Do you sleep with a stuffie?

[Eos]

Yes. Always have, always will. Spouse has no opinion or if he does he's kept it to himself all these years. I call them stuffties but bow to popular spelling.

I had been thinking of this topic for a few weeks then this article appeared today: 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/25/style/stuffy-dating-stuffed-animals-relationship.html?

[Katy]

No, but I did into my mid 20's.

[Catwoman]

Teddy is REAL.

And that's all I'm saying about that! 😉 

[Alte Veste Academy]

Yes. His name is Mr. Kitterson. 

[Heartstrings]

I slept with 2 until I had my first baby.  Mr. Cuddles the bear sure helped prop that pregnant belly up towards the end.

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, Eos said:

I call them stuffties but bow to popular spelling

I call them soft toys. Had to google stuffies. I guess my answer is a yes and no. The giraffe soft toy in my avatar is sometimes on the headrest portion of my bed. I roll around when sleeping so any soft toy would have landed on the floor by morning. Blåhaj the shark is permanent resident on my younger son’s bed. 

[Laura Corin]

Lelephant was delivered instead of the socks I ordered for my mother about five years ago. The shop said to keep him as well as the refund. I find that cuddling him helps me to keep from kinking my back when I lie on my side.

[alysee]

I've always found you're either way into them or you're not. I am not 😆. My oldest is going to be a stuffie for life girl, my 6yo is going to be a stuffie for life girl. The rest(except the toddler) have given them up.

[Elizabeth86]

Nope, but I do sleep with the baby.

[MEmama]

I did as a child and young adult but gave it up because I was too embarrassed when DH and I moved in together. Instead I smoosh up my blanket into a pile and cuddle that. It's an admittedly lame substitute.

But you know what? I WANT to sleep with a stuffie! And beginning tonight--or perhaps with my mid morning nap--I'm going to reclaim my right to sleep with a one! 
 

My favorite is an orange fleece monster DS sewed out one of DH's old sweatshirts. It is the cutest, most adorable snuggly thing and I can't wait to start spending my nights with it! Lol

Thank you for thread @Eos. I often forget I don't need permission to do what I want.

[MercyA]

Occasionally! I love stuffies and always will. My DH is super accepting of my quirks. ❤️

Go @MEmama!!! Enjoy your cute orange monster. He / she sounds adorable!

[Ditto]

I sleep with a stuffie and my real live dog only (estranged spouse sleeps elsewhere).

[Ditto]

32 minutes ago, MEmama said:

I did as a child and young adult but gave it up because I was too embarrassed when DH and I moved in together. Instead I smoosh up my blanket into a pile and cuddle that. It's an admittedly lame substitute.

But you know what? I WANT to sleep with a stuffie! And beginning tonight--or perhaps with my mid morning nap--I'm going to reclaim my right to sleep with a one! 
 

My favorite is an orange fleece monster DS sewed out one of DH's old sweatshirts. It is the cutest, most adorable snuggly thing and I can't wait to start spending my nights with it! Lol

Thank you for thread @Eos. I often forget I don't need permission to do what I want.

I would love to see a picture of the orange fleece monster.  It sounds adorable.

[MercyA]

@Ditto, hugs to you. ❤️ 

[Lecka]

I sleep with a real, live puppy dog 😉

Edited April 26 by Lecka

[Boymama5]

I did j til marriage and now use an extra pillow with the occasional stuffie loaned from a child. 

[Wheres Toto]

I don't but did until I married ex and he got bent out of shape.    I now realize I can do what I want but the habit isn't there.  

I am going to forward the article to dh.  He used to constantly roll his eyes when the kids (16 and 18) buy stuffies.  They are both into them and have many, some from when they were younger but quite a few bought more recently.   I tell him to keep quiet and they are allowed to like whatever it is they like.   He has gotten better, although the $50 huge (body pillow size) stuffed axolotl I bought for dd over the weekend did cause a slight eye roll.  But she has anxiety and I'm trying to encourage her to speak up when she wants something.     In addition to the axolotl, dd has a slightly smaller (only about 24") weighted axolotl, and a 24" lobster she got in Maine that all live on her bed, named Macaroni (lobster), Cheese (weighted axolotl) and Loaf (new axolotl).  

I don't sleep with any stuffies but I have a teddy bear I was given when I was 9 and in the hospital.  At work I have 3 axolotls (one a gift from a student), a turtle with babies one of my employees knit for me, a stuffed chromodoris (sea slug), three peas in a pod (gift from dd), a bat that has snap bracelet wings, and a penguin, a frog, and hedgehog that were "hand-me-downs" from the kids.    So, none in/on my bed but I definitely like stuffies.  

[73349]

Not since probably elementary school. I didn't know adults sleeping with stuffies was a thing, even though I know many pets wind up in the people beds.

[MEmama]

1 hour ago, Ditto said:

I would love to see a picture of the orange fleece monster.  It sounds adorable.

DS made him all by himself when he was six. He didn’t/doesn’t work with his hands *at all* so it was truly amazing. It has a face on both sides ❤️

Monster is tucked in to the couch blankets ready for my nap. I’m so excited lol. 

[MEmama]

1 hour ago, Ditto said:

I sleep with a stuffie and my real live dog only (estranged spouse sleeps elsewhere).

Jealous

[scholastica]

7 minutes ago, MEmama said:

DS made him all by himself when he was six. He didn’t/doesn’t work with his hands *at all* so it was truly amazing. It has a face on both sides ❤️

Monster is tucked in to the couch blankets ready for my nap. I’m so excited lol. 

That is adorable!!

[Eos]

8 hours ago, Arcadia said:

I call them soft toys. Had to google stuffies. I guess my answer is a yes and no. The giraffe soft toy in my avatar is sometimes on the headrest portion of my bed. I roll around when sleeping so any soft toy would have landed on the floor by morning. Blåhaj the shark is permanent resident on my younger son’s bed. 

Ah ha! I will start looking at avatars for stuffties portraits.

[Jaybee]

I have never slept with stuffed toys even as a child, and I don't have any. But I do love to hold them and feel them, so I have definitely been tempted on occasion to buy one occasionally, just to hold and feel--I guess a kind of sensory calming thing. I just don't want anything else lying around the house, or I would.

[Dmmetler]

Yes. It's a big version of the one that was buried with my son. DH got him for me when I was in the hospital. The only time I don't sleep with him is if we flew to get somewhere due to suitcase space, but he goes with me on driving trips.

 

 

[Spryte]

Sometimes. DD gives anyone not feeling well a beloved stuffie whenever the special healing powers are needed. 

[SKL]

I have nothing against it, but I don't have one in my bed, and I honestly don't remember ever having a habit of sleeping with a thing.

That said, I have recently noticed that if I'm not sleeping well, holding a pillow can help.

Both of my girls still sleep with something they've had since babyhood.

[MEmama]

22 minutes ago, Spryte said:

Sometimes. DD gives anyone not feeling well a beloved stuffie whenever the special healing powers are needed. 

That's beautiful 💕

[Eos]

6 hours ago, alysee said:

I've always found you're either way into them or you're not. I am not 😆. My oldest is going to be a stuffie for life girl, my 6yo is going to be a stuffie for life girl. The rest(except the toddler) have given them up.

Both of mine are too. One son has one in reserve but doesn't sleep with it.

[Lady Florida.]

No but I've always had a pet who slept with me so maybe they took the place of one. It's always been either a dog or cat but there were times when I shared a bed with both. Fortunately dh likes sharing a bed with pets too.

Ds' girlfriend sleeps with one - she's 24.

[annandatje]

I never asked for or wanted a stuffed animal as a child (or adult) because they were not realistic enough in appearance for me.  That was probably an early indicator of my neurodivergence.  
 

As a parent, I did buy my children nice resin models of animals from museum shops, but if the various species were not in proportion to each other, I would do an internal eye roll.   Of course, I bought them all the stuffed animals they wanted as both children and adults.  

[Bambam]

I have a stuffed dog. He is the perfect height to lay my right arm on with a slightly bigger head to rest my hand on. I've had issues with carpal tunnel before, and this is the most comfortable that right arm has been in years - slightly tilted up/elevated with the perfect inverted bowl shape to drape my hand over. 

[kathyl]

I slept with my Chihuahua(s) from about 8yo until 56yo when my last one died.  They would snuggle under the covers against my body.  I really miss that.

I only remember ever having one stuffed animal.  It was a small bear whose arms and legs could rotate.  But when I got home from school one day, it was gone.  My mother had gotten rid of it.

All my kids had as many stuffed animals as they wanted, and kept them as long as they wanted, too.  

[Terabith]

I do not sleep with a stuffie but I have several emotional support pillows, including a giant one, and I have a blanket that is very special to me, both because my MIL made it out of my childhood tshirts and also it's got the most lovely backing fabric ever.  Also a weighted blanket.  My sleep is pretty carefully curated.

Edited April 27 by Terabith

[Ditto]

12 hours ago, MEmama said:

DS made him all by himself when he was six. He didn’t/doesn’t work with his hands *at all* so it was truly amazing. It has a face on both sides ❤️

Monster is tucked in to the couch blankets ready for my nap. I’m so excited lol. 

Well he is even cuter than I imagined!   What an adorable little monster.  I hope your nap was wonderful with him.

[Ditto]

12 hours ago, Lecka said:

I sleep with a real, live puppy dog 😉

They are the very best!  Mine is under the covers snuggled up to my hip/leg as I type this.  

[J-rap]

This is kind of fascinating to me..  I've never heard of an adult sleeping with a stuffed animal!  

At the same time, I imagine it could be kind of nice.  

I did sleep with a giant stuffed animal dog into high school!

[MEmama]

8 hours ago, J-rap said:

This is kind of fascinating to me..  I've never heard of an adult sleeping with a stuffed animal!  

At the same time, I imagine it could be kind of nice.  

I did sleep with a giant stuffed animal dog into high school!

That's why I love this space. I'm reminded daily I'm not alone, and hearing the wide variety of voices in this community speaking honestly about whatever they are going through helps to remind me it's okay to be vulnerable. Whether it's stuffies or mental health or coloring hair or whatever, we are here (ahem, most of us) to support one another, to listen and learn, to vent our frustrations and above all, to feel safe. ❤️

 

[Reefgazer]

I've called my husband lots of things, but never "Stuffer".

[I talk to the trees]

I answered “no,” but that’s because there’s barely enough room for me- forget a stuffie!- after the dogs make themselves comfortable. Also, due my avatar’s habit of eating anything that isn’t nailed down, we have a pretty strict rule of “no items in the house that look even vaguely like prey.” 

Edited May 5 by I talk to the trees

[Emba]

I didn’t answer the poll. I only sleep with a stuffed animal sometimes.  I like to have something to rest my arm on, but I’m a restless sleeper, so i I toss them out of bed and once they’re on the floor they may stay there for weeks.

 The ones I have were received as gifts in my childhood and teen years - a tidy bear from my grandmother and a gorilla from my sister.  But the fur itches on my neck, so I’ve been thinking about buying myself a large squishmallow, because they don’t have that type of plasticky fur.