May 2011 Moms
Thoughts on breathable bumpers from my anti-bumper friends?
I am 100% in the "no bumpers or blankets in cribs" camp. Simply not worth the risk in my opinion, and I also am one of those who doesn't understand how it's anything but a black and white issue. With my first DS, there were no issues and he still sleeps with nothing in his crib at almost 2 years old (except a small lovey we let him have at 18 months). But my second son is a crazy roller and has been waking up screaming like a crazy person with his legs and arms through the crib slats. It's making sleep training a little tough because I feel like I need to rescue him and roll him out of the slats as it tugs at my heartstrings. I'm thinking about putting a breathable bumper in as a barrier. Any thoughts on the safety of this from your own Mom-research or Mom-intuition?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Thoughts on breathable bumpers from my anti-bumper friends?
This seems really high and mighty but we aren't using any bumpers at all because DD is still in the PNP in our room as per the AAP rec. to room-in for 6 months. We won't try her in her crib in her room until next month... maybe. I LOVE having her in our room and I don't want to move her to her crib, even though I can see her crib while laying in my bed! And yes, I know you can room-in with a crib, but we aren't for our specifics. Anyways...
I am concerned that she is a "spinner". She stays on her back now (after a week of tummy sleeping when she mastered rolling, ugh), but she spins like the hands on a clock, I never know where she will be when I wake up. So I'm worried about how this will translate to a crib with slats. I'm hoping to avoid a breathable bumper but am mindful that it may be a necessity with the way she sleeps.
And I totally agree that it is a black and white issue for almost all sleep concerns. I don't believe there is a "safe" way to use bumpers. I don't believe there is a "safe" way to use blankets. I don't believe there is a "safe" way to have toys in the crib. Her PNP doesn't even have a sheet because I couldn't get it taunt enough for my comfort, and her crib is a taunt sheet and a mobile set high, that's IT. No bumpers. No blankets. No toys. And I don't think it's a big deal to not have any of those things and I don't understand why people choose to have them. Sorry, I know this won't make me any friends.
Baby #2 on the way!
I just wanted to add that I think the breathable bumpers that we have are actually more "breathable" than the walls of his bassinet attachment for his PNP.
Here is his crib with the bumpers (It's quite transparent, you can see the crib slats through the bumpers):
And here is his PNP (walls are solid along the sides):
I get that strangulation is a concern but the bumpers are fasten securely with Velcro and as long as you are checking regularly to make sure they are not becoming loose, I think they are fine. That's just my opinion.
Baby #2 on the way!
I actually considered them as DD gets limbs stuck sometimes (we mostly use a sleep sack and it avoids this) but for weeks she was banging her head. In the end I decided it wouldn't help, and she has stopped... for now. But that said I thnk they are fine.
I also think that while I don't have DD in our room and haven't since the end of 2 weeks, I do have a video monitor and I check on her. Also, if you do put LO in your room, it should be in a crib at this point because the way they move, PNP's are not as safe as cribs. I agree with PP who said that the walls of the PNP can be more "unbreathable"
We have the breathables and I really don;t see any hazard with them. The few strings that are there are too short for any strangulation. The bumper is secured with velco and is very tight to the slates of the crib. They also go down in between the mattress and the crib very snug. I placed DS in a friend's crib for a few minutes while I cleaned up from changing him and within that short time he was screaming because his leg got caught in the slates. This has never happened in his crib with the bumpers. I know the AAP are not recommending any bumpers, but I think they are being overly cautious. I still can't believe that they only just recognized the bumper hazard, whereas it has been acknowledged in Canada since 2005. Here are the two links regarding bumpers, so you can make your own decision:
https://www.cnn.com/2011/10/18/health/no-bumpers-cribs-sids-parenting/index.html
https://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/legislation/pol/bumper-bordure-eng.php
I used the breathable bumpers for about 2 weeks. Once LO learned to roll he was all over that crib and getting limbs stuck and screaming several times a night. I really thought he was going to hurt himself getting stuck like that so I got breathable bumpers. Then I mentioned them to the doctor and she said "absolutely not". She feels they haven't been around long enough to be proven safe and also that baby can get caught between the bumper and the crib. She scared me and I didn't want to take a chance. Another week or so of getting caught between the crib rails and he seems to have learned how not to get caught. We haven't had any stuck limbs for a month or so.
I guess what I'm saying is...If you're desperate, I probably would use them again but do it for a few nights and then take them off again and see if LO can learn not to get stuck.