January 2011 Moms
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Bumpers
First I would like to apologize if this topic has already been discussed at length- I have trouble searching for things on here.
We ordered a bedding set with a bumper. When we took two classes at the hospital (CPR and Baby Essentials) they told us not to use bumper because of SIDS. I asked if I could use it when baby gets older and they said they would climb on it and throw themselves over the side of crib.
I called the store to see if I could return it and she told me not to use it for first six months, but that the baby might need it after that if she rolls a lot and bumps her head.
I am so confused! Any insight is appreciated.
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Re: Bumpers
The general feeling is that bumpers are a SIDS risk b/c it restricts airflow in the crib & baby can get caught between the mattress & bumper and then suffocate. We're not using ours as a bumper - we got a breathable bumper (mesh) to use instead so LO can't get himself stuck between the crib rails. We're using the bumpers that came with the bedding as padding along the top of the crib, I'll see if I have a picture of it. Others have re-purposed the bumpers as wall art or other decorations.
Ultimately, it comes down to what you're comfortable with doing - no government agency in the US has said that crib bumpers are unsafe, and many people use them with no ill effects. If you're comfortable with it, then use it, if not, don't (or find another use). I have a friend who put the bumper in on the wall side of the crib & the two short sides, but left it off on the "front" of the crib to help with the airflow issue, and said she'll reevaluate the need for the bumper when her LO starts to roll over, etc, where rolling into the bumper might become an issue.
In Canada, they say don't use bumpers at all. They restrict the airflow in the crib which can lead to SIDS. It also said that they do very little to protect the baby from bumping their head on the crib. An infant cannot generate enough force for them to have any real benefit.
I just looked this up the other day because I was not aware of this either. We are just going without.
Basically this. I haven't heard any stories of babies rolling into the side of the crib and/or getting their limbs caught that have resulted in death. While the statistics I've seen on infant deaths as the result of bumpers are quite low, I don't see the point of getting something extra if there's even a little risk of it.
I ended up just getting a bed skirt separately from a bedding set because we weren't going to use the bumper and we won't use the blanket until the baby is older.
Ditoo PP re the SIDS risk. They are not worth using, IMO. We have a breathable bumper we will use IF we feel it's necessary at some point.
Check this out- https://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-met-crib-bumper-react-20101221,0,4018419.story