Question
What are the benefits and drawbacks of using rice pillows for babies?
Answer
There is a folk practice of using rice pillows for babies to shape their head, but medically, it is advised that infants should not use pillows before they are six months old, as early use of pillows may affect the development of their cervical spine. Additionally, overly hard rice pillows may cause deformation of the baby’s skull, even leading to facial asymmetry. Therefore, it is recommended to choose suitable pillows according to the baby’s developmental needs at different stages of growth, and avoid using hard fillings such as mung beans, rice grains, and silkworm sand.