Bumper pads in crib

kedbach · April 2015

What are your feelings on bumper pads in the crib? I bought them because they came in the set we bought at Pottery Barn Kids (which is so cute and I love). Our crib is also from PB Kids and meets all safety standards, but I'm just concerned with the bumper pads and baby's safety! I'm wondering if I should just start with the cheap mesh bumpers?

jesselayne8 · April 2015

I used them with my first 2 kids once they started rolling around so at maybe 4 months and then stopped once they started standing on them. I am in the minority on the bump when it comes to bumpers. Do what you are comfortable with.

jessandandy09 · April 2015

you should start with either the mesh bumpers or no bumpers. They are considered hazardous and increase the risk of SIDS. I used bumpers on my cribs but my babies were in the bassinet for the first 4-6 months (no bumpers) also my crib wasn't a "safe one" with my first set of children (19 years ago). This baby, and now that I know better, will not have bumpers :-)

mamaloaf · April 2015

Anything that is completely unnecessary and potentially dangerous gets an "absolutely not" vote from me.

Saratiff · April 2015

Just say no

hollyberri · April 2015

I'm in the minority here, I put those in initially for my nursery pictures because they were so cute. My daughter transitioned to the crib at 1 month old. I kept them in initially because she wasn't rolling around, but when she did start flopping it gave me peace of mind that she wasn't getting banged up on the wood crib slats.

SIDS is of course, a valid concern, but you do what you feel comfortable with as you go.

Miz_Liz · April 2015

Honestly, it pisses me off that stores are even allowed to sell them still. They are a known hazard and can cause suffocation/death, so for me, no way would I ever put them in the crib with my newborn. All of the sets I have looked at on PB's website have two options, one set with the bumpers, one without (I think the one without comes with the crib skirt or something and the other doesn't). I personally would see if I could swap for the other set that doesn't have the bumpers.

kedbach · April 2015

Thank you all so much! Those were my exactly feelings on them, we unfortunately could not get the set with the bedskirt as an option because I'm short and bought the low-profile crib, haha. It just makes no sense that stores even sell them, like some of you said!

Miz_Liz · April 2015

I think I would still swap sets if they would let me and then sell or gift the bedskirt. I personally couldn't sell or gift bumpers knowing how dangerous they are, but if you are spending the money anyways, you might as well get something someone can use.

Kelsie07Ulmer · April 2015

With DS we bought bumpers that matched the bedding bc they were so cute. However they were never in the crib when he was. I know it's ridiculous but it just made the nursery look complete.

CaliforniaDream87 · April 2015

I seriously side eye anyone who chooses to go against AAP recommendation. I don't care how "cute" bumpers are. There is concrete research that shows the dangers. This reminds me of the argument had on my other BMB on forward car seat facing. Just because you think your 10 month old is "uncomfortable" in a rear facing seat does NOT make it acceptable to flip the seat. Just no.

Yes, my sons crib set came with bumpers. We threw those bad boys in the closet until he was transitioned to his crib at 5 months. If you transition baby sooner there are also breathable bumpers you can also use.

buckleyk · April 2015

Bumpers are actually illegal in maryland (who knew?!) so we never used them. I was also too scared when you read about the risk of suffocation and SIDS. But my son 18 months old and has never had an issues with rolling into the crib and getting limbs stuck.

Personally, I don't think you need anything. You could register for the mesh bumpers it becomes a problem, put them on and it not, return them.

gatormom73 · April 2015

Well you can use them when baby gets a little older. .I bought the mesh ones for when she is first born and I will use the ones that came with my crib set when she is a bit older.

Joie80 · April 2015

I cut mine up and used it around the top of the crib when my daughter started teething and chewing on the wood. There are probably a few ways to re-purpose them since you've already purchased it.

MamaMcBride · April 2015

I wouldn't put a baby with no ability to turn, maneuver, etc. in a bumpered crib, but then again I also wouldn't have one of my babies in a crib that young either (we bedshare to six months). If you plan on putting baby in the crib early on and want them maybe consider mesh bumpers?

Savanna111911 · April 2015

Are the mesh ones considered safe? I thought I read something on here or another board that said they aren't really considered to be fully safe either, something about reduced airflow? But I can't find it now. Maybe I dreamed it.

Miz_Liz · April 2015

Savanna111911 said:
Are the mesh ones considered safe? I thought I read something on here or another board that said they aren't really considered to be fully safe either, something about reduced airflow? But I can't find it now. Maybe I dreamed it.

I have never heard of them being unsafe. The only way I could see them not being safe is if they are not attached on properly and tight, which would allow baby to get tangled in them.

Savanna111911 · April 2015

Yea. I may be confusing it with something else. I thought I remembered reading something about how they still can constrict air flow. Which at the time I didn't think made a lot of sense.

trudytudy · April 2015

When in doubt, take them out. Don't use them, they aren't necessary.

j&gmiller2015 · April 2015

I'm not a fan of the 'sets' anyways because you really cant use the comforter/quilt or the bumpers. I just bought everything separately, sheets, skirt, and mesh crib bumper. Those sets are cute, but not all that practical. Just my opinion.

KristinaD217 · April 2015

I plan on using the mesh crib bumper. Because I am terrified of sids

Lalala2326 · April 2015

No normal bumpers here either. We started using the mesh ones when my daughter was older and getting her legs/arms caught regularly but she was pretty close to a year old when that started. We only used those a few months till she figured that out and then took them off cause it was just one more thing to screw with when changing sheets.

mrsrfwii · April 2015

We had a bumper pad that came with our set. We opted not to use it and asked my mom to make a wall hanging from it. She literally cut it up and made a quilt type hanging. Just an idea of you don't use it and don't want it to go to waste.

EmEeGee · April 2015

The way I see it, if heaven forbid, something happened to your baby... Would you want the guilt of wondering if it had anything to do with using bumpers, knowing all of the research and proven dangers of them? It doesn't seem worth it at all just for the sake of looking cute.

heath3er · April 2015

I will have a bumper. Once baby starts standing I will take it out. my baby will be in our room the first 8weeks.

Go with your gut, and what makes you feel comfortable. Everyone has their opinion.

Miz_Liz · April 2015

heath3er said:
I will have a bumper. Once baby starts standing I will take it out. my baby will be in our room the first 8weeks.

Go with your gut, and what makes you feel comfortable. Everyone has their opinion.

Everyone will have an opinion, but bumpers being unsafe and having caused many infant deaths is not an opinion, it is a fact. https://www.parenting.com/article/sids-prevention

CaliforniaDream87 · April 2015

Miz_Liz said:

heath3er said:
I will have a bumper. Once baby starts standing I will take it out. my baby will be in our room the first 8weeks.

Go with your gut, and what makes you feel comfortable. Everyone has their opinion.

Everyone will have an opinion, but bumpers being unsafe and having caused many infant deaths is not an opinion, it is a fact. https://www.parenting.com/article/sids-prevention

Miz_Liz · April 2015

CaliforniaDream87 said:

Miz_Liz said:

heath3er said:
I will have a bumper. Once baby starts standing I will take it out. my baby will be in our room the first 8weeks.

Go with your gut, and what makes you feel comfortable. Everyone has their opinion.

Everyone will have an opinion, but bumpers being unsafe and having caused many infant deaths is not an opinion, it is a fact. https://www.parenting.com/article/sids-prevention

This made me LOL!

PixelPosy · April 2015

Unnecessary and pretty isn't worth the risk. DD got an arm out a slat that caused her to cry for help twice. It was no big deal, she wasn't hurt, just stuck. I suppose if your kid is continually getting stuck limbs, I'd look into the mesh bumper. Nothing in the crib but a tight fitted sheet and a baby in a sleep sack is the way we go.

victoriaaa1 · April 2015

Because I'm so afraid of SIDS I will not be putting a bumper or even a mesh bumper into my babies crib I would rather be safe then sorry.
I wasn't going to purchase a bed set and I was only going to purchase the fitted sheets but I found cute bed sets that come with only the sheet and blanket and maybe the skirt not to sure so that's what I will be doing .
If anything I will wrap something around each of the crib polls so make some support .

jaeleigh25 · April 2015

So, I use the mesh bumpers around the crib. But I made bumpers that matched my set and tied them on the tops of the rails so when my DD started standing up and chewing on the crib, she chewed on the bumpers, not the crib. So I didn't use them for their traditional use, but still used them. My crib looks new because of it.

holli0801 · April 2015

Absolutely not. Not worth the risk. I work in an ER where I have seen far too many accidental tragedies...

Kelsie07Ulmer · April 2015

CaliforniaDream87 said:
I seriously side eye anyone who chooses to go against AAP recommendation. I don't care how "cute" bumpers are. There is concrete research that shows the dangers. This reminds me of the argument had on my other BMB on forward car seat facing. Just because you think your 10 month old is "uncomfortable" in a rear facing seat does NOT make it acceptable to flip the seat. Just no.

Yes, my sons crib set came with bumpers. We threw those bad boys in the closet until he was transitioned to his crib at 5 months. If you transition baby sooner there are also breathable bumpers you can also use.

I don't know if this is me you're side eyeing, but I took them out if my son was ever in the crib. I had them in when company came over, or when we took pictures of the nursery, but they were NEVER in the crib when he was, ever. He has never had bumpers in the crib when he was in the crib. I wanted to make that clearer. I had them simply for the decoration as I liked the look. Again they were never in the crib when he was.

CaliforniaDream87 · April 2015

Kelsie07Ulmer said:

CaliforniaDream87 said:
I seriously side eye anyone who chooses to go against AAP recommendation. I don't care how "cute" bumpers are. There is concrete research that shows the dangers. This reminds me of the argument had on my other BMB on forward car seat facing. Just because you think your 10 month old is "uncomfortable" in a rear facing seat does NOT make it acceptable to flip the seat. Just no.

Yes, my sons crib set came with bumpers. We threw those bad boys in the closet until he was transitioned to his crib at 5 months. If you transition baby sooner there are also breathable bumpers you can also use.

I don't know if this is me you're side eyeing, but I took them out if my son was ever in the crib. I had them in when company came over, or when we took pictures of the nursery, but they were NEVER in the crib when he was, ever. He has never had bumpers in the crib when he was in the crib. I wanted to make that clearer. I had them simply for the decoration as I liked the look. Again they were never in the crib when he was.

Then my comment doesn't apply to you. There are numerous people, including people I know IRL, who use bumpers against AAP recommendations. It's mind blowing to me.

KatieRu920 · April 2015

I don't even know why this is still a question for people! No bumpers. Way better to be safe than sorry. If they do get a limb in there, it's better than the alternative (my LO never did anyway). He also sleeps with this head right up against the railing most of the time and doesn't seem to mind it at all.

raelynch87 · April 2015

When I was a nanny about 2 years ago the 11 month old started smashing her head against the rails. She had horrible bruises all over her head and face so her dr actually recommended bumpers. It completely stopped then. She was old enough at that point to maneuver her own body though. I have bumpers for picture and decoration purposes but would absolutely not have both bumpers and baby in the crib together.

Sweetpea192 · April 2015

I had no idea how unsafe bumpers were. I'm so thankful I came across this thread. I think I can safely say that I will not be using bumpers on my babies crib no matter how "cute" they may look.

jemholo · April 2015

I agree that I would never use bumpers against AAP recommendations. To me, asking a question like "how do you all feel about using bumpers?" is about the same as asking "how do you feel about using a 47 year old stroller?" or "how do you feel about letting your toddler play with samauri swords?" Why anyone would use them for aesthetic reasons despite the clear safety risk is completely beyond me. I doubt we'll even buy a bumper, I've just registered for fitted sheets and sleep sacks.

Side note - I don't think I'd get them for nursery photos even if I planned on never having them in the crib with the baby. First, seems like a total waste of money on something completely superficial. Second, I don't think I'd want to share cute nursery photos with the bumpers in, lest people see the photos and think I'm too clueless to have done any research and don't know (or worse, don't care) that they are a safety hazard! So I really don't see the point.

LSquared3960 · April 2015

I guess I'm in the minority as well. We won't use our bumper when he's a newborn, but once he's mobile I'll most likely put it in there. DS moved all over the crib at night and not only would get arms/legs stuck, but would lose is pacifier constantly. We put his in when he was around 8 months old.

aminser · April 2015

Just to clarify from a SIDS mama...SIDS is not caused by bumper pads...we really don't know what causes SIDS...but babies can become suffocated from bumpers and there are plenty of cases where this has happened. However, SIDS and suffocation are NOT the same thing. With that being said, I would never use them and I think that they are even banned in certain places. The mesh ones are not that great either...and a stuck leg or arm certainly beats something constricting baby's breathing.

CaliforniaDream87 · April 2015

aminser said:
Just to clarify from a SIDS mama...SIDS is not caused by bumper pads...we really don't know what causes SIDS...>

Straight from the AAP website in regards to SIDS prevention:

The report also includes the following recommendations:

Always place your baby on his or her back for every sleep time.

Always use a firm sleep surface. Car seats and other sitting devices are not recommended for routine sleep.

The baby should sleep in the same room as the parents, but not in the same bed (room-sharing without bed-sharing).

Keep soft objects or loose bedding out of the crib. This includes pillows, blankets, and bumper pads.

Wedges and positioners should not be used.

So, yes, bumpers could be a SIDS/suffocation risk. Which is why I plan to follow AAP recommendations. I get what you're saying about SIDS being different from suffocation however there are a plethora of different SIDS cases.

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