Crib Bumpers

Before the girls were born we got cute little bed sets for their beds. I was very proud of how they looked.
Well their rooms and of course beds have been untouched until now since they have been in a PnP in our room until now. They are 12 weeks and we started putting Ella in her own bed at night (Yay!!!!) Being that she scoots a little when she gets squirmy at night I knew the bumpers would have to come off soon. Last night her diaper leaked and today I washed her sheets and was putting them back on and started fighting the bumper so I went ahead and took it off.
Anyways my question/point. What exactly is the point of these and has anyone found another uses for them(ha!)??

 

I think they're supposed to pad a baby who hits that area. I do not use them b/c of paranoia about suffociation. I have not thought of another use for them.

 

We didn't and don't use bumpers. I got the breathable kind, but they didn't fit right on our cribs so I returned them. They are supposed to keep babies from bumping up against the slats and keep little arms and legs in. My girls sometimes sleep with an arm or leg outside the slats, but have never gotten stuck (well M did once, but she wasn't really stuck, she just thought she was). I'm sure some crafty ladies will have ideas for another use for them.. I'm just not that creative and can't think of anything. Sorry!

 

I believe bumpers came about when crib slats were soo far apart that a baby could get their head stuck between the slats. The distance between slats has decreased over the years, thus reducing the need for bumpers and potentially a more harm than good kind of thing.

That being said, we did use bumpers the entire time we used cribs which was 3 years.

 

I still use my bumper to this day. As the girls got older they started getting their legs/arms stuck in the slats so I put it back on. Plus they snuggle next to it now to sleep!

I still use my bumper to this day. As the girls got older they started getting their legs/arms stuck in the slats so I put it back on. Plus they snuggle next to it now to sleep!

 

We pulled the bumper off the cribs when we brought the kiddos home because I wanted to be able to see them every time they made a peep without having to get up look down into the crib. Then at about 3 and 1/2 months they started wiggling, rolling, schooching all over the crib and kept waking up mad because an arm or leg or two was stuck through the slats at an uncomfortable angle and they couldn't get it back out. So, we now have the bumpers back on the cribs again. The boys wind up snuggled up next to the bumper every night. At first I was worried that they would suffocate, but now that we have been living with them for a while I am not so worried anymore.

 

My pediatrician said to take the bumpers off so that they do not smother the baby.