Comfort objects and your baby

As your baby grows, she’s bound to form a strong attachment to a comfort object – a favorite doll, teddy or even a blankie that she trails around after her. This is perfectly natural and may well last until she’s old enough to go to school.

Your child’s favorite toy or cuddly gives her a source of security so she won’t feel alone if you’re not there, and it may also be a useful device for helping her drift off to sleep at bedtime. You may be surprised by how attached she becomes to her doll or teddy but it’s familiarity that comforts young children – and her toy has profound associations with the people and places that make her feel most secure.

However, this may well cause problems when it comes to being parted, even temporarily, from her favorite. In the case of a blankie, it’s a good idea to have a couple of spares you can produce so your child is unaware that the real thing is actually in the washer! If her comfort object is a doll or teddy, take the precaution of buying another in case the original gets lost.

Hello, dolly!

Think back to when you were a child – do you remember toting your Tiny Tears doll everywhere? Dolls have been around in some way, shape or form for centuries. The dolls our ancestors played with were simple shapes carved from wood – very different from today’s baby dolls. It wasn’t until the 1800s that proper dolls were mass produced for the children of wealthy families to play with and this is mainly because the majority of young children came from poor, working families and didn’t experience childhood as we, and our children, know it – they may even have gone out to work.

Visit any toy museum and you can see these originals, with their ‘china doll’ faces and exquisite clothes. You may even have an original old doll that has been handed down to you as a family heirloom, although precious antiques should be kept well away from your toddler! Compare these beautifully designed works of art to the doll your child is most likely to clamor for – Barbie, born in New York in 1959. Since then, over half a billion Barbies have been sold in 140 countries… in fact, if they were all laid end to end, they’d circle the earth three and a half times. World-famous designers have created her outfits and she has been a teacher, soldier, singer, model, astronaut… and mom-to-be!

Teddy time
Is it a teddy bear that’s your child’s best friend? According to myth, there are two sources for the teddy bears we know and love. The idea may have originated in 1902, when President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a defenceless bear cub while out on a hunting trip. The incident was publicized in the newspapers of the time and a resourceful shopkeeper designed and made a toy bear – ‘Teddy’s Bear’ which her displayed in the window of his store. Around the same time, renowned German toymaker Margaret Steiff had started to produce jointed toy ears when her nephew got the idea after a visit to the zoo. Whichever story you prefer, the teddy bear soon took off and remains the world’s most popular stuffed toy. 

Play it safe

As with any toy you buy for your baby, you need to take care when choosing a doll or teddy bear. Babies tend to mouth and chew their toys, especially when their first teeth are cutting through, so simple toy safety precautions can help avert accidents. As a rule, stick to toys that are aimed at your child’s age group and always check a toy thoroughly yourself – don’t just follow other people’s recommendations as to its suitability.

Dolls

• Check that the doll’s limbs are securely attached – if you can pull its arms, legs, hands and heads away from its body, check that they don’t expose sharp wires inside the body. If its head or any of its limbs can be removed, make sure they aren’t small enough to be swallowed or inhaled by a young child.
• If a doll is made from plastic, it should be flexible – hard plastics can form sharp fragments and dangerous small parts if they break. 
• Wooden dolls should have smooth surfaces, free of splinters and joints should be firmly glued without any nails and screws. 
• Don’t buy metal dolls or figures for your child – they may be intended as collectibles, and could contain toxic elements. 
• Check that the doll’s eyes are securely fixed and that small items of clothing, such as ribbons, can’t be pulled or chewed off to form a choking hazard. Clothes should be made from non-flammable materials (check the labeling or packaging) and shouldn’t be fastened with pins.
  
• Small accessories, such as handbags, shoes and jewelry, could be choking hazard, so remove them if your child is under three years of age.
  

Teddy bears

• Make sure teddy bears and other stuffed toys have fillings that are clean and free of any objects or substances that may be hazardous to a child's health.
• Where possible, feel the toy for any sharp objects. 
• If the teddy is a beanbag toy, check that the filling is enclosed in a second separate lining within the outer covering. 
• Seams should be securely stitched and the ends of the thread should be tight. If seams do come apart, check that the filling is clean and free of hazardous objects, then either re-stitch the seam securely or discard the teddy. 
• Eyes, noses, buttons and other accessories on stuffed toys are often small enough to choke small children – if you’re buying a teddy bear for a child under three, check that small parts and attachments can’t be easily removed from the toy.
  

Caring for cuddlies

Dolls, teddies and cuddlies get dirty – there’s no avoiding it. However, it can be extremely difficult to get the item away from your child long enough to clean it (this is where spares come in particularly handy).

When cleaning them, always follow the manufacturers’ guidelines. Many toys – for instance, those that contain a voice or squeak element – shouldn’t be immersed in water. Dolls’ clothes are often made in fairly poor-quality fabric that may shrink if washed in hot water and put in the dryer.

One problem you’ll need to keep in mind where teddies and ragdolls are concerned is that stuffed toys can harbor hundreds of thousands of dust mites that can aggravate conditions such as asthma. Every few months, leave your child’s teddy in the freezer overnight and then wash it at 140°F to kill any surviving mites. As far as plastic dolls are concerned, a wash in warm soapy water should clean them up and fabric conditioner is great at calming down flyaway synthetic hair! If major surgery is required to keep a doll or teddy in good repair, there are specialist repair services you can contact.

Learning with her lovie

Your child’s doll or teddy is ideal for role-playing games that can help your child learn how to play in a group and share her toys…

• Teddy bears’ picnic If it’s a fine day, arrange a teddy bears’ picnic in the yard or your local park. Take along a toy teaset with some simple sandwiches and finger foods. If you can invite some small friends, do – the more the merrier. And if it’s raining, just have a teddy bears’ banquet indoors!
• Dolls’ hospital This is particularly useful if you, your child, or one of her friends has to spend any time in hospital. Old shoeboxes can be hospital beds and if your child had a nurse or doctor costume she can role-play. Short strips of fabric can be bandages and a pushalong toy makes a great ambulance.
• New baby A baby doll can be invaluable for bringing your older child around to the idea that there’s a new baby brother or sister on the way. It’s possible to get dolls that actually cry and wet their nappies – all good practice!
  

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.