crib bumper controversy!

bh2720 · December 2008

I think I may have posted about this a long time ago and I'm sure it's been asked before, but please humor me ;-)

In your opinon, is the crib bumper a yea or nay? If you had one, would you say it's ok (even good) to use? If you chose not to, what were your reasons?

I've found convincing arguments on both sides and I'm confused (and probably overthinking it at this point).

cmh06 · December 2008

We used ours until DD started moving around in her crib. They make breathable ones if you have concerns about him bumping his head.

smacb · December 2008

I have one. I took it out once he could move around the crib. In retrospect, I regret getting the crib bedding set. I wish I would have just bought some crib sheets.

cands · December 2008

We didn't use a bumper because of SIDS fears until they started moving around the cribs and getting their legs stuck in the slats. Then I went out and bought the breathable bumpers. Those keep their legs and arms in the crib without increasing the SIDS risk.

Artslvr · December 2008

We didn't use one until she really started rolling around in her crib, then we had a breathable bumper up for awhile. Finally (she was maybe 6 mos? 8mos? how soon we forget!) we put the regular bumper in when she really started thumping around in her crib... to us she was old enough/mobile enough to not suffocate in the regular bumper, and the extra cushioning of the regular bumper was much needed to prevent bruises.

(note: the breathable bumper helps with keeping hands and feet in, but it's not cushion-y so it does not help with baby bumping her head against the side of the crib).

Sofka · December 2008

when I opened the crib bedding set and put everything on the crib, my 1st thought was that I made a mistake registering for it; can't use the blanket for a year, the bed skirt is a decoration, bumpers are controversial, I should've just bought the sheets!

I did put the bumper on, DD is a mover, most times I find her at least half-way down the crib, usually turned 180 degrees, sometimes she's all the way down at the foot of the crib, so I'm glad I have it b/c I dont want her to hit her head.

my suggestion is to buy a couple of sheets in the colors/theme you like and you can always buy the whole crib set later on.

asolare · December 2008

we just got a few crib sheets and a breathable bumper. note that doctors will tell you to take any bumper out once they can pull themselves up, b/c it gives them extra leverage with which to climb out of the crib. jules bumps around her crib but never enough to hurt yourself. climbing out of the crib and falling, on the other hand, equals a broken bone for sure.

kbird · December 2008

We never used one. ?Though DD moved around a lot, she never had an issue with getting a limb stuck in the railings. ?Sometimes she would sleep with her head pressed up hard against a railing - looked uncomfortable, but never seemed to bother her. For us it was just one less thing to deal with. Karen

RiverPlate · December 2008

We don't use one. At first it's the SIDS, then it's the pulling up, which leads to a minimal time span for actually using one. When S sleeps, she's in a Halo blanket and can't get a foot through the slats anyway, and we haven't had a problem with arms or with bumping.

I got some plain sheets, and didn't get any of the sets. But that's my aesthetic preference - I hated the matchy-matchy of the whole nursery thing. I got bunches of ideas searching under 'modern nursery' in flikr.

tobeaTodd · December 2008

I wouldn't use it. We used it, but the very first night DD slept in her crib, she somehow scooted all the way over to the side of the crib and had her face right next to the bumper (this was when she was 3 weeks old). We removed it right away. It's totally not worth taking a risk over.

spiffyone · December 2008

we've had it in little man's crib since he was born. now that he is getting mobile in his crib i am unsure as to what we will do. it freaks me out to have it in there, but it freaks me out to take it out. so i just don't know. since dh has been hurt i have been sleeping on the couch and little man has been in his playpen, that has worked well, but i just don't see dh agreeing to permanant playpen sleeping Big Smile

lhartman · December 2008

I didn't want to take any chances with SIDS, so I took it out and used a breathable one until she was probably 1 y/o or so. Then she figured out how to unvelcro the breathable one plus she was past the SIDS risk age so I put in the regular bumper. I felt better having something in there because she would lean her head up against the bars or poke her legs threw so I it made me feel better to have a cushion.

- LH

femmeftle9 · December 2008

I still have the bumper in DD's crib. I've always had them in there (though she did not start sleeping in her crib until she was 3 months old). I personally don't think the bumper is a big deal... but it's a good idea to install/use a ceiling fan in your nursery, as apparently this reduces the risk for SIDS.

MosersGirl · December 2008

We will use a breathable one in the baby's crib. There is a lot of research out about SIDS and how to best prevent it (not that you can 100%), and if one of the ways is to have a breathable bumper, then that's what we're going to do. The research says that air flow is important for baby's safety, and not having a bumper isn't just about the baby rolling into it and suffocating. It's about not constricting the air flow in and out of the crib. We also installed a ceiling fan in the nursery. Our baby's safety is our number one priority. There are plenty of other ways to make the nursery cute.

NowDNAtoo · December 2008

We put one in and are still using it. I very occasionally find him with his face up near it, but I just go in and shift him slightly. I'm glad that I have it in there because I used to try and put him in the middle of the crib, but would always go in next and find that he had wiggled his way over to the bumper. I think to him it gives the sensation of me touching/holding him which he finds comforting. Of course once he starts being able to sit and pull himself up then it will come out.

Baby4OT · December 2008

We've used a breathable bumper since day 1.

manciibride · December 2008

ours didn't sleep in her crib until 4 months and I took the bumper off because she would scoot around the crib so I bought a breathable one and that's all she has right now.... Yeez, now that I think about it the only thing we've used is the sheets lol! We can't use the comforter or the bumper that came with the set. Just buy the sheets and breathable bumper. I will probably put the original bumper once she gets bigger and I'm sure she could not suffocate on it.

leslieanne1003@yahoo.com · December 2008

we have kept ours in her crib since day 1. she loves to have her head up against them to sleep. if we didnt have them i think shed hit her head a ton. havent had any issues with them.

crib bumper controversy!

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