Do baby bumpers in the crib serve any purpose, or are they strictly for show?

Question

I've heard good and bad about bumpers in the crib. Do they serve a purpose, or are they there strictly for asthetic reasons? I've also heard they are a suffocation hazard. Any truth to either of these rumors? Any help appreciated.

Answer 1

Yes they serve the purpose of your child not getting stuck in the spaces and they can increase the risk of suffocation. You should be fine if you are placing your child on his/her back and in the middle of the crib. Once they start moving around you are generally okay because they have the mobility to move their heads in order to properly breathe.

Answer 2

You are going to get a lot of opinions on this. The sheets on the infant's bed are a suffocation hazard (yes, on average 12 infants annually strangle sufficiently to be hospitalized or die on that flat sheet over the mattress). If your materials are poorly made or inproperly used, you have a potential problem. Use the bumpers if you want, but attach securely and remove when baby starts moving about as they can use the bumper to climb out. Otherwise, if you are concerned, don't use at all.

Note: some cribs do not allow the proper attachment of bumpers on all 4 sides. If you can't determine a solution, skip the bumper pad.

Answer 3

Well one thing - the baby can't see out of the crib with bumpers in and that was important to us as the crib was in the bedroom for the first year! But, seriously they don't serve any other purpose and yes they have been deemed a suffocation hazard.

Answer 4

Apparently in the US they recommend not to put bumpers in the crib, but they are still standard where we were living in France. My daughter always had one in her crib until we went to visit her grandparents for a month when she was 5mths old. One of the first days we were there she was up taking a nap (or suppose to be) when I heard crying. When I went up to check on her after a minute or so of her continuing to cry I found her on her tummy, very upset, with one of her legs trapped between the bars. I got so emotional seeing her like that I was practically crying myself! I’d never seen her like that before. She was terrified, if I had to describe it. Well, I went and found a bumper for her that day so as not to have it happen again… The hazard of suffocation can be eliminated when you have it firmly attached to the crib on all sides, so that even if your baby starts to pull on it, it cant fall down. That means checking it to make sure all the straps are still well sewn on and that no tearing has occurred. I was never worried about her suffocating from her crib bumper, but if there are any truth to the rumours than apparently there is a risk.
Also, I think that without the bumpers that she would have woken up more at night from all her rolling around. Smacking your face into a wooden bar can't be pleasant.

Answer 5

Bumper pads were used when cribs had bars far enough apart that a baby's head could fit through, in which case they did serve a purpose. Now they are at best useless and at worst dangerous.

If you read the instructions they will say to remove the pads as soon as the baby can move around. If you remove them as soon as the baby can move there is no chance that the baby will end up with their face smooshed into them. If you keep them in after that they are a SIDS risk, and a suffocation/strangulation risk. If you keep them in until a baby can pull themselves up to standing they can assist in climbing out of the crib and taking a serious fall.

http://babyproducts.about.com/od/recallsandsafety/a/bumpersafety.htm
Crib Bumper Pads
Are They Safe?
Crib bumper pads are a very common baby product, and parents often use bumper pads thinking they are increasing the safety of their child's 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.

So why do we still use the crib bumper pads? For some parents, the reason may be as simple as liking the way the bumper pad looks. The matched crib bedding sets in stores are often cute and the package deal makes for a nice coordinated nursery. Other parents are worried about their child's arms and legs sticking through the crib sides, and some worry that the baby will hit his or her head on the crib sides and cause injury. 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.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/legislation/pol/bumper-bordure_e.html
http://sids.org/nprevent.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudden_infant_death_syndrome
http://www.todaysparent.com/baby/askus/article.jsp?content=20050527_141318_4784&page=1
http://www.datasync.com/~rsf1/sids.htm

Answer 6

Look, almost anything that restricts movement is a potential hazard. Lose the bumpers-my kid was rolling over at age 2 mos. and he never got anything stuck in the crib bars. The worst thing he ever did was pull his own hair and then cry cause it hurt. The one thing I learned is that kids are resilient-they don't break, they bounce. So to speak. Just make sure that outside of when they are laying down you give them neck support- that's their big weakness when first born. As they get older they get stronger and take a lot of hits that would KILL you or I-and they just keep going. What I'm saying is don't coddle them too much or they will grow up weak. Lose the bumpers. It beats losing the baby. And while stuffed animals are cute they are also a hazard in the first 6 months or so, until your kid raises his head AT WILL anytime he wants.

Answer 7

Yes bumpers have a purpose. If your crib has a slatted side or sides, the bumper makes sure that the baby's arm or leg does not get caught & possably break. Yes there can be a possably suffocation hazard with them...so it's best to use a sleep positioner if you can...nothing is perfect! Hope that helps.

Answer 8

I know for a fact that they keep the baby entertained for hours, at an educational aspect, especially if the crib bumper stimulates the brain (in red, black and white colors). They also serve to protect just in case the baby can already roll over and reach the posts/walls of the wooden crib. With proper installation, they will not post as a suffocation hazard.

Answer 9

They can be a hazard but I wouldn't say because of suffocation. Once a baby is able to move to get to the bumper then they would move if it was bothering them in anyway. I would say that they are a hazard because babies learn that they can use them as a ladder. My daughter used them to start trying to climb out of her crib.

Answer 10

the yank Academy of Pediatrics, wellness Canada, national midsection for wellness and secure practices in new child Care, the patron Product secure practices value and the 1st Candle/national SIDS Alliance as properly as some state and interior reach returned to Sleep campaigns now propose eliminating crib bumpers totally from the crib. that's classic use replace into throughout a time whilst slats on cribs have been extensive adequate for a toddler's head to adhere by. secure practices standards have simply by fact that been mandated so as which could no longer take place. in accordance to wellness Canada, that's almost impossible for an little one to hit his or her head demanding adequate on the crib to reason bruising or harm. wellness Canada additionally comments that severe harm is unlikely whilst a new child places his or her legs and arms in the process the crib slats. the toddler will the two eliminate their arm or leg from the slats if achievable, or make adequate noise to alert a confirm for help. i understand my bedding comes with a bumper, and that i've got yet to truly take a solid stance on the controversy simply by fact that I nevertheless have some extra months to weigh issues over. There are mesh crib bumpers that are breathable and could forestall your toddler from sticking a limb in the process the crib slats...in line with hazard that's a thank you to pass....