Crib bumpers, to use or not to use?
My 4-month ancient moves all over the place when sleeping. He had his feet caught in the crib rails this morning — he wears a sleep sack so both of them were caught — so is it safe to place a bumper on or should I just hope that he doesn’t get his feet caught again?
Thanks for the help!
Thank you everyone! I just bought a mesh crib bumper and I hope that solves the problem.
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I’ve heard not to use them because of SIDS, but I reckon they’re more of an issue with a smaller baby who could roll into them, but not away from them, and thus suffocate. At his age, that probably is not a problem. Also, I’ve heard they interfere with airflow, which is again an vital factor in SIDS. But in my honest opinion, I reckon you should just do what you reckon is best for your baby!
Honestly, I have not had much luck with them solving this issue for me. My babies that I used bumpers with have all finished up with their feet stuck out the rails *under* the bumpers!
My daugters pedatrician told her not to use them because of sds. I heard not to use them once the baby starts moving around.
Get a Crib Shield. That has got to me in my top 3 best baby products. My daughter is nearly 10 months ancient now and we still have it on her crib. Before we place it on there she was always getting her arms and legs caught. Its a mesh covering that keeps arms and legs in the crib, and if her face goes right up against it (which it has) she breathes right through it. I highly reccomend it!
I just had to take the bumper out of my sons crib because he moves SO much. Well that didn’t work because he kept getting his legs stuck between the slats of the crib. I was told about a breathable mesh bumper. I got it at Babies’r'us for about $30.00. It is a dream come right! It fits VERY tight to the crib… he doesn’t bop his head on the sides of the crib anymore and his legs are no longer dangling out. If he could pull it down I’ll call him a Genius because it fits so tight… but even if he did it is still a mesh material so I reckon he would be pretty safe.
I really recommend the breathable mesh bumper. It comes in all kinds of colors too! =) (I got a plain white one)
I reckon people get into too much hype of the “expert studies”. My baby has bumpers in her crib and she has never suffocated or gotten tangled up in them. You run risks with all kinds of baby products. I’ve really had more problems with the sleep sacks than anything. My daughter would get her arms inside the sack and would be stuck on her belly not able to use her hands to push up with so she could roll over. That was the last time I used a sleep sack on her. Now she has a light blanket or she sleeps in nice fleece, footed pjs.
I would say use them. If you have a baby monitor then you can hear if he is in distress. I personally reckon it’s more perilous to go without the bumpers because babies can get their limbs stuck and caught in the rails. I would reckon that would be more likely to happen than a baby to suffocate in the bumper pads.
Once he can start pulling up, then take out the bumpers. That’s when they start trying to climb on the bumpers and that’s a whole different ball park, LOL.
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I agree with LeAnn. I plot on getting some breathable bumpers so my daughter can still have protection from the spaces in the rails but won’t be able to climb on top of the bumpers in her crib.
Bumper pads are not recommended because they restrict airflow which is believed to be the main cause of SIDS. They do make some that have a breathable mesh fabric and do not restrict airflow but I would still worry about baby possibly getting strangled by them (that’s why I never used any). You could try using an infant positioner if your baby sleeps on his back, that may keep him from moving all over the crib when he sleeps.
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