Get the Scoop on Crib Bumper Pads

Recently, I wrote a “Crib Bedding 101” type article for a baby content site earlier in the week and felt the need to highlight an important point that I felt I just couldn’t stress enough to young parents. When we’re expecting, it’s highly recommended to hit the books and do our “homework” as much as we can before our child arrives into this world. Of course there’s never a book that has all of the parenting answers right at your fingertips for every situation we encounter while raising a baby but qualified and highly rated sources certainly help. The point I stressed which could have easily filled the requested article length and then some instead of a short paragraph was the issue on crib bumpers and whether parents should use them in their baby’s crib.

Many crib bedding sets sold today include bumper pads that are secured around the inner perimeter of a crib in order to prevent the baby from getting tangled within the crib rails or bumping their heads against the sides. While this seems like a safe solution, it is not. Whether you use soft and plush or firm and flat pads, the safety benefits are uncertain and can cause more harm than good for your child. Softer cushions may prevent your child from bumping their head but are also far too soft in case the baby were to roll into the side and press their face against the dense fabric, putting them at risk of SIDS or suffocation. Firm bumpers are also a dangerous option when babies roll to the side and risk getting their head caught in between or under each pad. In addition, a study performed by pediatric researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine reported that “27 children from 1 month to 2 years old died from suffocation or strangulation related to the bumper pads or their ties” during the years from 1985 to 2005. Dr. Bradley Thach, a staff physician of St. Lewis Children’s Hospital explained: “Many infants lack the motor development needed to free themselves when they become wedged between the bumper pad and another surface. They are likely to suffocate because they are rebreathing expired air or their nose and mouth are compressed.”

The consensus is that most pediatricians and pediatric researchers are opposed to crib bumpers but if you still feel the need to include one in your baby’s crib, a safer alternative lies within Breathable Baby, an innovative crib bedding site that focuses on using breathable materials to ensure a safer sleep for your child. The BreathableBaby® Bumper is a mesh, hypoallergenic safety bumper that provides air circulation which standard bumpers lack. The best part about this product is that it can fit most crib sizes and shapes including convertible and sleigh style cribs. The site’s Crib Fit Guide provides a detailed look at how their bumper model would fit properly with the crib that is being used in your baby’s nursery.