crib baby bumpers?

Question

when or is it even possible to stop using the baby bumpers for my just turned 1 year old in her crib? Reason I ask is she has broken a second pair now (I'd have to buy another) and spills milk all over them - her bottles drip the milk when she is done. She is not ready for a bed yet at all either.

Answer 1

Stop using the bumpers AS SOON as your baby is able to pull up to stand. Bumpers are frequently used by smart little babies as stepping pads to swing themselves over the crib railing. Take them out right away. She might still smush her face into the bars a little, but at least she won't fall out of the crib.

Good luck!

Answer 2

The American Academy of Pediatrics, Health Canada, National Center for Health and Safety in Child Care, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the First Candle/National SIDS Alliance as well as some state and regional Back to Sleep campaigns now recommend removing crib bumpers entirely from the crib. It's traditional use was during a time when slats on cribs were wide enough for a baby's head to stick through. Safety standards have since been mandated so that can not happen. According to Health Canada, it is nearly impossible for an infant to hit his or her head hard enough on the crib to cause bruising or injury. Health Canada also reports that serious injury is not likely when a child puts his or her arms and legs through the crib slats. The baby will either remove their arm or leg from the slats if possible, or make enough noise to alert a parent for help. I know my bedding comes with a bumper, and I have yet to really take a strong stance on the debate since I still have a few more months to weigh things over. There are mesh crib bumpers that are breathable and will hinder your baby from sticking a limb through the crib slats...perhaps that is the way to go....

Answer 3

Baby bumper should never be used, they are a SIDS risk and a safety risk as the facilitate climbing out of the crib.

"However, many health agencies and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) awareness groups are now recommending that parents skip the crib bumper, saying the need for crib bumpers has passed and that using these products may actually put children at greater risk for suffocation or death.

Why Do We Use Crib Bumper Pads?
Crib bumper pads became popular in older-style cribs where the slats were far enough apart that a baby's head could become trapped between the slats, posing a suffocation risk. Today, all cribs sold in the United States and Canada are required to have slats close enough together that it's nearly impossible for an infant's head to fit through. "
http://babyproducts.about.com/od/recallsandsafety/a/bumpersafety.htm

"Health Canada does not recommend the use of bumper pads in cribs because they pose an entanglement, entrapment, strangulation, and suffocation hazard to infants."
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/legislation/pol/bumper-bordure_e.html

Answer 4

If your child's arms or legs can get stuck in the sides of the crib, you need the bumpers. The bumpers protect the child also from hitting their head on the sides of the crib while they sleep. The milk being spilled shouldn't be a problem because they shouldn't have a bottle in bed with them.

Answer 5

I never used bumpers at all, and my baby has been in the crib since the day we came home from the hospital. So yeah, its find to take them down (I think they're actually not recommended at all because of choking/smothering hazard).

Answer 6

We were told to get rid of the bumpers when our daughter started to roll. Giving a bottle to take to bed is also not recommended since it can cause decay and damage to new teeth, even formula or breast milk can cause problems.

Answer 7

i never and still dont use them at all a little bump isnt going to hurt the child but with them in the crib the baby could smuther and stop breathing, also it gives them that little extra to clibe out and as for getting em dirty dont you know that putting your child to bed with a bottle leads to tooth decay???

Answer 8

if the slats are small enough that she can't fit any part of her through it, i go ahead and take them down. some people (like at daycares) are told not to use bumpers anyway because baby might lay against them and suffocate. =P

Answer 9

On the tag of the one my son has it said to remove it when the baby was able to sit alone or pull them selves up. I removed it and he kept getting his feet stuck in the bars. It is safe to remove it I suppose unless your kid moves around a lot like mine.

Answer 10

I wouldn't use a bumper any more. I only used them for decoration with my kids. Once they are strong enough to break them them they don't need them. Save your money. Good luck.