Do you use bumpers in your crib(s)?

Do you have bumpers in your crib(s)? I am having a love/hate relationship with my bumpers. I can not decide if I should use them or not. Currently they are not in use, we have put them in the attic, but I am thinking of getting them back down.

On the one hand - I had the bumpers on for awhile and several people came over and saw the bumpers told me what a hazard they are to the babies. Also, the bumpers make changing the sheets a pain in the butt. My aunt even told me that bumpers are out-lawed in Canada (that's where she lives - is that true?)

On the other hand - I paid a fortune for two baby bedroom sets, I would really like to get my use out of them! Also, now my babies are wiggling around in their cribs and I have seen red marks on their heads from hitting their heads on the crib rails.

What exactly is it about the bumper that is hazardous?
Thanks for your help!

 

I've never used bumpers. I registered for two cute bumpers, but no one bought them. Then I read the breathable ones were safer (suffocation issue), so I got two of those from BRU and had to return them because they didn't fit out cribs. So we just decided to go without. The girls have only gotten stuck twice (once each) and that was because a foot got thru the slats and was close to the wall so they didn't know to lift their leg to get it out.

 

We do have bumpers on the cribs now...
The boys don't sleep in their cribs at this point. Have been able to get one small nap in the cribs.
I will leave them in the cribs until they start moving all over the place,then will decide if I want them out.
I had bumpers in the cribs with my daughters, now ages 11 and 14, and then it was never an issue not to use bumpers.

So I am not sure what I will do.
But for now they are there for decoration lol (and my hubby did make them, so he does like to show them off lol)

Dianna

 

Plenty of people use bumpers and never have a problem, but the AAP and the SIDs alliance recommend against them because bumpers are a suffocation hazard. Your baby could roll into the bumper and not be able to breathe. Or, she could get her face stuck under the bumper and not be able to breathe. Once babies can pull to standing, they can climb on the bumpers and increase their risk of falling out of the crib.

Bumpers look really cute but to me the hazards just weren't worth it. My girls have never gotten their arms or legs stuck through the slats of their cribs. They roll over, sit up, pull to standing, and walk all over their cribs now, but other than a few red marks on foreheads, we've never had any problems.

 

We use them. I don't like them eithor. I would not worry about them hitting their heads, but I do worry about them getting an arm or leg stuck.

 

QUOTE
Plenty of people use bumpers and never have a problem, but the AAP and the SIDs alliance recommend against them because bumpers are a suffocation hazard. Your baby could roll into the bumper and not be able to breathe. Or, she could get her face stuck under the bumper and not be able to breathe. Once babies can pull to standing, they can climb on the bumpers and increase their risk of falling out of the crib.

Bumpers look really cute but to me the hazards just weren't worth it. My girls have never gotten their arms or legs stuck through the slats of their cribs. They roll over, sit up, pull to standing, and walk all over their cribs now, but other than a few red marks on foreheads, we've never had any problems.


Ditto! I think they also say that bumpers can contribute to SIDS by limiting the free flow of air around/through the crib. (Different from outright suffocation - I think it's about rebreathing CO2.)

QUOTE
In the study, which appears in the September 2007 issue of The Journal of Pediatrics, the researchers reviewed three U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission databases for deaths related to crib bumpers and crib-related injuries from 1985-2005. They found 27 accidental deaths reported by authorities of children from 1 month old to 2 years old that were attributed to suffocation or strangulation by bumper pads or their ties. They also found 25 non-fatal injuries in infants attributed to bumper pads.

Of the deaths in which there was a formal investigation, 11 infants likely suffocated when their face rested against the bumper pad, 13 infants died from being wedged between the bumper pad and another object and three infants died from strangulation by a bumper tie.


source

Since there is absolutely nothing risky about NOT using bumpers, taking any chances by using them is way too scary for me.

 

I used them with all of my kids!

 

we removed ours a few weeks ago when marina started rolling in the crib and now we use the breathable one for her, and nothing for ivana

 

Mine still have their bumpers in at 15 months. They have always snuggled with them. Tyler like to get right up in the corner and hide his head and everytime I move him to the center of the crib he would always work his way back to it, so I gave up. Derek likes to use his as a footrest everynight!!

 

I used the bumper with DD1. Then I had my twinnies. At about 2 months I read where a woman on here found her baby underneath the bumper. Her head was lodged between the mattress and the bumper. If she had not checked on her she didn't know what would have happened. It scared her and it scared me to death after reading it. So from when they were about 4 months old and moving around more I took them off. They sleep without them just fine. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

We used bumpers in our cribs.

 

QUOTE(becky5 @ Mar 21 2008, 12:30 PM) [snapback]680886[/snapback]
I used them with all of my kids!

Me too!

Still using them now, tucked way down in the sides but a nice cushion for their heads since they sleep with the backs of their heads on them now.

 

I was considering at one point to remove them but my girls love sleeping with their head up against something - so they move to the top of the crib and put their head up against the crib. The bumper offers support and avoids them hitting their head on the wood.

 

I took them out but then put them back in. Their cribs look so much more comfortable with them in. My girls move straight up and down and will occas have the top of their heads against the top of the crib. They have never pushed up against the sides of the crib. I was reading some stats and was very surprised that they found 27 deaths attributed to bumpers. I thought they meant last year, but it turned out they meant over the last 20 years. That was waaayyyyy lower than I thought given all the hype. Of course even 1 death is too many but still, I thought from all the warnings that it was a much bigger risk. That's gotta work out to one death per several million babies. I don't know, I still think about taking them out again but so far I haven't. I secure them really tightly, I don't know how they could even get their heads underneath them. I even have additional hooks that I put in below the mattress that hold down the bumpers and the sheet savers so they can't be lifted up (kind of had to since the back of the crib is solid with nowhere to tie things).
Any now I'm rambling...

Jen

 

We have used them from day 1. My pedi told me it was fine, and I wasn't really worried about it. So we kept them in. At this point, there is really no reason to take them out ... There crib is on the lowest setting ... and even if they stand on them they can't get out.

I will re-evaluate as they get taller... if it looks like they are helping lift them enough to topple out, I'll remove 'em.

Erica

 

I used my bumber and LOVED it. It was such a relief to not worry about them hitting their heads UNTIL... I woke up int eh morning to Austin screamin hysterically with his head under it and his face truning blue! I ripped that bumper out while crying hysterically and after making sure he was ok.

I would NEVER use them again or recommend that anyone use them, however I know millions of mother use them without incident.... your call but I would say no
SHannon

 

We had them in from the beginning, and removed them briefly when the babies started moving around in their sleep. We put them back in when we got tired of them crying because they were banging their heads against the rails.

We also have Angelcare monitors that detect their breathing. So I feel pretty confident that if something were to happen, the alarm would go off and I would be able to get to them quickly.

 

I used bumper pads that my mother made until I asked my ped. and he said the only things that worried him about bumper pads were the ties. I then switched to the breathable ones found at bru that velcro together and have had them in since. My babies are 9.5 months and they both sleep with the tops of their heads butted up against the bumpers. They are both standing in their cribs and I have thought about removing them but just can't bring myself to as they love to sleep all scrunched up in the corner. It is a worry in the back of my mind but I just think they will be fine. I keep them pushed way down low so only an inch or two is showing.

Just my instincts...every mom has different thoughts on this one. If I were to do it again I would probably not use them in the beginning but since we have we are now hooked.