Probably same age as pillow - 12 months?

I think once they can roll over, sit up, etc, a small cuddly toy is fine and can go a good way towards self-settling behaviours.

My daughter is 18 months now! Probably time I tried to get over my anxiety about it. Thank you

When they are old enough to have control of their bodies such as roll over, hold a toy, sit up etc

My baby has had a small teddy from that age. At 18months old she can move the teddy and her self if its in the way of her breathing.

Depends how small the toy.

Mine each had a small barley filled towelling toy (bunny, bear or puppy) from very young. I wasn't concerned about them as they could be reached for comfort but weren't big enough to smother or dense enough to choke.

The toy is a dog probably the length of my Forearm?

So give her a safer attachment toy and once she's bonded you can leave it with her.

Mine had muslins as a comforter. Didn't have actual toys in bed until about 18 months iirc. The muslins could be swapped out / washed / lost and we had a pile
Of replacements.

12 months is mentioned in the safe sleep guidelines, so you're absolutely fine!