10 Lets talk child safety // Crib bumpers

Wednesday, October 5, 2011



I was just talking to my sister and she was thinking of going to buy a breathable for my nephew today. She thinks he has been waking up so much at night because he is always shoved into a corner and ramming his head against the bars. When I watched him this weekend I thought the same thing. But then I said that I heard breathable bumpers are basically mesh and don't have any padding hardly and she said she heard the same thing but had read too many negative things about regular bumpers and is scared to use them this early. Just a little background: my nephew is almost 5 months and can roll both ways pretty professionally. P slept in her bassinet until she was 3 months then we moved her to her crib, which had bumpers. She has had them ever sense. It never really worried me. Her Dr. also used to tell me if she is strong enough to get herself into a situation she is strong enough to get her out. I guess when it comes to parenting I don't go by the books. I sort of look at the situation and try to figure out what is best for us and with the bumpers P is a wiggle worm when she sleeps, they def helped her sleep better and prevent her from knocking against the bars at night. Maybe I should be worried more? I don't know, but for us they work. So here are my questions: did you/do you use bumpers? If so what age did you start using them? Just trying to get some prospective from real moms (or dads!)

Thanks guys!

10 Leave Some Love:

Jamie said...

We didn't at first with B, but once he was able to move around a lot at 6 months he would get his arms and legs stuck and twisted between the slats and wake up screaming bloody murder and slam his face into the rails so hard we could hear it over the monitor. We got a cushy bumper and he was immediately able to sleep better. I read somewhere that most issues with bumpers are actually caused by newborns getting stuck between the bumper and a sleep positioned or lots of pillows and toys. It's a natural instinct for babies to adjust themselves to get air so as long as he can move his head and roll over, I wouldn't worry

Shannon said...

We currently have bumpers in our crib. Obviously, when our little one gets here, she'll be in the bassinet for at least the first two months, so I just figured I'd make the call then as to keep them in or not.

Jess and Tom Roberts said...

we had D in her crib from day one. we didint put them on till she could roll around and get stuck and woke up from having limbs in between bars and having her head hit the bars (she was always against them!) Then we put on the bumpers and it helped a TON! i figured when she could put her head up/roll around both sides then it would be ok. we even took them out when she was older (right after she turned 1 - i dont know what the reasoning was..) and she started to wake up in the middle of the night so i figured i would put them back in and see if that was the issue. and it was, she loves sleeping against the walls of the crib (now the wall in her toddler bed). So they were a big help for us.

Love, Chelsea said...

We got the breathable ones. They just kept her from sticking an arm or leg through and getting it stuck, no padding for the noggin. I just didn't want to take any chances and she didn't seem to care. Babies usually like to have their heads pressed up against something anyway :) He might just be waking up a lot at night because he is a 5 month old, haha. Maybe teething too! She should just get him a baby helmet to sleep in! *runs off to get a patent for baby helmets*

Meghann (Bringing up Bumble) said...

ok sorry this comment doesn't have to do with crib bumpers - i just saw your drawing over on irocksowhat and i think it's amazing!!!

deanna@delirious-rhapsody said...

uhhh....i didn't know you could draw? where's MY custom portrait? ;-)

Moments and Impressions said...

We had bumpers... She was swaddled and then I figured since she was breaking out of swaddles and rolling around - then she could roll away if she was too close for comfort.

Unknown said...

Our little one slept in bed with us between 3 & 12 months, so I guess we just threw rule books out altogether! Now he's 15 months seems a bit late to get bumpers... but I would definitely go for them from about 4 months/rolling if we have another baby.

Reilly said...

My daughter was in her bassinet until she was 3 months & then we moved her into a pack and play in our room for another couple of months (she was up every two hours to nurse -- there was no way I was going to drag myself out of bed and into her room all night). But when we finally moved her into her crib, we used the breathable bumpers. I actually read somewhere when I was pregnant that it wasn't even so much the risk of the baby suffocating against the bumper, but that some bumpers may increase the risk of SIDS because it blocks the air flow down where the baby sleeps. I probably worried more then I should have about SIDS -- but we did everything "they" said to do to to prevent. With that said... I know PLENTY of babies who have had bumpers/blankets/stuffed animals in their cribs with no problems. That was just the way we did it.

Oh, and I'm here from irocksowhat. Your family portrait of the Craigs is awesome!!! :)

Jess Craig said...

i never worried about the bumper either. :)

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