Bumper Pad or No Bumper Pad?

Updated on May 21, 2008
M.S. asks from Midland, MI
26 answers

Before I was pregnant I read all of the safety books. I know all of them said that in the baby's crib there should only be a fitted sheet and that is about all. However, being a first time mom and wanting to see my baby's crib looking cute I set it up with the bumper pad and comforter and even a few stuffed animals. It stayed like this until he was three months old while he was sleeping in his bassenette. When we made the transition to the crib I did take out the stuffed animals but left the comforter and bumper pad. Everything was fine until he hit 6 months old. He then started rolling around in his crib. That is when he first started pulling on the bumper pad. He then got strong enough to pull the bumper pad until the string untied off the crib railings. When he did that the bumper would end up on his head. He would scream and get so scared. So after trying everything in this world to keep the bumper pad on I finally just took it off. Well that brings me to my new problem. With out the bumper he rolls around and gets his legs caught in the railings. My crib is new so I know it meets the standards of a safe crib but I don't know what to do to keep my sons legs from getting caught. I am thinking of getting some mesh and sewing panels onto the sides of the crib kinda like a pack and play but if there is something easier to do I would love to know. Any ideas please send them my way.
Thanks Shelly

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So What Happened?

Big Thank You to all of you that responded to my question. I am going to Babies R Us tonight to get the breathable bumper pad! I think this will allow me and my son a peaceful nights sleep.
Shelly in Midland

Featured Answers

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N.L.

answers from Detroit on

I used a sleep sack with all 3 of my children. With them safely in a sleep sack there is no need for a bumper pad or comforter. Both are major safety risks.

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J.D.

answers from Detroit on

I just tucked the bumper pad between the mattress and the sides of the crib and tied it on real tight. It didn't come up as far, but it still kept him from getting his arms and legs caught between the slats. I put a knot in the tie on the ones that he tended to pull on the most. Harder for me to remove for washing but that took care of the problem until he was old enough to get himself unstuck.

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R.B.

answers from Detroit on

They sell mesh bumper pads at Leaps and bounds.... Might be faster, since you have no free time with a baby!! :)

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N.W.

answers from Detroit on

Please take out everything except the fitted sheet. The bumper and esp. the comforter are major safety risks. Once you son is 1 and your pediatrican agrees he is strong enough, you can put the bumper back in. I never used the comforter, only a light blanket.

Have you tried a sleep sack so that his legs can't get stuck?

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J.

answers from Detroit on

M.,

My daughter does this also. We took the bumper pad out and she gets her leg(s) caught all of the time. It drives me nuts because I feel so bad for her because it hurts her and it scares her but what else am I suppose to do...??? Right now I'm just dealing and waiting for the day to come where I put her in a big girls bed!!

Good Luck!
J. in Macomb!

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V.K.

answers from Saginaw on

I think this might be what you're looking for, though there are a couple different styles out there...

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2266849

http://www.thegrillstoreandmore.com/image/products/big-pi...

We tried the second one, but because our crib isn't the standard style, it didn't attach well. We stuck with our standard bumper pad, but ours has ties galore. And I knot them loosely so that if I need to take them off I still can, but if baby pulls on the bumper they just get tighter so he can't get them off. Ours has ties both around the top edges and the bottom edges, so I use the lower ties to actually tie it to the bottom rail of the crib and not just the spindle so that he cannot pull it up or get under it. That said, our crib does not have a drop side - it is stationary. Our bumper has served us well and baby #2 just turned 1. I cannot say that I would leave the comforter in the crib though, being a loose item. Just my opinion. Good luck to you!

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V.G.

answers from Grand Rapids on

We always just re-tied the bumper pad. However, we only had to do it about once a week or so, and that also coincided with washing the sheet and mattress protector. It was a bit of a pain, but the crib was placed so that it was easy to access the two long sides and one short side. It seemed like it was worth it because it did make it harder for them to get their little legs or arms out the crib slats. Neither one of our girls slept with the comforter in the bed though. One daughter was a winter baby and we just used blanket sleepers or a snap on blanket sleeper in the spring.

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K.D.

answers from Detroit on

Hi I'm not sure where you can get them but they make what looks like a bumper pad but it attaches to the outside of the crib so he might not be able to pull it in on himself.

However as soon as he is strong enough to stand up everything has to come off or he can stand on it and might fall out or climb out.

Good Luck and God Bless
K.

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M.M.

answers from Detroit on

They Sell breatheable bumpers that are like the mesh on the pack n plays.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.O.

answers from Detroit on

I bought a Breathable Bumper Pad from Babies R Us. It does not pose the problem that the heavier ones could potentially cause, but it still helps keep the sides covered from bumping his head or legs out. It works for us.

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J.C.

answers from Detroit on

Hi M.,
I understand your dilemna! One Step Ahead (www.OneStepAhead.com) catalog carries breatheable bedding line that includes a mesh that weaves around the outside of the crib to keep your little ones arms and legs from getting caught. I have not used them, but it might be a place to start looking. Good Luck! J.

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K.B.

answers from Kalamazoo on

Hi M.,

Babies R Us carries mesh/breathable bumber pads. They aren't that expensive and they work great. They even attach by velcro, so hopefully your son won't be able to pull it off.
Good luck!

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V.E.

answers from Grand Rapids on

www.onestepahead.com has a net like thing that goes around the crib. I haven't used it, but it looks like it would work. We have been thinking of getting it. I would definately say that legs getting caught is better than having the pad over his head though.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.R.

answers from Detroit on

They sell mesh bumpers at babysrus and im sure you can find them at other places. They keep the kids limbs in pretty well, and have great air-flow.

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T.Z.

answers from Detroit on

If your crib has spindles, you could try weaving the bumper pad in and out of the spindles. Then, your son won't be able to pull it off because it is woven, but it will keep his legs from getting stuck. Good luck!

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S.H.

answers from Grand Rapids on

The BreathableBaby Bumper at BabiesRUs might work for you. It's much more snug against the rails than regular bumpers.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.W.

answers from Grand Rapids on

I know what you mean, my grandson, would get his leg caught between the slats, one morning his leg was out and he rolled over and got it caught even worse, I thought he was going to break his tiny leg. But I never put the bumper pad up even as tempting as it was. Then he would roll over and bang his head, just horrible, I don't know if there is mesh that you can put around the sides that you can buy ready for a crib, but I just thought maybe you can tie the bumper pad to the outside of the crib instead of the inside? It might not look as pleasant but at least you know his tiny little legs or arms wont get caught.
Best wishes.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.P.

answers from Detroit on

I have these bumper pads from one step ahead-they're safety bumpers & he will not get them off. There great but not the cutest. You can order from their website.

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R.K.

answers from Detroit on

I had a similar problem and weaved the bumper pad through the bars of the crib. I went in and out of about every 2 bars so there was enough of a pattern showing. This seemed to give a little bit of padding and deter my daughter from sticking her legs through the bars, but also secured the bumper pad so she couldn't pull it down on herself. I hope this helps!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.S.

answers from Detroit on

Hi M.,

We took the bumper pad and strung it in and out between the crib slots - kind of like a weave through them.

I had read somewhere that this was safer than just putting the bumper pads in around the crib and I like you felt our little guy would put his hands and legs outside the crib.

Good luck to you!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.H.

answers from Detroit on

When my kids were little, I always used onestepahead.com, for your issue the have a BreathableBaby Crib bumper, much tighter fit and not bulky, check it out!

H.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.H.

answers from Detroit on

We left the bumper pads on but we tied and knotted and double tied them and cut off any loose pieces so that it was impossible for us let alone our sons to get the bumper pads off...they were so tightly knotted that I literally had to cut them off and not use them again, but it saved me from worrying because there wasn't any slack in the bumper pad and he couldn't hurt himself or get tangled up. Hope that helps.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.P.

answers from Saginaw on

Hi, M.! I hope I can help you with this one! I always get catalogs in the mail and made a mental note of this product because I thought that it might help one of my friends. It's a breathable baby crib bumper at One Step Ahead (www.onestepahead.com) Item #14041. It's only $24.95. I'm not in any way affiliated with the company, and I haven't actually used the product myself: my two-year-old never had a problem with the bumpers in his crib. But it looks like it might be the thing for your situation. The very beginning of the product description says: "This remarkable crib bumper lets fresh air through while keeping little limbs safely inside the crib." Sounds like it was made for your little one! Hope this helps! Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.J.

answers from Grand Rapids on

M.,

I have a breathable bumper pad - it's not thick like most bumper pads, and it's made out of a lightly padded mesh and held on with velcro. With the mesh, even if your son had his face right up against it, he could still breathe, and it would keep from getting his legs caught between the slats, and he prboably couldn't pull it off. Plus, once he's standing up in his crib and starting to try to climb out, it's definitely not sturdy enough to try and climb on. I got mine at Babies R Us and the price was not bad. Here's a link: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2266849

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.W.

answers from Detroit on

We got a breathable bumper and it works great! I think I just got it at Babies 'R Us? Good luck!

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