Use a Bumper or No Bumper

I like the One Step Ahead catalogue's "breathable bumper"...it worked for keeping bruises at bay just didn't scare me that my daughter would breath into it or climb on it (when she got older). Just took it off at 18mo.

Hi S.,

I own a licensed child care home and as part of my continuing education which is a requirement for my licence I recently had to attend a SIDS training class and it is stongly recommended not to use bumber pads. A bump or a bruise will heal.

When my baby started rolling over, he would keep getting an arm or leg stuck through the railings and he would wake up crying because he couldn't get it back out. We started using a bumper then, but we weaved it in and out of the slats and pulled it tight and then pulled it down to wedge it between the mattress and the railing. This made it pretty much impossible for him to get tangled in the bumper but took care of the problem with his legs getting stuck. I can't remember when we took the bumper back out, but it was long before he could stand up.

I took the bumper out of our crib the day I found my son with his head on one side of it and his body on the other side. He was fine, but I didn't want to take any more chances. I did have to rescue him a few times when he stuck an arm or leg through the slats and couldn't get it out, but he learned to avoid getting stuck pretty quickly.

One Step Ahead makes a breathable bumper. I runs a home day care and the state does not allow us to use them due to possible suffocation issues. These breathable bumpers allow the child to breathe through them if they should put their face up to them.

We went all out on bedding. Learn as you go I guess. It really was a waste. The first time I found my son underneath the bumper we took it out of both cribs. Then we tried without and their little limbs would poke through and they wouldn't know what to do. So then I bought Breathable Bumpers (Babies R Us sells them). They are $25 a piece. They certaintly aren't pretty but they definitely do the trick!

S.,

We went all out for our son when he was born in June 2005. We had the bumper in there for a little bit, but as soon as he was able to roll over or move (not sure when that was), we took it out. I've read many places - including the information from my peditrician - that there's a SIDS risk with regard to them once they can get their faces close enough. SIDS scares me as I know of two people whom have lost their child due to it.

I'm pregnant now with #2 and I'll probably pass on the bumper this time around . It was a waste of money since we didn't use it that long.

I think the advice for the "breathable" bumpers are a great idea and I would look into those for sure.

T.

The Sids people (and DCFS) say NO!

I think the books suggest that you not use a bumper once they start standing up on the sides. The kids can use the bumper as a prop to get out of the crib. I used a bumper with both of my kids until they were about 9 months old. I found that they were hitting the sides of the crib and getting hurt or getting wood slot marks on them. So I knew that had to be uncomfortable, so I used a bumper. If you tie the bumper all the way around the crib, they won't get tangled up in it.

Don't use one, but get a sleep positioner. I had one for my son and it was great. It will keep your little one from rolling around and bumping his head.

When I first found out we were pregnant, I went out immediately and bought a very nice crib ensamble. It included a heavy bumper. I was wiery and after talking to friends, they insisted I not put it in. Makes you wonder, why sell them? I agree with person below. I found a breathable bumper from One Step Ahead (24.95). It's not prettiest, but safety first. My daughter is 5 months and starting to roll from back to tummy. I tucked the bumper a little down below the mattress so it doesn't move. It is difficult when you want to hang something (Fisher Price Aquarium) in the crib, but this is only temporary.

Good luck!

Tie the bumper on and tuck the bottom part in between the mattress and the crib. that should help with entanglement.
I have 20 month old twins and they slept in the same crib with bumpers on for the first 6 months...and we didn't have any problems...and you probably won't until they start crawling...and standing.

There is some serious debate about this. Some people say there is a SIDS risk. I'm not really sure I agree with that.

I used one. It was thin and tightly tied to the slats of the crib--there's no way he could get twisted into it if it's tied to the sides well. I never saw it as a hazard. I did take it out when my daughter was about 18 months old. She attempted to stand on top of it to gain an extra inch or so to make it easier to leap out of the crib. That's the only time that I saw it as a potential problem.

We used a bumper with both our kids and plan to with our third. Never had a problem and loved that they kept the pacifiers in the beds.
Good luck!

Use a bumper, tie the strings all around the crib and save your child from some unnecessary head bumps.

S.,
The first time I checked on my napping baby and found her with her face up to the bumper, I took it out. If you worry about little legs getting stuck, the mesh bumpers work well. Realistically, your baby won't hurt too badly from a head bump in the crib, and probably won't get tangled in the bumper, I just worry about little faces getting too close...
E.