Crib Bumper Safety

Hello,
My daughter never got stuck under the bumper, but she got her face right up to it. We took it out when she was able to scoot around in her crib. If you are worried about head bumps or legs getting stuck, the breathable bumpers do work well.
E.

I never used crib bumpers. Once the kids get big enough to roll over, you should take them out. You could substitute another "lovey" like a very small stuffed animal. Very soft things in the crib can be a SIDS risk for up to a year. Plus, once they start pulling to a stand, they can use them to get out of the crib.Good Luck!

In the continuing education hours I receive about SIDS prevention as a family childcare provider, we are told that nothing, including crib bumpers, should be in an infants bed. We are encouraged to zip the children into blanket sleepers instead of using blankets and place them on their backs when they are in their beds.

K.

We took ours out around 6 months. They would somehow find a way to snuggle under them and it made me nervous. But then they would hit their head. So I bought the breatheable crib bumpers. They are ugly but they really do the trick. You can find them at Babies R Us for 24.99.

At 6 months she can sleep with a "lovey" or a special blanket or teddy. We like the ones that are blankets with an animal head on top. Good Luck

I LOVED the breathable bumpers and kept them in my daughter's crib until 18 mos.- when I didn't think she would inadvertently hit her head.

I decided that I didn't want to worry about one more thing, so I didn't with those bumpers.

I got mine from onestepahead.com for $24.95 and if you enter BIRTHMAY in the code you'll get 15% off, which will help with shipping costs.

We have 2 daughters currently, one on the way in October...Our 3 yr old, still in crib uses them and always has and our 18mo old uses them and always has...never had any probs....reason I like them...keeps pacifiers in bed and child can't see you after they are down for escaping.
That said....do what makes you feel comfortable!

My son is 10 months old and the other night he woke me up because he was crying. I went into his room and he had his head and shoulders stuck between the bumper and the crib rails.
needless to say no more bumpers.

Hi M.,

I have crib bumpers and although my 8 1/2 month old daughter scoots around I've never had a problem. I tried taking them out but she would wake up with her arms and legs hanging out so I decided to put them back.

What I do is tuck the bumper about a 1/3 of the way down between the crib and mattress, so only 2/3 of the bumper is above the mattress. This not only ensures the mattress is tightly in place but she can't get underneath the bumber as it is low down. I can barely get my hand between the mattress and bumper.

Hope this helps.....

C.

There is controversy with crib bumpers. They protect the head from bumps on the hard bars, but there is supposedly a very slight risk of suffocation (SIDS advocates say I guess). As far as age to remove them if you use one, they say when the baby can sit up because the next stage is standing in the crib and then they could use the bumper for extra height to fall out. So that's the basics with the controversy. We used one for my first and not for my second. Personally, if your daughter loves it there for comfort, I personally would leave it there for her...or they make breathable ones that allow for better air circulation that you may want to look into since she cuddles so close with it.

Hi M.,

As soon as our son would wake up in a different part of the crib that we put him in (scooting, I guess), we took the bumper out.

I know of two families that lost their baby to SIDS...I prefer to take the "better safe" approach when it comes to things like that.

T.

Good Morning My rule of thumb is when we start to ask those questions it is time to change. Give her a blanket or teddy bear and see if she will cuddle up to that instead. It is amazing how once we question something like that and don't do something about it something happens. My girlfriend questioned if she should remove the bumpers and then waited two days and her son stood up and used the bumper to climb out which he wasn't ready for since it is a long drop to the floor he was fine but she didn't follow her first feeling. Go with your gut and take them off. You will find she will bump up against the rails and wake up with marks on her head but they go away. Soon she will change how she sleeps and everything will be great. A couple times my son woke up with a leg or arm sticking out but he was fine. Have a great day.