To bumper the crib or not to bumper?!

laineymac8 · May 2014

Okay ladies!! I want to know what you all think about buying bumpers for the nursery! I am so torn. On one hand I think everyone from our generation turned out just fine but then again I read all these articles against them. What do y'all think??

[Deleted User] · May 2014

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jnnfrrose6 · May 2014

I think they look stupid and don't serve any actual function (except to reduce the airflow to your child and increasing the risk of SIDS).

fmb2011 · May 2014

I had them with my first two LOs but not with #3 and I won't have them with #4 either. I think they look really cute but I think the studies proving they aren't actually safe take priority over looks.

Allison546 · May 2014

I never had them for DS1 and not planning on it now. He's never gotten stuck or anything like that, so I don't see the purpose.

runrinserepeat · May 2014

Nope, I think they're an unnecessary risk. Even the breathable ones aren't recommended. We never had a problem not using them with DD, and we won't be using them with this one either.

VTKatie · May 2014

Correct, I am sure everyone from our generation who didn't die of SIDS as an infant is just fine.

knitsandgiggles · May 2014

Nope. LO #2 likely won't be in his crib for the first 4-6 months so it would be purely for decor purposes and I didn't feel like spending so much money on it.

SuperTinkerham · May 2014

Do not want.

Skeemer · May 2014

Luckynumbers81 said:

Logically they make no sense to me. The purpose is to prevent a baby from ramming his/her body against the sides or getting limbs stuck. It is unlikely a newborn will be rolling over period never mind rolling over with enough force to cause harm. Also, newborns sometimes sleep swaddled or in a sack further reducing the likelihood of a limb getting caught. If down the line you do have a kid that is like a steam roller or one that gets arms and legs stuck then I get considering other options but by that point SIDS risk is usually greatly reduced. Aside from aesthetics (which personally I think they are ugly and old fashioned) I can't imagine why a newborn needs them in a crib.

+1

100% this. I'd rather my kid be a little uncomfortable for a while than possibly die. Just because a zillion people lived after having a crib bumper doesn't mean anything to me. I came home from the hospital riding in my mom's lap because car seats weren't a thing 34 years ago. My children certainly use car seats today. That "logic" doesn't make a lick of sense.

cakebatter27 · May 2014

Nope not doing one. I ended up having a crib rail cover made on etsy. Super cute but baby won't be near it.

jnnfrrose6 · May 2014

laineymac8 said:

Okay ladies!! I want to know what you all think about buying bumpers for the nursery! I am so torn. On one hand I think everyone from our generation turned out just fine but then again I read all these articles against them. What do y'all think??

Skeemer said:

Luckynumbers81 said:

+1
100% this. I'd rather my kid be a little uncomfortable for a while than possibly die. Just because a zillion people lived after having a crib bumper doesn't mean anything to me. I came home from the hospital riding in my mom's lap because car seats weren't a thing 34 years ago. My children certainly use car seats today. That "logic" doesn't make a lick of sense.

Exactly. People used to smoke and drink while pregnant and "that generation turned out just fine" too. Just because it was done in the past doesn't mean research hasn't been done to show it's not good for baby. You won't be putting your kid on their stomach to sleep, either, will you? Because our parents did that and that's also since been shown to be a SIDS risk.

cookieinva · May 2014

Nope, none here. I see no way to justify spending the money for something that really only poses a potential risk.

Also generally speaking the whole it was done in the past and look at how many turned out fine argument doesn't hold water with me. It's all about the progression of knowledge and technology. That plus the fact that the rules/recommendations aren't based on those who came out ok but rather on those who did not. Plenty of kids survived cars before carseats were required, but what about all the kids who did not? Don't you think those parents wish they had the benefit of today's knowledge, technology, rules, etc? Same with SIDS/bumpers to me.

lynnyrd80 · May 2014

Nope. Never used one with DS and never needed it for any reason. I don't really understand why anyone would take the risk.

dobbyisfree · May 2014

I think our set comes with some but theyre not worth using. Maybe ill set it up on the floor and use it to keep cat toys together or something. If it turned out the baby needed something Id buy a mesh/breathable one as a last resort.

marsalisails · May 2014

I had one with DS, because 5 years ago this wasn't such a prevalent thing in the news (at least to my knowledge). He was fine, but as he got older he ripped that thing to shreds pulling up on it.

This time, I really don't see the point in buying a crib sheet set at all. You can't use anything in the crib except the crib sheet anyway! All I got is a couple of cute crib sheets and a breathable bumper...but right now, the mattress is set up too high to put it in! I'll keep it for when she's older (once we had to take out DSs, his pacifier ended up on the floor and he was bothering me to get it during the night), but it probably won't go in until 4-5 months when we move the mattress down for the first time anyway...

Soon2BMrsN · May 2014

DS1's crib set came with one and we used it once he was about 4-5 months old until we switched him to a toddler bed. DS2's crib set did not come with one so it was a non-issue. We bought one this time but only because it was soooo marked down on PBK clearance. If we'd gone with different bedding for her, I would have just skipped the bumper. It's in the crib now for looks, but we will take it out until DD is 4-5 months old just like we did with DS1.

katnipeverclean · May 2014

We didn't use them with DD when she was a newborn. She couldn't roll over so there was no real purpose for them. However, when she got old enough (about 1 year old) to really move in the crib a lot I would come in and find her forehead rammed up against the crib slats or her limbs stuck in them. This would result in bruising sometimes. We put them in at that point.

I'll do another wait and see with this baby. He or she may be less of an all over the place sleeper.

coybig · May 2014

yeah, we all survived drop side cribs and three wheeled ATVs, so there's no issue with any of those either, right?

serious question for those using them for their "cute" factor. would not having one seriously make or break the decor of the nursery? I'm genuinely curious, since this is thrown around as a reason so often.

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Skeemer · May 2014

@jessa8907

Do they sell those in stores or more like Etsy online places? DS was like a little beaver & gnawed the crib to pieces. We need to cover up the railing before DD arrives.

Skeemer · May 2014

jessa8907 said:

Skeemer said:

@jessa8907
Do they sell those in stores or more like Etsy online places? DS was like a little beaver & gnawed the crib to pieces. We need to cover up the railing before DD arrives.

I honestly hadn't looked for them in stores. I just looked and found this one on buy buy baby. I will probably either order from Etsy or make them myself. They don't look terribly complicated, especially if you go the fleece route like this one.

Thanks!

coybig · May 2014

Additionally, she adds, while it is possible for a baby to get an arm or a leg stuck between crib slats, it's virtually impossible to break a limb by doing so—which means that at most, the experience will be uncomfortable and upsetting, but not life-threatening, until a caregiver arrives to help.

https://www.cnn.com/2011/10/18/health/no-bumpers-cribs-sids-parenting/

ETA:
As an alternative to traditional crib bumpers, some parents have turned to breathable, mesh bumpers or other bumper alternatives, but Moon said that the AAP does not suggest that parents buy them. "We're, right now, recommending nothing in the crib, because again, we don't see the point of it. So, why have something in the crib if it's not there for a reason?"

laineymac8 · May 2014

Thanks ladies for the opinions. I'm a first time mom and don't really know why I'm feeling attacked when I ask a question. It makes me hesitant to ask anything here when I have people responding like I'm stupid.

And just so everyone knows I ordered custom bedding with rail guards. And NO BUMPERS.

Jillybean100 · May 2014

Nope. We didn't use one with DD and we won't use one this time around either. It doesn't seem worth the risk and even though DD moves around a lot in her sleep, we've never had any issues with needing anything on the sides of the crib.

TexasGirl81 · May 2014

Oh dear. None of that was attacking! Everyone gave you great answers. I've been flamed in my bump history before, and this thread not even close.

katnipeverclean · May 2014

laineymac8 said:

Thanks ladies for the opinions. I'm a first time mom and don't really know why I'm feeling attacked when I ask a question. It makes me hesitant to ask anything here when I have people responding like I'm stupid. And just so everyone knows I ordered custom bedding with rail guards. And NO BUMPERS.

Honey no one responded like you were stupid. You're going to need thicker skin than that if you are going to be able stand up to the mommy judgement that's headed your way.

jcartz · May 2014

I did not have one when DD1 was teeny tiny, but put it in once she was fully rolling & sitting up on her own. It was great once DD was much more mobile, not at risk of suffocating & was always jumping around her crib - it cushioned a lot of her falls

I will likely do the same for DD2.

chrinikki1 · May 2014

MIL was appalled that I wasn't going to use bumpers. She told me a story about DH dislocating his arm at 8-9months from getting his arm stuck between crib slats. Even that risk is better than a SIDS death IMO. So bumpers of any kind for us.

chrinikki1 · May 2014

@laineymac8‌ it might be helpful for you to search previous posts to help avoid duplicate topics, especially ones as sensitive as this. This topic has been addressed NUMEROUS times where OP's considering them received feedback that was strongly opinionated (which is different than being attacked).

runrinserepeat · May 2014

laineymac8 which posts exactly made you feel attacked? Like others have said, you're going to need a thicker skin if you want to stick around an online forum such as this.

[Deleted User] · May 2014

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Skeemer · May 2014

laineymac8 said:

Thanks ladies for the opinions. I'm a first time mom and don't really know why I'm feeling attacked when I ask a question. It makes me hesitant to ask anything here when I have people responding like I'm stupid. And just so everyone knows I ordered custom bedding with rail guards. And NO BUMPERS.

If your thread is still GIF or meme free then no one responded like you're stupid. :P

Seriously though, there's a lot of great & caring people here & when we're asked a question we respond honestly which we figure you're looking for since you asked us. If we didn't care about the safety of children we wouldn't respond with facts, stats & concern regarding crib bumpers.

naturaloaklandmama · May 2014

I was planning on getting the breathable mesh liner so that baby gets nothing stuck in the slats but there isn't a breathing risk.

MstoMrstoMom851214 · May 2014

While the bumpers that go with our bedding set are cute, they are unsafe, so we will of course not be buying them.

If LO starts to seriously injure himself later on, we may consider the mesh ones. However, I would have to do more research and ask his pediatrician if we get to that point.

pfeilele · May 2014

Getting an arm or leg stuck won't kill my kid. So, no.

jnnfrrose6 · May 2014

laineymac8 said:

Thanks ladies for the opinions. I'm a first time mom and don't really know why I'm feeling attacked when I ask a question. It makes me hesitant to ask anything here when I have people responding like I'm stupid. And just so everyone knows I ordered custom bedding with rail guards. And NO BUMPERS.

No one responded in any way that implied what you were asking was stupid. In fact, the only time that word was used was by me, and that was to describe how they look:

jnnfrrose6 said:

I think they look stupid and don't serve any actual function (except to reduce the airflow to your child and increasing the risk of SIDS).

Your original question was

laineymac8 said:

Okay ladies!! I want to know what you all think about buying bumpers for the nursery! I am so torn. On one hand I think everyone from our generation turned out just fine but then again I read all these articles against them. What do y'all think??

and clearly most people think buying bumpers for the nursery is a bad idea, and we just provided our reasoning for it. Sure, several of us also included comparisons to other things people used to do with kids that aren't done now, but that was even in regards to your original statement the "our generation turned out just fine." We were just trying to use your original statement to show that it isn't really a good argument for using bumpers today.

Wrights22 · May 2014

I feel like this question has been asked so many times before. That may be why ppl are blunt and you 'feel attacked.' That being said... there is definitely no need for a bumper with a newborn. It serves no purpose and is an obvious safety issue. However, I did with DD, and will use a bumper with LO once she is mobile (6 months or so). They have head control and are moving about the crib at that point- where the bumper protects there legs and arms from going through the slats. They do make breatheable bumpers as well - if you still don't feel comfortable at that point.

Wrights22 · May 2014

*Their not "there legs"

unable to edit.... and it was bothering me

unaveragejane · May 2014

jessa8907 said:

Skeemer said:

@jessa8907
Do they sell those in stores or more like Etsy online places? DS was like a little beaver & gnawed the crib to pieces. We need to cover up the railing before DD arrives.

I honestly hadn't looked for them in stores. I just looked and found this one on buy buy baby. I will probably either order from Etsy or make them myself. They don't look terribly complicated, especially if you go the fleece route like this one.

Yes, they are pretty easy to make if you can sew straight lines and use a measuring tape. I used this tutorial to get the basic idea, and mine turned out very cute!

shanaynerz · May 2014

I didn't bother at all with one until DD actually got an arm or leg stuck in the slats around 7-8 months. We used the breathable one then, too. With these babies we won't be using any bumpers at all until/if necessary.

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