One of the greatest benefits of this object is the calming effect it exerts on the very small precisely because of its smell. If you choose to use it, it is however important to follow some recommendations, especially when it comes to infants
Among the first gifts that neogens can receive for the arrival of their baby there is often a doudou. The French term doudou It literally means “cover”, it is an object designed to give comfort to boys and girls from very young.
But is the Doudou really indispensable? Starting from when can children be offered and what characteristics should this object have? You can give i Doudou to babies? And what are their benefits in detail? In this article we try to clarify the topic.
What is the doudou and when it is offered to children
How a doudou works? Daudou from newborn on the market are generally soft objects to the touch, such as small stuffed stuffed, fabric covers or cynille dolls.
Among the most advertised benefits of the Doudou we find its calming effect: accompanying the child and mother from the first days during important relational moments such as falling asleep it would end up absorbing the maternal smell and, in doing so, would offer a sense of protection also When the parent is not physically present.
Although scientific research shows that infants have a highly developed sense of smell from birth and that after a few hours of life they are able to recognize the maternal smell, however, there is no confirmation that the Doudou can actually fulfill what is publicized.
Another often cited function of the Doudou is that of “Transitional object”.
With this expression, coined in the fifties of the twentieth century by the English pediatrician and psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott, we mean a physical object, as precisely the Doudou, which children can keep close to them and use as a “temporary substitute” of the parental figures For find comfort and safety at the moment of a separation. The transitional object, according to Winnicott, makes its appearance between four and twelve months of life and becomes that family and reassuring presence that helps children to reduce anxiety and explore a new environment with greater confidence. Its importance remains significant for some time and often this object can accompany the child to the kindergarten. Usually the boys and girls gradually detach themselves from it, becoming increasingly capable of finding within themselves the resources necessary to reassure each other. Thus they end up using it less and less until they no longer show its need.
However, the transitional object described by Winnicott is not forced a soft object like the doudou that we find on the market. It may be, in fact, of any object chosen by the child able to offer him comfort (like a handkerchief but also a shirt, a photograph …).
Despite the doudou They are often advertised as transitional objects, it is therefore good to specify that the two do not forcefully coincide. The Doudou, if chosen as such by the child or by the girl, can become a transitional object, but not mandatory.
Not all boys and girls, in fact, show the need or develop a link to a transitional object. It is possible, for example, that rather than resorting to the doudou, the child prefers suck your fingerresort to pacifier or so on. We can certainly give our child, if we consider it appropriate, an object of this type, but it is important on our part Not force the creation of a relationship With it given that the choice is not up to us.
However, if you decide to propose it to your baby or child, the question can be born spontaneously “When the doudou is given? “. Theoretically it is possible to propose it from the first months, when this object can be used, for example, during the first motor and child’s first activities.
How is the doudou use?
Let’s see now How to introduce the doudou. As already mentioned we can propose the doudou to the child from the first months In moments of vigil and play, with the foresight to remove it during sleep, to prevent the object from inadvertently ending up on the child’s face and thus making him run the risk of suffocation.
One of the advantages of the Doudou is undoubtedly in the fact that it can be easily brought with it (in the stroller, on the stock exchange …), both for a walk and for a trip. In this way parents can have Always at hand An object useful to help reassure the child in case of restlessness or malaise (as we have seen it is possible that the doudou has beneficial effects such as that of helping the child calm down).
How do you choose a doudou for the newborn?
On the market there is one Wide offer of Doudouwith the most different shapes, materials and colors.
It is essential that the choice falls on products that respect the Security regulations. Equally important is that the Doudou does not present small parts that, detaching themselves, can involve a risk of suffocation for the baby.
To plastic objects we prefer those made with natural materials (such as cotton, wool or organic bamboo), soft, certified and respectful of the skin of infants. It is also better to avoid objects from the patterns and colors that are too bright or equipped with sounds, to avoid children in vain for children.
Cleaning and advice for parents
Since the doudou is always in close contact with the child, it is advisable to be washed and sanitized regularly. For the Cleaning of the Doudou The use of delicate neutral detergents is recommended, which fight the formation of allergens and bacteria and which, at the same time, do not invalidate the effectiveness of the object due to the strong fragrances.
If the child is particularly attached to his doudou and the idea of keeping it far enough time for a washing seems impossible, it is advisable to think about the purchase of a second specimen to be used for rotationthus making the process easier.
But what to do if, on the other hand, attachment to this object becomes prolonged or excessive? In these cases the advice is not to get overwhelmed by concern, perhaps ending up suddenly eliminating the doudou. If the object does not represent an obstacle to the child’s social or linguistic development, there is no need to have too many fears. Over time, children will physiologically find new reassurance solutions.
If, on the other hand, it is appropriate to try to discourage the use of the doudou, it is important to first evaluate that the child is not experiencing a situation of particular stress or change, because it would only intensify his need for the object. If this were not the case, we can start by making the object of affection gradually less available for the child, perhaps offering it only in the moments when it appears really necessary.
However, the advice remains that of follow the child’s times as much as possible And, only in case of real concern, consult your pediatrician for targeted indications. In conclusion, although in recent years the Doudou have now become gifts par excellence at the time of the birth of a child, we can say that the use of them is far from indispensable.
So if we received a doudou as a gift for our child or we are pleased to offer one, let’s do it safely but without creating excessive expectations about it. As we have seen, a doudou can become an object of affection for children but it is just as possible that they refuse it or develop a link towards something else. It is therefore essential not to insist on proposing it if we notice that the child prefers to always keep another plush or a different object with him. In the end It will always be the baby to chooseamong the various options at his disposal, the favorite object of affection, his playmate and, possibly, transitional object.
There is no need to push children and girls to accept a doudou or create a bond with it: they will feel the need or desire will do so spontaneously and naturally. To guide us should only be the times, needs and unique inclinations of our baby or girl.
