Bumper Pads - Coraopolis,PA

I'm sure plenty of moms will disagree, but we never had bumper pads on my daughter's crib. I figured if we weren't going to have quilts or blankets or pillows around a small infant due to the risk of suffocation -- remember, they cannot even turn over or turn away sufficiently yet -- then why would we have a wad of soft, padded material all around the edge of the crib that she could roll into and get her face onto?

I know parents freak about their kids getting an arm or leg stuck through the crib slats. Never happened to us, not once. I would think a new crib that met safety standards would not need a bumper. As for baby whacking his or her head on the slats -- if baby's just rolling into them, the head isn't going to do more than a slight bump. Oh, yeah--and there were the friends who talked about their kids using the bumper as an extra step to help them climb out of the crib once they were pulling up on the sides to stand....

I just think bumper pads are one of those fashionable things parents are told are "must-haves for your newborn's nursery!" that exist mostly for baby stores to make more cash. We were given a bumper pad. We used it to wrap up a non-moveable, structural pole that holds up the ceiling in our basement play area. That was a much better and more necessary use for it!

I got one at my baby shower and was later told by our "to be" pediatrician when meeting with her, not to use it, that it wasn't safe because of the potential for suffocation. The AAP says not to use them. That was enough for me to decide not to use it. They did say that the mesh breathable ones are safe and are mostly used to prevent arms and legs from sliding through. We never got one and honestly never found it to be an issue. I'd wait and see how your baby does in the crib before getting one. My youngest is 20 months and still sleeps in the crib with nothing but his PJ's and sleepsack...no problems.

I wouldn't bother with the fashionable bumper pads. I mean really, what are you more concerned with? A pretty crib, or a safe one? Babies can suffocate themselves on them, and use them to climb. Buy a breathable one, if you are concerned with your LO's limbs getting stuck in the slats. I don't really think bumpers are necessary, honestly.

I so agree with Leigh, bumper pads are a useless (well, she found a use!) and potentially dangerous item. I received them for my first two over 20 years ago and returned them for other items, and didn't use them for the little guy, either. My daughter moved around her crib so much I can see where she could have easily ended up being a sad statistic.

BTW, Chicago is the first city to ban them, and the state of Maryland is considering it:
http://chicagopersonalinjurylegalblog.com/2011/09/chicago...

Never had one, never needed it. My daughter never got stuck in the slats.

Better safe than sorry. They are really not necessary.

Breathable here. Not only do they keep little legs in, they are not launch pads for climbers. We decided not to go with the traditional bumpers and use the mesh and don't regret it.

We bought mesh ones because my daughter likes to sleep with her feet through the slats and I wanted to prevent her getting stuck and hurting herself. Definitely wouldn't do the big, fluffy ones... in fact, I'm not sure why people still buy them as there's so many warnings against them.