XP - Why is bassinet safe, but bumper not?

dana1318a

I posted this on Nurseries and Baby Gear, but figured I'd put it here too...

I was planning to use a bassinet in our room for the first few months, and I'm confused as to how it can be considered safe if bumpers aren't.  There is a fabric covering that seems to me exactly the same as a bumper (baby could roll against and suffocate, or could add to build up of CO2, which as far as I know are the two reasons crib bumpers are a SIDS risk factor - please correct me if I'm wrong though).  The space is obviously smaller than a crib, so I imagine the risk for built up CO2 would be greater. 

The RN who taught my childbirth class said that babies rooming in are at a decreased risk for SIDS because their breathing and heart rate will mimic ours (I had no idea about this, I thought it only reduced the risk because if something were to happen, we'd be right there.  But she pointed out that if baby stopped breathing while we were sleeping, it's not like we would hear it...)  So do they maybe think the reduced risk from sleeping in parents room sort of overrides the increased risk from the fabric cover??  I know it sounds crazy to look at it that way, but I just can't figure out the reasoning for why it would be considered safe when bumpers aren't!

DH and I were thinking we'll just remove the entire fabric cover just in case, but I was just wondering if anyone has any info on this?

mbgreenwalt

I would think a padded bassinet wouldn't be that safe.  We use a Travel Lite Crib (mini PnP) and it has mesh sides.

Cleo29

First, an infant will not be rolling into a bumper. And if a baby does roll into a bumper and suffocates, that is not SIDS.  I also don't totally buy the CO2 build up. I think SIDS is really a form of sleep apnea that is not diagnosed since it would be tough to do that with a baby anyway.

My daughter slept in a bassinet, with a bumper, in our room for just over two months and did great.   She had bumper in her crib until she was able to roll over and then we switched to breathable.  She was not a crazy mover in her sleep though. We did use sleep sacks, we are awesome and never had pillows in her crib. 

Oh this bassinet is the one my sister, my cousins, both nephews and me have all slept in. 

dana1318a

somebodysmama21:

I agree with PP about if your baby rolled into a bumper it wouldnt be SIDs it would be suffocation two totally different things. At any rate the bumper is not safe when the baby is rolling before that it isnt a problem, so since you really shouldnt have your baby in a bassinet still by the time they are rolling the padding wouldnt pose a risk.

Ok I'm with you on the rolling part, but I thought build-up of C02 was a factor too?

Cleo29

dana1318a:

somebodysmama21:

I agree with PP about if your baby rolled into a bumper it wouldnt be SIDs it would be suffocation two totally different things. At any rate the bumper is not safe when the baby is rolling before that it isnt a problem, so since you really shouldnt have your baby in a bassinet still by the time they are rolling the padding wouldnt pose a risk.

Ok I'm with you on the rolling part, but I thought build-up of C02 was a factor too?

This is a theory, but I fail to see how something completely open at the top would create this problem.

I honestly wonder if the only true way we will understand SIDS is if they do a major sleep study with infants.  LIke I said, my money is on sleep apnea, which would be tough to determine in a baby.

 

dana1318a

Cleo29:

dana1318a:

somebodysmama21:

I agree with PP about if your baby rolled into a bumper it wouldnt be SIDs it would be suffocation two totally different things. At any rate the bumper is not safe when the baby is rolling before that it isnt a problem, so since you really shouldnt have your baby in a bassinet still by the time they are rolling the padding wouldnt pose a risk.

Ok I'm with you on the rolling part, but I thought build-up of C02 was a factor too?

This is a theory, but I fail to see how something completely open at the top would create this problem.

I honestly wonder if the only true way we will understand SIDS is if they do a major sleep study with infants.  LIke I said, my money is on sleep apnea, which would be tough to determine in a baby.

Maybe it has something to do with air passing through?  Like if something is open on both sides there could be more of a flow?  Who knows...but I see what you're saying, open on top does make it seem like there would be plenty of oxygen.  I don't know enough about it to argue with the APA though lol so I want to follow their recommendations.  I'm just curious why if they recommend no bumpers, why they haven't extended it to include bassinet/cradle covers.

NiniJ55

mbgreenwalt:

I would think a padded bassinet wouldn't be that safe.  We use a Travel Lite Crib (mini PnP) and it has mesh sides.

Mine also has mesh sides. 

mrswhiskey

The point of a bumper is to stop the child from rolling into the slats and hurting themselves... So if is isn't recommended for a baby once they start rolling because of risk of suffocation, why bother with it? If it poses any known health risk, why would you use it?

Also, I know how I feel when something gets too close to my nose when I'm laying down. I start to feel fatigued and like I can't breathe. I imagine a baby would feel that too, with the bumper, or a blanket, or a loose sheet that bunches up around their face.

I don't know about the bassinet. I have my baby's crib in our bedroom so I don't even have a bassinet. I just didn't see the point when we can easily move the crib into the baby's room whenever we need to.

cikangell

Not to completely bring down the mood with scary info, but....

My FIL is a homicide detective, and every case where he has had to investigate an infant death due to non-homicidal causes has been because of accidental suffocation- which is caused by the re-breathing of CO2. He's the one who initially told me not to buy a bumper, before I read about it on TB or anywhere in the news, etc.

So, feel free to "not buy into" it, but that doesn't make it not real or not dangerous.

MommaErica

Cleo29:

dana1318a:

somebodysmama21:

I agree with PP about if your baby rolled into a bumper it wouldnt be SIDs it would be suffocation two totally different things. At any rate the bumper is not safe when the baby is rolling before that it isnt a problem, so since you really shouldnt have your baby in a bassinet still by the time they are rolling the padding wouldnt pose a risk.

Ok I'm with you on the rolling part, but I thought build-up of C02 was a factor too?

This is a theory, but I fail to see how something completely open at the top would create this problem.

I honestly wonder if the only true way we will understand SIDS is if they do a major sleep study with infants.  LIke I said, my money is on sleep apnea, which would be tough to determine in a baby.

 

First of all, do you really think it's okay to put a baby in a sleep environment that puts them at risk for death as long as the death isn't from SIDS?  Personally, I fail to see how that's any better.  Just because it might not lead to SIDS specifically, doesn't mean it's safe.  So, that distinction seems pretty sill to make on this thread.

Second, the CO2 can build up because it's HEAVIER than O2, therefore an open TOP doesn't help much since a heavier gas will displace a lighter gas. That's part of the reason a fan is recommended in an infant's room.  I don;'t know if I completely buy this theory either but it has been neither proven nor disproven at this point and some of the things that do seem to reduce SIDS deaths address that theory specifically so, who knows.  It's certainly not proven but, I felt you should at least understand it before being so dismissive about it.  It certainly hasn't been disproven either.

To the OP, I'm pretty sure bassinets with fabric sides are not considered safe under the updated guidelines.  They specifically no bumpers in cribs OR bassinets. Whether you installed a separate bumper or it came with one built in, the issue would seem to be the same.

We loved our Arms Reach co-sleeper, which has mesh sides.  We will definitely use that again.  It can also be used for longer than a bassinet.

One additional note for the people saying an infant can't roll over, keep in mind they only "can't" until they CAN and do you really want to discover they can by finding them pressed up against your crib bumper? Also, our first son was pretty strong and freakishly wiggly.  If he wasn't swaddled securely, he absolutely COULD roll over from his back to his tummy (although certainly not the other way) from the time he was 2 days old. 

FabulousMrs.P

Cleo29:

dana1318a:

somebodysmama21:

I agree with PP about if your baby rolled into a bumper it wouldnt be SIDs it would be suffocation two totally different things. At any rate the bumper is not safe when the baby is rolling before that it isnt a problem, so since you really shouldnt have your baby in a bassinet still by the time they are rolling the padding wouldnt pose a risk.

Ok I'm with you on the rolling part, but I thought build-up of C02 was a factor too?

This is a theory, but I fail to see how something completely open at the top would create this problem.

I honestly wonder if the only true way we will understand SIDS is if they do a major sleep study with infants.  LIke I said, my money is on sleep apnea, which would be tough to determine in a baby.

 

 

My sister is a sleep lab tech. She does a lot of continuing education and apparently new research is linking sleep apnea with SIDS.

kscarlett5683

To the OP...

 I think you asked a really EXCELLENT question! I've been wondering that myself. You would think the new guidelines would include such bassinets, but they don't....makes you think.