Crib Bumpers

Rfounty · February 2014

Are you using one? Got one from Pottery Barn that I love - but having internal struggle whether or not to use it.

amandarins · February 2014

Nope. They're so dangerous that they're illegal in some states.

LittleApple · February 2014

I used one with all my three kids and I felt comfortable because they were thin (PBK ones are thinner) and I made sure they were properly tied on. They do have breathable ones too. It is all about preference.

hollygb22 · February 2014

we didn't..i didn't ever have the use for a breathable one either.

LadyMacaron · February 2014

I won't be using mine until baby is older. Usually around 9-12 months, babies get their limbs stuck between the slats, and it's generally safe to put them back in around that time. Bumpers are a bigger risk when they are thick and pillowy, when babies can't roll over and lift their heads, and when there is no air circulation in the crib. Use your best judgment, but I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving them in until they are older.

=Lee=B · February 2014

We added them last week at 10.5 months old. After a longggg stretch of illness and teeth (4 in 2 weeks) and travel we hadn't had her in her crib for like 6 weeks. Then wouldn't have anything to do with it.

Anyways, part of a huge transition back into the crib was adding the bumers someone had given us, that we had no use for.

It helped, she is now in crib for all naps and in the evening.

I'll note she is not a climber so I don't have concerns of her using them to get out of the crib. I lie her down awake, she puts herself to sleep where I put her. She wakes 2hrs later and lies there talking until I come get her. She can sit, crawl, stand, cruise but done none of that in the crib.

We also have a video monitor so should she decide to someday get up and play I can see if she is up to no good. I have no concerns using them at this age. But we didn't use anything but a fitted sheet prior to now.

amandaleigh1 · February 2014

I put firm bumpers in my sons crib at 15 months. He was hitting his head all the time in the crib. He is cozy now and loves them. I made them with pockets so we put books in there for him.

I think if you have your kid in a sleep sack so they can't climb out, bumpers can be a nice addition to the crib bedding once SIDS risk is over.

MamaAllison · February 2014

I use them once LO hits a year. They keep the pacifiers and the legs in the crib!

Mimaloo · February 2014

We got one from Restoration Hardware and it is currently in the crib because 1) It completes the room; 2) Baby won't be in there for a while so why not have it look nice if you don't mind spending the $ on one?; 3) I plan on seeing how DD does in the crib. If she ends up smacking her head or getting stuck, then the bumpers will go in the crib with her.

Peanutz21 · February 2014

i've been struggling with this as well. i bought the PB kids one with the elephants on it. i've decided to use it in the beginning, take it out when baby starts rolling, then putting it back later when much older

catmw21 · February 2014

No bumpers for us because of SIDs risk and when they are older they use them to hoist themselves up and over the side of crib.

bcnoelle · February 2014

Mimaloo said:

We got one from Restoration Hardware and it is currently in the crib because 1) It completes the room; 2) Baby won't be in there for a while so why not have it look nice if you don't mind spending the $ on one?; 3) I plan on seeing how DD does in the crib. If she ends up smacking her head or getting stuck, then the bumpers will go in the crib with her.

I am a sucker and got a beautiful Restoration Hardware one too just cause it completes the room. I'll keep baby in a rock n play for awhile most likely in our room, but I'd like the bumper up for newborn/nursery photos out of vanity. I probably won't use it until the baby is about a year old or so...or maybe I'll just sell it on ebay. What's interesting is that my son started daycare at 7 weeks and they used bumpers right away for all of their babies. I guess cause they were under constant supervision, they felt comfortable doing this.

fsumom · February 2014

No. They're unsafe. I bought the quilt and crib skirt on ebay but the quilt won't even be used until after LO is over one year old. When we decide to move him into his crib (he'll be in our room for the first 6 months or so), it'll just be him on the mattress.

JilllyBean · February 2014

CK2MD said:

bcnoelle said:

What's interesting is that my son started daycare at 7 weeks and they used bumpers right away for all of their babies. I guess cause they were under constant supervision, they felt comfortable doing this.

Wow, personally, this would be a deal-breaker for me. The APA has a pretty strongly worded recommendation against crib bumpers. Just because DC workers are awake (unlike parents at home) and in the same room as sleeping LOs does not mean they are watching them sleep. This would also make me wonder what other non-recommended practices they have.

Wouldn't think be against dcfs rules? I thought the sides had to be clear and they seem to have strict guidelines on how they even put kids down in a crib. I can't believe dcfs allows bumpers

DaisyHeadMayzie · February 2014

I put the bumper in the crib when DD was just shy of a year old. She wasn't STTN and was getting stuck in between the crib slats. She's 18 months now and loves to use them to prop her feet up when she lays on her back (weirdo

) They will stay in the crib until she figures out how to crawl out of the crib.

I didn't use them when she was younger because of the recommendations. I bought breathable mesh ones to use when DD2 comes....just in case.

LadyMacaron · February 2014

RedheadBaker said:

LadyMacaron said:

I won't be using mine until baby is older. Usually around 9-12 months, babies get their limbs stuck between the slats, and it's generally safe to put them back in around that time. Bumpers are a bigger risk when they are thick and pillowy, when babies can't roll over and lift their heads, and when there is no air circulation in the crib. Use your best judgment, but I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving them in until they are older.

No, it's not. That's the age babies start pulling to stand, and can use the bumpers as leverage to climb up and fall out of the crib.

I was only referring to the SIDS risk. I had to do a huge research paper on SIDS and the back to sleep campaign, and honestly, bumpers were more responsible for suffocation (hence the loose sheets, etc) and not really a huge link to SIDS, specially at around a year of age. Somehow the US has become convinced that SIDS and suffocation are the same thing, which they arent', and now we know that there may be a brain link to explain Sudden Infant Death Syndrome...Obviously, kids do learn to climb, etc, but I am using a movement monitor so he'll be supervised. Hey, my best friend's kid climbed out of a window from his toddler bed and he had no bumpers or anything...

ebp913 · February 2014

I put mine back in around 7 or 8 months. My son was the WORST sleeper ever and I was desperate for anything to get him to sleep in the crib. He seemed to calm down a bit after that and started sleeping better so I went with it. Of course I don't know that the bumpers actually had anything to do with it or not but like I said, I would have tried about anything. I took them out after he threw up on them and haven't put them back yet because I'm lazy.

I would have rather skipped them all together but babies that don't sleep get to you sometimes.

PB102012 · February 2014

I am the minority, but we have PBK bedding, including a bumper.

MrsLele · February 2014

We have used bumpers since about 6 months, when DD began to crawl. And ours are so thin that when she stands on them, they just fold, they can't be used to jump out do the crib. No concerns here and I'm sure I'll use them with #2 as well.

azurcher · February 2014

We used the breathable one and will again. I felt totally safe with it. We got some beautiful ones as a gift and they are still in the packaging in our garage. I may put them on when we change my DD's bed into a toddler/day bed but not until then.

headgear03 · February 2014

Never used bummpers on any of my kids and never will. Irs just not worth the possible risk IMO. We did take the bumper that came with my sons crib set and when he got much bigger we used it as a teething rail cover . It works great . Still get the look and get to use the cute bumper but its safe.

cynamont138 · February 2014

The one I registered for is mesh. If we end up not using it...we can use it for something else.

barely · February 2014

Probably mesh, if any at all

dmurrie · February 2014

Until the baby has head control, solid bumpers are a suffocation hazard. We never used bumpers and this is why: we would much rather wake up to a baby that got an arm or leg stuck in the crib slats or even a broken arm or leg because they got stuck in the slats than go in their room and find them dead.

Laura5533 · February 2014

Echoing the above, I will definitely not be using a bumper of any kind. Not worth the risk...

Flowerchica · February 2014

I bought an adorable one - then read the safety warnings - and sigh... only got to use it for pictures hahaha.

JenThorman · February 2014

No way!! I am all about the nursery looking cute - but not at the expense of safety! There's a serious suffocation risk associated with them so why risk it? I bought the breathable ones since I read that they can have their faces right up to them and still breathe right through it.

jksears · February 2014

We originally weren't going to, but my almost 5 month-old wakes up screaming at night because he is so mobile now that he gets his legs stuck in the crib bars. He also had a bruise on his head because he head bangs to go to sleep. Now he can head bang to his hearts content. It's a personal choice though. My parents and my in-laws always used them with us growing up (that's 9 kids) and we were all fine. Just use common sense and make sure to tie them on tightly and correctly!

littlemissbabygirl445 · February 2014

i use 2 big pregnancy pillows and stuff them between the crib bars it works even better then the crib bumper! (use them untill your chiled is 11 months and then see how they do

littlemissbabygirl445 · February 2014

littlemissbabygirl445 said:

i use 2 big pregnancy pillows and stuff them between the crib bars it works even better then the crib bumper! (use them untill your child is 11 months and then see how they do)

LittleApple · March 2014

mjreilly2 said:

littlemissbabygirl445 said:

i use 2 big pregnancy pillows and stuff them between the crib bars it works even better then the crib bumper! (use them untill your chiled is 11 months and then see how they do

This sounds so incredibly dangerous—not even remotely safe.

I think it's a joke....I think.

darkeyes22 · March 2014

i used them for both my children and had no issues at all. I took them out once they were able to stand on them in an attempt to escape their cribs.

Grumplestiltskin · March 2014

I didn't use one until I had DD#2 and it's mesh. My kids are in a Pack N' Play in my room until at least 6 months, so there's really no need for them. I only put it in there because my kids have all had turkey drumstick legs and get them stuck and DD likes to hang her foot through the bars when she's going to sleep (she's such a weirdo). So it gives her something to rest her foot on and it gives me peace of mind because she won't get stuck and its breathable.

steph1977 · March 2014

Peanutz21 said:
i've been struggling with this as well. i bought the PB kids one with the elephants on it. i've decided to use it in the beginning, take it out when baby starts rolling, then putting it back later when much older

Same for me, and I got the same
one -- so cute!

bkinder · March 2014

My son is almost 2. I didn't use one at first, but added one when he was almost a year. There was one spot he kept getting his foot stuck through, and would scream until someone came to get it unstuck. The bumper prevented this from happening, and everyone was much happier. (He doesn't have it anymore. His feet are now too big to push through the crib.)

So, if anyone is torn about whether or not to use one, maybe hold off until they're a little older, and SIDS isn't a risk anymore. Just wait and see if your child needs one as he/she becomes more active in their crib when they're awake.

jesselayne8 · March 2014

I used them with both kids. Cosleeping can be just as dangerous or more so yet people don't judge for that on the bump.

jesselayne8 · March 2014

RedheadBaker said:

I used them with both kids. Cosleeping can be just as dangerous or more so yet people don't judge for that on the bump.
That's the dumbest justification I've heard. It's right up there with "well, our parents used them for us and we survived!"

I am not trying to justify my use of bumpers. I am simply stating it's ridiculous that no one on the bump gets judged for co-sleeping which has just as high a suffocation risk but on the bump it's "the thing to do".

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