Crib bumpers are NOT a risk! my UO.

CalMum_Momma · September 2011

This may be an UO, but it drives me batty that so many people get so worked up about crib bumpers and how dangerous they are. They are not dangerous! Please read this:

The JPMA said that in 2011, it commissioned a third party review of previous studies of crib bumper pads. Based on the outcomes of the studies that were reviewed by Exponent, a leading engineering and scientific consulting firm providing solutions to complex technical problems, found that there were methodological problems that were apparent in the criteria used to select the incidents included for analysis and in the analytical treatment of other potential contributors.
In addition, in March of 2011, Innovative Science Solutions (ISS) announced that a thorough review of published scientific studies performed for JPMA revealed no direct evaluation of a relationship between crib bumper pad use and infant death.
The Exponent study said that "Investigations into sleep environments of infants consistently fail to identify crib bumpers as a unique or separate source of serious injury or death to sleeping infants. Studies focusing efforts on evaluating sleep-related hazards generally, and crib bumpers explicitly, similarly do not find crib bumpers to be a significant risk."

Edited title to reflect full scope of opinion

kcvasquez · September 2011

You are right, SIDS stands for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and babies who die when their face is up against a bumper suffocate, so their cause of death is explained whereas babies who die from SIDS die from still unknown causes.

CalMum_Momma · September 2011

kcvasquez:
You are right, SIDS stands for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and babies who die when their face is up against a bumper suffocate, so their cause of death is explained whereas babies who die from SIDS die from still unknown causes.

Someone in a bumper post below said it was a SIDS threat. My full opinion is that they are not a significant risk at all, and people should just stop worrying about it.

sweetky_06 · September 2011

kcvasquez:
You are right, SIDS stands for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and babies who die when their face is up against a bumper suffocate, so their cause of death is explained whereas babies who die from SIDS die from still unknown causes.

Maybe it would be fair then to say that according to the reference the OP posted, crib bumpers are not a suffocation risk.

Free2Sing · September 2011

sweetky_06:
kcvasquez:
You are right, SIDS stands for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and babies who die when their face is up against a bumper suffocate, so their cause of death is explained whereas babies who die from SIDS die from still unknown causes.
Maybe it would be fair then to say that according to the reference the OP posted, crib bumpers are not a suffocation risk.

There are many studies showing lots of different findings. I think it's important for each mom to read up on it herself and do what she feels comfortable with.

From the studies I've read, I'm not concerned about SIDS, as it's usually not SIDS at all, but suffocation that babies die from. And with suffocation, if I have a regular bumper, I'm going to check in on my baby way more than if I have a breathable bumper. I tend to freak out easily, so I choose to go with a breathable bumper to help calm my own fears.

SoonToBeMsP · September 2011

From my research, I found the opposite. Not going to flame you or anything for posting this, because I think it's important to give all perspectives, but I will not be using a bumper.

IMO it's not worth the risk, no matter how small. I am a worrier to the core, and the last thing I need is something else to worry me!

ETA: I will be using a bumper- just a breathable one.

MrsLeanna · September 2011

The issue is not whether a baby will suffocate by snuggling with a bumper but that they inhibit the air flow into the crib thus increasing the chance that a baby will breathe in the CO2 they exhale, a possible cause for SIDS. Having a ceiling fan in the room decreases this chance. There were many times when my daughter as she got older liked to sleep next to the bumpers on the side of the crib, I think she felt cozy. We had a ceiling fan and she slept with a paci. We had the angel care movement sensor monitor until she became too mobile for it to be useful. She would have gotten her arms and legs stuck in the slats constantly if we didn't have the bumper. She also slept with a small blanket and a lovey. I do think that some people tend to get very carried away when it comes to things like this, but I guess to each their own?

I will use a regular bumper with this baby just like I did with my first.

CalMum_Momma · September 2011

MrsLeanna:

The issue is not whether a baby will suffocate by snuggling with a bumper but that they inhibit the air flow into the crib thus increasing the chance that a baby will breathe in the CO2 they exhale, a possible cause for SIDS. Having a ceiling fan in the room decreases this chance. There were many times when my daughter as she got older liked to sleep next to the bumpers on the side of the crib, I think she felt cozy. We had a ceiling fan and she slept with a paci. We had the angel care movement sensor monitor until she became too mobile for it to be useful. She would have gotten her arms and legs stuck in the slats constantly if we didn't have the bumper. She also slept with a small blanket and a lovey. I do think that some people tend to get very carried away when it comes to things like this, but I guess to each their own?

I will use a regular bumper with this baby just like I did with my first.

I don't even think this is a risk. If the hospital can put him in a 1'x2' bassinet with 10" high solid plastic walls (I'm estimating size), then I should, and do, feel safe putting him in a full size crib with fabric walls 6" high.

MrsLeanna · September 2011

I agree with you, that's just what the deal is, or least what I've read. I'm with you, I don't think they're an issue.

mexicolombiana · September 2011

I generally agree. And the way we do things in my house is that babies sleep with us in our room in our bed or a bassinet next to us. We didn't transition DD to a crib in the other room until she was over 6 months old and then we didn't use bumpers until she was like 9 months old and that's what we plan to do with the new baby and I don't think they are a problem.

BUT you have to remember that apparently there HAVE been babies who have suffocated from being pushed against a bumper, and that is what is driving this type of legislation:

Chicago recently BANNED the sale of them citing suffocation risks.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/09/crib-bumper-ban-chicago-suffocation-sids_n_956145.html

mexicolombiana · September 2011

and here are the arguments on why certain people think that bumpers (and other "soft" things in the cribs) are a possible factor in SIDS.

https://www.respiratoryreviews.com/jun00/rr_jun00_aapguidelines.html

Anyway I think it comes down to common sense and the ban of crib bumpers here in Chicago is ridiculous to me.

Raven0227 · September 2011

SoonToBeMsP:
From my research, I found the opposite. Not going to flame you or anything for posting this, because I think it's important to give all perspectives, but I will not be using a bumper.
IMO it's not worth the risk, no matter how small. I am a worrier to the core, and the last thing I need is something else to worry me!
ETA: I will be using a bumper- just a breathable one.

I didn't use a bumper with either baby. They mostly only napped in their cribs anyway. They slept in our room until 9 months, because at the time (not sure about now, haven't redone the research) it was stated that having them sleep in the same room also reduced the risk of SIDS. Not sure whether the bumper pads' risk is SIDS or suffocation related, but I rather not risk it at all.

When my girls did sleep in their cribs we never had an issue with bumping into the slats or getting arms/legs caught between. I just don't really see the benefit of using a bumper. But, to each their own.

CalMum_Momma · September 2011

mexicolombiana:

I generally agree. And the way we do things in my house is that babies sleep with us in our room in our bed or a bassinet next to us. We didn't transition DD to a crib in the other room until she was over 6 months old and then we didn't use bumpers until she was like 9 months old and that's what we plan to do with the new baby and I don't think they are a problem.

BUT you have to remember that apparently there HAVE been babies who have suffocated from being pushed against a bumper, and that is what is driving this type of legislation:

Chicago recently BANNED the sale of them citing suffocation risks.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/09/crib-bumper-ban-chicago-suffocation-sids_n_956145.html

I am aware of this. In fact the quote I posted in my OP was from an article stating the reasons why Chicago has no basis for their pointless legislation.

mamacrunch · September 2011

Point is babies roll over and get their little faces smooched against them and don't have the neck strength to pull away.

It's not just bumpers.but pillows, stuffed animals, and blankets too. I have lost a child and I won't be risking their life just so their bed will be "pretty"

They will be in a crib with a fitted sheet in a sleep sack.

CalMum_Momma · September 2011

anmagyari:

Point is babies roll over and get their little faces smooched against them and don't have the neck strength to pull away.

It's not just bumpers.but pillows, stuffed animals, and blankets too. I have lost a child and I won't be risking their life just so their bed will be "pretty"

They will be in a crib with a fitted sheet in a sleep sack.

DS slept with bumpers blankets pillows and stuffed animals in his crib. Surprise

Pacheco825 · September 2011

I used bumpers for DS and will be using them again.

kep0623 · September 2011

2 years ago I attended the funeral for my 3 month old cousin that died in his crib as the result of SIDS. I hope I never have to attend a funeral for a child again. To each their own, but because of my experience I will be following all of the SIDS prevention recommendations including purchasing a Angelcare monitor to notify my of baby's breathing.

met_at_the_ball · September 2011

Yes, we all need to form our own opinions since there are mixed messages. But I think it's important to note that JPMA paid for the study and in fact the researchers who did it and JPMA are at odds over the conclusions. Also of note the American Academy of Pediatrics warns against bumpers. I don't know if they were around when I was a kid, but I do know my mother has told me that I would rock my head against the crib to fall asleep and I think I came out alright. I think it's important to not only way what the bumper could do to harm but also what it could do to help, and to me preventing them from bumping their head is probably pretty minimal harm and a chance I would rather take.

https://abcn.ws/n0QdHl

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