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March 28, 2024

Where Every Family Matters

Huh oh — Where’s Baby’s Lovey?!

Babies can become attached to a certain blanket or stuffed animal that becomes a beloved comfort item.

Oh, no, Baby’s Lovey is missing! You’ve been in overdrive trying to get through your “to do” list and all the while she’s been fussing and upset that she doesn’t have her treasured item. Oh, what do babies do if they don’t have their lovey? They can meltdown. That comfort object that helps Baby feel secure is an oh-so-important member of your family!

According to What to Expect, “Lots of babies adopt a lovey (aka comfort object, transitional object or security blanket) before their first birthday, but their dependence on it grows and reaches a peak during the second year.”

So, prepare yourself. This attachment to an object can occur at any time and on anything.

“My older daughter had a Cracker Barrel exclusive beanie baby bear called Cornbread, and she couldn’t go anywhere without him when she was really little,” says local mom Heather Feather Phillips. “My younger daughter, now 3, has a mermaid ragdoll her grandmother bought her, named Elsa, who she can’t sleep without,” she adds.

“I loved silk as a child,” recalls local Lynda Rychen. “In kindergarten, my mom took a piece of silk and sewed it onto my naptime napper. My daughter’s now 5, and she’s had a doggie blanket with dog head on it since she was a baby; she rubs her cheek with it as she goes to sleep.”

Tips for a Lost Lovey

Don’t get moms started on the day they lost their baby’s lovey. After hours and hours of searching and Baby crying, all is lost. What are you to do? Some moms go so far as to have a backup for just such instances.

“My toddler has a small blankie that has a lamb’s head on it (Lambie) and silk around the edges,” says local mom Andrea Watkins Dickinson. “She’s loved it since she was an infant and she’s almost 3. We have three of them in rotation for cleaning and lost emergencies! She takes it everywhere we go, including day care. They make her put it in her cubby for the day but she’s comforted knowing Lambie is there.”

So, what if he does have a lovey, but it’s tattered? Do you allow him to keep his most sacred item anyway? Learning to sew comes in handy.

Become a Seamstress

“My 5-year-old son’s security item is a rubber bunny that you can only find around Easter,” says local mom Elizabeth Lee. “The rubber will rip and tear and eventually the ears or head or feet will come off. It’s left out at night and then the ‘Bunny Fairy’ will replace it while he’s asleep.”

Before you know it, you’ll become a regular seamstress for the lovey. Tracy Browning Benson says that her nearly 2-year-old daughter is obsessed with her UT VOLS bear.

“She will NOT go a day without it,” says Benson. “It’s been sewn a couple dozen times, looks pitiful, but she loves it.” You may wonder what’s different from the beloved pacifier, but parents often aim to get rid of that for Baby’s developing teeth.

In the end, you’ll learn that you’ll do just about anything to comfort your little one. So, if you’ve noticed a small toy or blanket has become his little lovey, the best thing to do is prepare for the time that it could become lost or torn. Prevention is key. Have a backup. Get a mini sewing kit. Learn how to clean it properly so that you don’t accidentally destroy it.

About the Author

Susan Swindell Day

Susan Day is the editor in chief for this award-winning publication and all-things Nashville Parent digital creative. She's also an Equity actress, screenwriter and a mom of four amazing kids.