Do you use Cot Bumpers?

[hol]

We use the bumpers and I was worried he would use them as a foot step now that he is almost 2 but the only thing that has happend is he has broken the ties and the bumper really does not provide that much of a step. Since the ties broke, I took it out and now, I am CONSTANTLY searching under the crib looking for his passifer that has fallen through the slates, needless to say, I am fixing the ties and putting it back in!!

 

[donkey]

My boy is 5 1/2 months old now and we didn't use bumper. However, he keeps having his hand stuck between bars so we are now trying to find a solution for it (without bumpers)...No luck yet!

 

[donkey]

Nula, where did you buy your Airwrap?

 

[NYCMel]

there is a risk with using bumpers. my midwife suggested weaving a t-shirt / blanket in and out of the slots if you find that your baby's leg is constantly getting stuck in it. We do that when we travel. My 7 month year old son can now stand in his crib so we've moved the bumper to the backside, the side closest to the wall (our crib is positioned horizontally) so in case he falls back, he has some sort of cushion.

 

[peainpod]

I have cot bumpers but I can't figure out when to use them. In the beginning, you're told not to b/c newborns can't turn their heads yet and the danger of suffocation is high. (Also there is the increased danger of SIDS.) When they get older, you worry about them using the bumpers as levers to climb out.

So is there an appropriate window when it is okay to use them?

 

[southside852]

we stopped using them once my son could stand up - around 5 months. he would tear down the cot bumper so we didn't see the point of using it. we also just had UK one that only went half way around the cot anyways. he never had a problem with injuring himself either....

 

[MLBW]

Never used them. Baby moved a LOT in his sleep--once he could crawl he full-on crawled in his sleep and yes, he did hit the side of the crib a few times--but he really outgrew that stage quick (maybe 2 weeks). Just felt like they were kind of pointless except for decoration and the fact that they could be dangerous made it even that more pointless to put them in.

 

[carang]

"you're told not to b/c newborns can't turn their heads yet and the danger of suffocation is high."

i find this quote interesting... if a newborn is not strong enough to turn his head, how in the world is he going to pick himself up and move 12 inches to the side of the cot and put himself back down again right up against the side of the cot and suffocate on the bumper? besides, if you follow the current recommendations, babies should be put down on their backs, so there would not be any need to lift his head...

 

[southside852]

bumpers are actually a very American thing to use whereas in Europe, very few use them. In between using one and taking it out, we used to weave a towel in and out of the sides so our son wouldn't bang his head at night as he had a tendency to squish right up in the corners of his cot.

My son slept on his tummy after month 1 - he had reflux and we were just extra careful with him s it's the only way he got any sleep. as a result, he had a really strong neck and back muscles and could stand up in his cot at the beginning of 5 months - the bumper was then useless.

i've seen some bumpers now that are just a mesh netting which i think i would definitely consider for my next baby....

 

[cesh]

My SIL swears by Airwrap breathable mesh cot barriers - they work for her 10 month old and are safety approved in Australia. They are widely available there although I haven't yet seen them here. I think we'll go with those as well.