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DS learned to self soothe with his thumb and used a paci for a short period after night weaning himself and STTN at around 12 weeks. He then tired of the paci, and also got sick of his thumb... so at around five months we introduced an A&A security blanket.

He's not attached to it outside of sleep times, but loves it for naps/nighttime sleep.

I think self soothing is the primary purpose. It is a nice tool to give them since when they are little all of their soothing relies on other people but as they get bigger they can have some control. It is really handy to have something that brings comfort that can be offered if they are particularly sad or to serve as a nice distraction if they get hurt or are sick.

Usually, weaning them off of it is not nearly as big of a deal as with a pacifier, bottle, nursing etc. Most of the time parents just start with the limitation of it has to stay in their bed. Once it stays in bed with them it is pretty much a non-issue. No one really things twice about a 9 year old still having a favorite stuffed animal in their bed, and frankly a lot of people do go off to college with a comfort item!

I think the age you start introducing it varies by child, 6 months is probably the earliest for most people just because you are trying to limit what goes in the crib with them. Closer to 1 seems to be when a lot of kids get attached to one item but I have seen people successfully introduce them as late as 2 or 3.

ditto to what @photojane said. also, I completely don't understand why parents take blankies away. there's no harm in having one to sleep, IMO, so he can use it/have it as long as he wants. It stays in his crib unless he is really sick and then I let him have it. He LOVES his blankie.

I was against them, until we introduced my son to his GloWorm. He could control the light and music and it totally helped him fall asleep in his crib.

So no advice or experience really, but one of my grandmothers made me a little pillow when I was a baby that I still sleep with every night no matter where I am... It's sort of a family tradition. So I never weaned off of mine, lol. I'm hoping to make one with her for future LOs and use that as a "lovey".

we started offering a lovey around 4 months. she loves it. it calms her down and helps her fall asleep. i don't plan to wean her from it. she doesn't carry it around with her everywhere, only uses it during naps/night time and when shes extra fussy. so i don't see a need to wean her.

As a baby, DD only fell asleep in our arms or while nursing. We introduced a lovey to create an attachment so she could sleep without us. Worked like a charm. But now at 17 months she cannot sleep without the lovey. I'm not too worried about weaning her from it. I don't really see the problem with her sleeping with it, as long as it doesn't turn into a dental problem (she sucks on it). We only let her use it at night or naps, so it's not like she's dragging it around all day.

My kid is 6, and STILL has a blue blanket that he carries around the house. It was crocheted by my grandmother and she gave it to me at my baby shower. I put it on him a lot when he was a baby, and when he was a toddler, it was a great cue for having to go to bed.

He doesn't ever take it out of the house, and he only uses it at bedtime, or when he's feeling chilly (wraps it around his shoulders).

I don't think I'll ever get it away from him...I think it will have to unravel, first, lol.

@Cherrybee: yes I give it to him when I lay him down along with his paci. I take them both away when he falls asleep. I also give it to him when I put him in the car seat.

@StrawberryBee: I got two normal sized lovers and two smaller ones, which I like better, at my baby shower. My lo loves his monkey lovey. I got a blue fuzzy bear one which I don't use because if he sucks or pulls on it, the fuzzy comes off. I washed it and it still comes off..

@StrawberryBee: we use the A&A security blankets from Target. They come in a 2 pack and they are super soft. I like them because they're really small and I have zero SIDS worries!

@Cherrybee: I introduced it at times when he was sleepy and content, like eating. After doing that once or twice, I put it in bed with him. He rolls over to sleep on his belly, so he clutches his lovey under one arm and rubs it across his cheek. Its from Angel Dear.
Tip - buy a 2 pack or a 3 pack! I'm currently faced with the dilemma of the crusty lovey, and he takes a nap every 2 hours...I can't take it to wash it!

We offered it at 4.5 months to help with her sleep. Sometimes when she is really upset i will offer it to her and it will provide her with some comfort. She does not use it at daycare (they don't allow it) and she hasn't had problems with naps without it. She is now 18.5 months.

I also recommend buying 2+ of the same lovey! @grizz: It was the worst when she was younger because she was napping so often and there was not enough time to wash it. It was sooo gross when i finally bought another one and washed the original one.

We use the A&A security blankets too. In fact, we have 8 of them, just in case. We only let him have it in the crib and it's helped him sleep at daycare and if we stay somewhere else for the night. Every time I put him to bed, I lay him down and place his lovely on his chest. He always grabs it and rolls over. In the middle of the night if he wakes, he searches for it and then cuddles up and back to sleep he goes!

I really want to limit it to only have when he's sleeping and wanted one that can be washed regularly. My niece carries her around all the time and it gets dirty and constantly left places. And of course, she freaks out.

@StrawberryBee: I saw on their Facebook page that these bamboo loveys are being released at the beginning of Dec, so I think I am going to hold off and get her the pink bamboo elephant...their bamboo stuff is sooo soft!

We just started giving it to R when we put her in the crib. She has an A&A security blanket like @photojane: posted. She also has this one. Some nights she sleeps with one or both, and then other nights she ends up on the other side of the crib. The blankies look sad all by themselves. But I think she is starting to become more attached.

@StrawberryBee: hey did you end up introducing a lovey?

We have the A&A ones and so far I just give to LO when she's nursing before sleep. She loves to rub it on her face and it keeps her from grabbing my nose or sticking her fingers in my mouth I've been nervous about it going in the crib but I guess I shouldn't be now what she's almost 6m.

@lawbee11: I saw those A&A animal head loveys at the store for the first time this week! Super cute! We just have the original ones but might have to get her one of these too