Dumb Crib Question

[Living Slowly]

So I finally decided on an organic crib mattress and purchased it. I don't think we will use a crib all that much, but I really wanted this in case we did. Anyway, my question is about bumper pads. Do you need one? Are they safe? I have no clue. If you all could enlighten me.....


Thanks!

[angelcat]

I do't think they are safe, and no, you don't need them.

[Valerieg]

You definitely don't need one...but they sure are cute! As far as safety...as long as your LO isn't moving the only harm they can really do involves dust. Just be sure to remove it once your LO starts to roll.

I'll put mine back in for the first couple months. But like I said, I'll remove it later.

We do use the crib. DH couldn't handle DD in our bedroom let alone our bed!

[moonchiald]

Do you mind sharing which mattress you bought? I am looking at them right now and I am currently stumped. :

They do make mesh bumpers that carry less of a risk of suffocation.

[LittleLlama]

There are mesh bumpers that aren't nearly as cute, but are safe since they're breathable fabric.





Ok, they aren't cute at all

[Living Slowly]

Thanks ladies. I just read in the Mothering book I have last night that the bumpers were not safe! So, you all are right. It is weird considering that they are sold so often as the "set" for the crib. They are really cute too. At least it is one less thing for me to buy.

Valerieg - I am hoping to get a king size natural bed (have no idea what though) so we will have more room and DH will be OK with the baby in the bed. But, we might end up using the crib too and putting that in our bedroom. I am trying to cover all my bases since I have no idea how this will all work out. Even if we like co-sleeping the baby might not.

moonchiald - My head is spinning too still from all the choices. At least it is a relatively small investment. I don't have any idea how I am going to decide on a natural bed for us since they are so much $$. :

I finally went with the PureRest 510 coil count organic interspring mattress. I got it from Kushtush.com - they seemed to have the best price on this one mattress and I got it a bit cheaper by waiting 4 weeks for delivery which is fine since I still have 10 weeks to go. Hopefully we are happy with it!

[gcgirl]

Here's a *really* dumb crib question: what the hell is a bumper pad??

[Grace24]

It's a pad that ties around the inside of the crib to keep baby from bumping his head or getting his legs stuck in the slats... but now they're saying it ups the risk of SIDS and all that... so there are "breathable" bumpers. We registered for one of those, but they're not as cute. I'll see if I can find the link:

[Grace24]

Here's the breathable one:
http://www.amazon.com/Trend-Lab-Brea.../dp/B00005BPEU

[Grace24]

Here's the regular ones they're saying not to use:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...entPage=family

Though my mom listens to me saying "blankets aren't safe anymore, bumpers aren't safe" and she says to me, "I sure don't know how you kids survived, with all those dangerous things around!"

[LittleLlama]

The "thing" with the bumpers is that a little baby can roll and sffocate. They're ok for the first couple months if babe isn't rolling and then after babe is big enough to push things awway from their face while sleeping... whenever that is.

[pumpkinhead]

I had a bumper for Jacob when he was tiny and I discovered that I hated it. I couldn't see him in the crib when I was lying in bed next to him (I didn't know about the air circulation issues then) so I took the sucker off. I put it back on when he started getting his limbs stuck between the slats at around the 7 or 8 month mark. At that point, he was crawling and pulling up, so I wasn't worried about the suffocation issue. I also was able to put the crib mattress at the lowest setting then. Oh, that the one I had didn't have ties, just velcro.

No, they aren't necessary. I found ours moderately useful for a short period of time. I got rid of it and didn't buy another with my second.

[pumpkinhead]

Originally Posted by LittleLlama

The "thing" with the bumpers is that a little baby can roll and sffocate. They're ok for the first couple months if babe isn't rolling and then after babe is big enough to push things awway from their face while sleeping... whenever that is.

The other issue is that they're not really necessary when they're tiny and can't roll. I've never understood that. They're supposedly so that babies won't hit their heads/limbs/etc against the slat and won't get their arms and legs stuck in the slats, but they supposedly become unsafe once they're able to move . A mite confusing.

[meisterfrau]

We used ours when DD moved from our bed to a crib at about 10 months, but that was late enough that SIDS wasn't really much of a risk. Then we removed them when she started trying to use them as a step to try to climb a few months later...so in all, no, not really worth bothering with, I think.

[octobermom]

Originally Posted by pumpkinhead

The other issue is that they're not really necessary when they're tiny and can't roll. I've never understood that. They're supposedly so that babies won't hit their heads/limbs/etc against the slat and won't get their arms and legs stuck in the slats, but they supposedly become unsafe once they're able to move . A mite confusing.

Mine would push against the mattress with her legs and even at like a week or two old could squish herself against the rails at like 6.5lbs
I actualluy likethe look of the mesh better than the more traditional ones but I don't think you need any.

[Da WIC Lady]

Originally Posted by LittleLlama

There are mesh bumpers that aren't nearly as cute, but are safe since they're breathable fabric.





Ok, they aren't cute at all

You can always tie them to the outside of the crib...

Anna

[LittleLlama]

Originally Posted by Da WIC Lady

You can always tie them to the outside of the crib...

Anna

Oooh, clever clever!!!! MIL has a crib at her house for DS, she was so thrilled about finding the bumpers.... maybe I can get her to do that for this baby.