Baby Blog

In the last few weeks my son has developed some strange new habits. In fact I would almost call it regression if my friend’s little boy at 18 months wasn’t going through the same thing. Perhaps it’s a phase they don’t talk about. “They” being the so-called baby experts. All of a sudden baby Nik has decided he cannot function without a pacifier and a blankie. When he was a small baby neither item meant anything so what’s going on?

I read the mom blogs looking for women going through similar experiences with their older babies. There are quite a few 16, 17 and 18-month-old children out there suddenly attached to their blanket. In most cases, like in Nik’s case, the blanket is the one they have had since birth. Nik has always enjoyed this blanket; it’s the one that mom and dad picked out for him weeks before his birth. But has it become his safety zone? Comfort zone? Insecurity blanket?

I can’t pinpoint baby Nik’s use of the blankie and the pacifier to any particular incident in his life. He seems to be exploring the world more and more every day. His naturally curious nature has got him into a few scrapes but all has worked out in the end. He seems a content happy go lucky little boy so this urge for material comfort I find disturbing. Or perhaps this first-time mom needs to learn it’s normal.

Children use pacifiers and comfort blankets to make them feel stronger emotionally and more able to handle situations. Perhaps because Nik is exploring the world at such a magnificent rate he needs something to ground him. As his world grows bigger and bigger it only makes sense to have something permanent, stable, tangible and his very own close to his side. I guess mommy can’t be there all the time and having a blanket is a reasonable substitute.

So for now the blanket stays. The pacifier, although increased in use, will be regulated but allowed. I want my baby boy to always feel comfortable and safe and if holding a blanket while he walks around the house exploring objects, people, animals and everything within his small universe and that’s okay by me.

This parenting thing, I tell you, it’s always something. This week a blankie next week who knows?