The thinking behind comfort objects

Psychologists call them transitional objects: the blanket or teddy a child chooses and carries everywhere. They stand in for a parent's reassuring presence, helping a child settle when you are not in the room.

Longitudinal research published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry found that infants who used a sleep aid were more likely to settle themselves back to sleep after waking overnight (Burnham, Goodlin-Jones, Gaylor & Anders, 2002). A comforter is one tool among many — it works alongside a consistent bedtime routine, never instead of one.

Safe sleep comes first

Red Nose Australia advises that a comforter may be introduced from seven months, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a clear sleep space for the whole first year. We recommend the more cautious standard: for little ones under 12 months, use your comforter for supervised settling and awake cuddles, and lift it out of the cot before you leave the room.

Each comforter has a velcro loop designed to hold a dummy clip. It also lets you fasten the toy out of reach at the side of the cot, while the familiar white noise or lullaby keeps playing.

What's in the range

Thirteen characters, each with the same music box and the same soft feel. Full-size comforters for the cot, travel-sized minis for the pram, the car seat or the daycare bag, and two-character bundles made for siblings, twins, or the one-in-the-wash rotation experienced parents swear by.

Every comforter is machine washable with the music box removed, made from hypoallergenic, baby-safe fabrics, designed in Western Australia and tested to Australian toy safety standards.

Choosing a gift

A newborn teddy comforter is one of the few baby shower gifts that solves an actual problem. Each one arrives gift-ready, and pairs neatly with a mini comforter for the nappy bag.