Pillows for Babies - why not?

[GraceK]

We have just finished turning DD1's cot bed back into a cot for DD2 and DD1 asked why DD2 wasn't allowed a pillow til she was a year old. I realised that I know this the advice but I have no idea of the reason for it - can anyone explain? Need an explanation for my own piece of mind & to stop the "why, why, why" of the 4-year old.

Thanks

suffocation risk probably

yup

Am still confused (perhaps I'm being stupid) but why is it a suffocation risk? The advice says no pillows til they're a year but surely once they can roll over / move about that risk would disappear - so about 6 months?

I think it's the risk of overheating too

I think it may be to do with their different airway/throat anatomy as well as the rolling over type of suffocation risk?

if they roll over onto the pillow and the pillow is quite soft, their face will sink into the pillow and even if they turn their head to the side the pillow would still be around their mouth and nose and could be a suffocation risk. To start with babies are only able to roll one way so once they are on their tummy they cant get back over to their back and would be stuck on their front with a face full of pillow. As they get older they are more able to move from back to front and back over again so less chance of suffocating.

Even the pillows that can be used from birth (e.g. to prevent/correct flattening of the head) say to remove them when your baby starts to turn onto their tummy.