Are Crib Bumpers Safe?

There has been a lot of controversies on crib bumpers. And while the majority along with the organizations are yelling a direct NO, I’m giving you a different answer.

Sit tight, because I’m not going to make a quick verdict! Crib bumpers still exist in the market and what’s more, people are buying it for their convertible crib.

Absolutely, they are buying it as a common and useful baby product. Screw the news, it really helps.

How you are going to protect your baby from getting bumps and injuries! Crib fences are solid and your sleeping cutie pie can hit his or her head on those slats.

What if the tiny arms and noggins get stuck in between the slits? Crib bumper pads do protect your child from these hazards, whether it is a convertible crib or a typical travel crib.

Yet again, if I tell you that crib bumpers are deathtraps themselves, what will be our reaction?

The national safety agencies and advocacy crowds are not beating about the bush. They come with loads of legitimate points. After a significant uptick in child deaths, it calls for an end to crib bumper paddings.

Well, I’m more of an observant type. So I prefer looking at actual stories. All the news is true that these crib bumpers are evil and they cause suffocation and lack of oxygen intake for babies. These are bitter truths, I admit. But, I have my personal observation.

Infants are unable to move away from potential menaces. And by any chance, the crib bumper falls on to him or her what happens? A tragic story, I know.

But let me remind you that younger babies are supposed to sleep on an infant mattress in the first place, not in a crib. Yeah, a few of us parents might practice cribs for their babies from an early age. But this practice does not fall within the rule.

You only get your baby sleep or stay in cribs, when she or he is nearly eight to ten months old. This is the age when your child starts reaching mobility milestones.

They roll, crawl, and do loads of movements by themselves alone. And so, to protect your precious baby from falling you place him or her in a crib, right?

No worries! There’s nothing wrong with that. Years earlier we had cribs that had wide gaps amongst the bars, and we loved crib bumpers a lot for handling this exposure back in that time.

Now, cribs do not come with the same design and they really have congested slits. You don’t have the risk of sticking your baby’s head, hands, and legs anymore.

Plus, pediatricians say, it is not likely for a child to face such danger that he or she can’t survive from. Like, if the arm gets stuck, either he or she would take it out on their own or scream for mommy’s help. Sounds fair and comforting.

This stands as proof that you don’t need crib bumpers anymore. Everything is fine, but the point I am trying to make is, if you use the bumpers for a baby at the right age or situation, there’s no harm.

Think yourself, when you have the breathable bumpers that are made with airy mesh fabric. This does not block the air and cause suffocation. And going for the bulky and thick bumpers is definitely a poor decision and faulty approach.

So let’s match the equation, your child is around 9 months old and has grown up a bit, can crawl or roll, or at least makes loads of funny movement stuff. 

Most probably, it is the time to get your son or daughter a crib, with breathable bumpers. These are both lightweight and flexible for uninterrupted oxygen-sucking.

Once again, do not ever transfer your tiny kiddos to cribs too early. Wait for the correct time of transition and go on. Choose the right products and take every step backed by your pediatrician’s signals.

Green, red or yellow no matter what light shows up! Safety matters and when you pay enough attention to it you already push chances of harm to the grounds.

Constantly, bulkier crib paddings are the worst. The overweight and outweigh the benefits with threats instead. These are ones that should be banned and parents need to stop buying them.

Apart from the heavier weight, these are non-breathable and too large for the babies to move away from. Also, older babies or early growth legends try these bumpers as leverage and hoist themselves up to the crib rails.

As children are curious and they like to roam new places like kittens and attempt to push themselves to the other side of the cribs.

This is extremely dangerous as mostly they do it on their own, even in the middle of the night, out of nowhere. So without parental watchdogs, they can fall on the floor climbing out of their cribs sometimes. As a result, serious head injury and bone fractures can occur.

So keeping the crib clean and free from thick bumper paddings is the best practice for parents. This minimizes the risks and clings to the safety warnings by doctors. I am talking about any type of crib like stationary, convertible, or even just travel crib.

Crib bumpers are not the evil we think. It depends on the situation of the babies and how we make use of them. Like, you can remove all of the bumpers before your child’s nap time and eliminate the risk of accidental oxygen deprivation. On the contrary, you can act careless and experience critical instances.

Long Story Short

Know your child’s movement and growth, consult with experts, and follow what fits your situation. Because babies are different from born, and so are their parents. But never forget to keep in mind, if you ever get a crib bumper, make sure it is a breathable one! Happy parenting!