my baby keeps getting her arm caught in the bumper when she turns sideways and I don't feel safe but I don't want her to bump her head on the crib rails. should I remove them or leave them? I was thinking about getting a breathable bumper but it would have the same problem with her arm getting stuck. in a few months she will be able to climb on it and I am supposed to remove it anyways. suggestions? thanks.
Hi Im a mom of three and I've had various issues with crib bumpers especially when the child gets alittle older. I would say remove it. If she is 5 mo you'll have to soon anyway. They are great for younger babies.
It's definitely more dangerous to remove the bumper too soon. I did with my 2nd, & he got his legs stuck through the slats and then tried to roll over in his sleep. Not fun. I would try pulling the bumper down so that it's actually below the top of the mattress. Good luck.
Crib bumbers are not safe. You are actually not supposed to use them because of the risk of suffication. That being said, I am using one too.
I would say that if your daughter is getting her arm caught in the bumper, just remove it from the crib. I really have not heard any health care professional speak highly of them. Once you remove the bumper she may sleep up against the crib rails but it shouldn't cause her any pain.
We never put bumpers in the crib - they are a suffocation hazard & unneccessary. My daughter runs into her rails all the time & it doesn't bother her at all. She has slept in her crib since eight weeks old with no bumpers.
As for co-sleeping, at her age you need the mattress on the floor to be truly safe. For more info, visit the Dr. Sears website, www.askdrsears.com.
I use a breathable bumper in my 8 month old crib and it works great. We have the mattress as low as it will go and still use the bumper with no problems. You just have to attach it tight enough. Conner sleeps a lot better since we attached the bumper and he stopped getting stuck in the crib. Good luck!!
I would look into another bumper. I used one with my son and it was on there so tight, there was no way he could get stuck! I liked it because I knew people who didn't use one and there kids were getting limbs stuck in the slots of the crib. I also loved it because he liked looking at the fish on the bumber and it would keep him entertained in the morning after he woke up. I took in out of his crib at around 9 months, after we had put the mattress down to its lowest level and he started showing an interest in standing on it. Of course, he did fine without it, but he was older and more able to recognize when he was stuck and how to get out of it. Most bumpers are not suffocation hazards anymore, they make them better now. You can try without and see how she does, but I plan on using one again for my second!
Personally, I wouldn't worry about having a bumper. My son is 4.5 months and his head has not been injured by the rails of his crib. For the most part, if a baby bumps into the crib rails, s/he will turn and start to scoot in another direction. My son is a pro at getting around in his crib, bumping his head doesn't even wake him up.
Anyway, the bumpers are a suffocation hazard, that is why child care facilities aren't supposed to have them.
I hope this was helpful!
I didn't use bumpers with either of my two little girls because I was told not to by several different people. They are a suffocation hazard and a tangling hazard. Most child care related employees will tell you that they're mainly for looks not functionality. Most of all, you're her mom, it's your decision on what you need to do to keep her safe. As for my opinion, I would go ahead and remove them and see how she does. Best wishes!
