How Many Baby Loveys You Actually Need To Buy

kWe understand how important a child’s baby lovey friend is. But losing it while traveling — or even just while going from home to daycare, the park or the grocery store — is stressful and all too common. Which is why you need a backup plan for the imminent moment when your child’s lovey goes missing.

Losing a lovey or favorite baby blanket is especially frustrating when you’re on a family vacation. We all know family vacations are already stressful, especially for moms with younger children who seek calm and comfort from their baby lovey or baby blanket. With a few pro-parenting tips and tricks on stocking up on duplicate loveys, you can spend less time worrying about losing loveys and more time creating lasting memories with your family on holiday.

The problem: kids lose stuff and everyone stresses out

Kids are undisputed champions when it comes to losing things, especially while traveling. According to Transportation Security Administration (TSA), nearly one million items are left behind each year, with children’s toys being one of the most common items – and moms can surely attest.

Zulily’s latest survey of more than 1,000 moms shows that well over half (54%) of moms report having lost a child’s favorite item — often their child’s lovey or some sort of comfort item — while on vacation:

• 29% of loveys fall out of a diaper bag or stroller
• 27% of loveys get left behind in a rental or hotel room
• 18% of loveys get lost in transit

The loss of loveys can cause a lot of stress for both moms and their kids. There’s no doubt that kids get upset when their fave comfort item appears to be gone forever. Our survey shows that 87% of moms feel stressed when their child’s favorite goes missing, too.

“For kids, the loss can cause real grief, an inability to sleep, and the anxiety that the child uses their lovey to cope with can resurface,” says Alexa Meinhold, Zulily’s Baby and Maternity Assistant Buyer. “Parents know their child will be upset and replacing the item with limited time feels like an impossible – and expensive – chore.”

The financial impact of lost loveys

As a result of all this lovey-losing, half of moms expect to spend between $51-$200 replacing lost items, while 15% expect to spend more than $300 in replacements each year.

And that’s on top of family vacations and day-to-day expenses that have become a lot more expensive. The average vacation for a family of four is close to $5,000 with gas, airfare, and hotel room prices on the rise. That’s on top of the increasing inflationary costs of goods for dining, entertainment, and more.

“Our survey found that 85% of moms will spend their discretionary funds on travel and make tradeoffs on other purchases,” says Meinhold. “This means it’s increasingly important for moms to find ways to maximize their budgets ahead of summer travel.”

The backup plan: How many loveys does my baby really need?

We know a little planning goes a long way for moms – 75% of moms surveyed say that planning makes them feel less stressed. 62% say it helps them save time, and 54% say planning ahead helps them save money.

One way to prevent future meltdowns? Have backup plan for when your child’s lovey inevitably goes missing by making sure you have an extra lovey (or two or three) on hand. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends having two of a favorite item and rotating them out regularly to spare your baby (and yourself) a potential emotional crisis.

When you have that extra creature comfort on hand, you avoid the additional stress, cost, or time to purchase a new one. And, you’ll most likely prevent a major conundrum, whether you’re on vacation or at the park.

Lovey basics: What to look for when buying a baby lovey or baby blankie

What to look for in a lovey

A baby lovey is a small, soft blanket attached to a stuffed animal. Keep in mind that every baby is different. Loveys are just one way that babies can learn to self-soothe. When you’re shopping for a lovey for your baby or a baby lovey blanket, a few things to keep in mind for safety and convenience:

• Look for a lovey that’s soft and comfortable.
• Make sure they are small and made of light materials to prevent suffocation risks and choking hazards.
• Find one that’s machine washable. They will get dirty and pretty gross. Knowing you have the backup lovey in rotation while the other is in the wash will especially help give you peace of mind.

When can a baby have a lovey?

The most important thing to consider is how old your baby needs to be to sleep safely with a lovey. To prevent the risk of suffocation, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting until age 1 to introduce any blankets or toys in your baby’s crib.

As for when to introduce a lovey? Meinhold recommends, “I started putting my son’s lovey in between us when we were bottle feeding or nursing. That way it becomes a familiar object of comfort, and smells like Mom, too! Once your baby gets used to the lovey being there during feeds, he or she will want it for comfort to snuggle with at bedtime.”

You can introduce a lovey before that, but be sure that you don’t leave it in your baby’s crib while they are sleeping. Some experts say that babies can attach to a lovey as early as six months old. Try experimenting with a lovey blanket, baby blanket or a plush toy to find what your baby is drawn to. Some babies won’t need loveys or get particularly attached to them, and that’s ok, too.

Finally, Meinhold’s advice on self-soothing: “My son did not take a binky, so he had a hard time ‘soothing’ himself back to sleep in the middle of the night. Once I got him familiar with his lovey, it made a huge difference with his nighttime sleep. He actually started sleeping through the night because he had his lovey to snuggle with, which provided comfort and he was able to self-soothe.”