Crib bumpers and comforters

jlb1023 · October 2013

I'm a first time mom and I'm trying to plan out the nursery. I think I finally found a nursery bedding set that I love...but it comes with a bumper and comforter. I've heard mixed things about the safety of crib bumpers. Any thoughts??? Also, is there a point or usefulness to a comforter? Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much!

By the way, I'm 19 weeks today....my siggy hasn't been working for a while now and was still posting my TTC ticker.

happywifemomofone · October 2013

It is NOT recommended that anything be in the crib with baby d/t suffocation hazard. I have heard of using bumpers until baby is able to move around in the crib, and then removing them. I plan on using the comforter for decoration over the crib siderail. My baby will sleep in a sleepsac to keep warm.

Geeps2 · October 2013

It is a huge debate over bumpers of any kind (even the breathable kind). Blankets are a big no no too. It really is like anything else you have to do what you feel is best for you and what risk you are comfortable with. I used and still use a bumper in my daughters crib and plan on using a bumper in the new baby's room. I had my Mom make both so it fits the crib perfectly. I always tucked the bumper in with the mattress so there was no way she could get stuck under the bottom and smother. My daughter has always been a mover in the crib and the bumper stopped her from slamming her head into the side and for a while kept arms and legs from getting stuck in between the slats of the crib. I had to rig a mesh barrier over the rails so she couldn't put her arms and legs through the slats. I am only starting to give her a blanket now (she will be 2 in Feb). A blanket for her would have been far too dangerous before now because of all of her moving in the crib. I always had a small fan on to circulate the air in her room, I knew her sleeping patterns and felt she was going to do more damage to herself without the bumper than with it on. She was always put on her back and slept in a swaddle and then sleep sack . Again, you have to do what you are comfortable with. You can always leave it off and then when you get a better feel for how your baby sleeps in the crib you can always try it out during a daytime nap when you are fully awake and aware and can watch while your baby sleeps with the bumper on. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Guennie · October 2013

I was a nanny for over 20 years and never used a comforter with a baby. If you purchase a bedding set that comes with one I would just hang it for decoration. There are a lot of things you could do with it other than keeping it in the crib, you could even just keep it folded over the back of a chair. It can be utilized for other purposes if you don't just want it to look pretty and decorative, but it certainly isn't necessary to have one. You will most likely have plenty of simple baby blankets. Definitely do not put any blankets or pillows of any kind in the crib.

As for bumpers, I had families who used them and families who didn't. The current recommendation, as pps stated, is to skip them. I personally never had any issues with them but I won't be using them myself. If you really want to use them I would watch your baby's sleeping habits very closely and assess the risk to your own child. There are so many opinions regarding this topic, you're really going to have to decide what you feel comfortable with. You could ask a million people and get different responses on this one. A lot of people still use them despite the safety warning. Do the research and make the best decision for the safety of your own baby.

LucyRicardo3 · October 2013

in response to the comforter question... I used mine for extra layer of warmth in the car (over the seatbelt) or stroller during winter days. I never used them in the cribs until they were about 19 months or so.
Like PP, It's a personal choice. Use your common sense. My 5 yr old's bedding set is now packed up for a yard sale.
With my twin girls, I did not buy sets.. I bought the skirts, sheets, and bumpers a la carte from Carters (with an online coupon code so I saved even more) and spent way less than a bagged set. My mom sewed quilted-style blankets for them that coordinated with their bedskirts.

With this little guy, I've got my eye on a bagged set, though, lol.. Just waiting for it to go on sale. My mom doesn't sew much anymore due to arthritis and vision troubles and anxiety.

sweetky_06 · October 2013

I never used the bumpers with #1 and I hung the comforter as decor on the wall and then ultimately threw the comforter over the back of the glider. I know some people re-purpose bumpers as window vallances.

For baby #2 I will not be purchasing a bedding set at all - just sheets.

LucyRicardo3 · October 2013

To share another idea of how to repurpose bumpers, last year we were in a rental with an irregular sized flagstone-cased fireplace with those jagged edges.

I tried one of those foam/rubber kits from BRU and it was too small and pointless, since the lower riser of the hearth had some flagstone pieces that stuck out further from the top edge, still creating a serious baby hazard. I had terrible visions of someone slicing their noggin open on it.

I found on some blog, Apartment Therapy,-i think, where someone took a bumper (the kind that is one long strip, not the separate 4 pieces) and cut it down and sewed it to fit over their stone hearth to custom fit over all of the jagged parts.

I went to a kids' consignment store and bought two similar color bumpers for $5 ea, and well, since I don't sew, I made it work with stone/taupe-colored duct tape underneath and it worked awesome. No damage to fireplace for the landlord's sake, and best of all, no one cracked their noggin on it.

We don't have that kind of issue in our new house, so I will be able to put those extra bumpers in a yard sale since they are still intact.

EDIT:: I found the link if anyone is interested:
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/look-crib-bumper-for-babyproof-85664

playball13 · October 2013

I returned the bedding set that we got for DS and bought a bunch of sheets.

MrsLeanna · October 2013

Both my girls had bumpers in the crib. I kept them in my room for nighttime until they were 4 months old, then moved them. I had personalized quilts for them too but those were for decoration, I didn't use them. They did both use breathable knit blankets.

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Crib bumpers and comforters

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