Do Babies Need Crib Bumpers, and Are They Safe?

Besides the safety risk of crib bumpers, I was wondering if those paddings were even useful at all. Here’s everything you need to know about crib bumpers.

Crib bumpers are helpful with older-style cribs. However, modern cribs are built according to new safety standards. The bars are no longer too far apart, eliminating the chance for your baby’s’ head to get stuck between 2 slats. However, some parents feel the need to use crib bumpers for the following reasons.

This article will cover:

1. Why Use Crib Bumpers?
2. Where Do Crib Bumpers Go?
3. How to Attach Crib Bumpers?
4. When Can You Use Bumpers in Baby’s Crib?
5. Are Crib Bumpers Safe?
6. Can Babies Really Hurt Themselves in the Crib?
7. Why Are Crib Bumpers Unsafe?
8. Are Newer Crib Bumpers Safe?
9. Takeaway

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Why Use Crib Bumpers?

When I was a baby, my parents added bumpers around the edge of the crib to keep me from falling between the bars. Because back then, slats were farther apart than today. Now, the safety standards are different, because babies have been trapped or suffocate in those older-style cribs. Therefore, manufacturers are manufacturing cribs with a maximum of 2-3/8 inches space between slats.

So you are probably wondering why parents are still using crib bumpers?

The bumpers create soft padding to prevent babies from bumping their heads against the wooden sides of their crib. Crib bumpers are also used by parents worried about their baby’s arm or leg getting stuck between the slats. 

Besides headbanging, babies are known for chewing the slats, and this was a critical issue back in the days when cribs were painted with non-kid-friendly paint. This problem was somewhat limited by adding bumpers to the crib. Now, modern cribs are all built with kid-friendly materials. 

My guess is, parents are still using bumpers to save the esthetic of their expensive baby crib.

Crib bumpers have become one of those “essential” babies’ accessories that we buy without really knowing if we really need it. Their soft and cushy characteristics create a cozy nest for our precious baby. Furthermore, their cute design makes excellent Instagram photos.

Where Do Crib Bumpers Go?

Usually, crib bumpers are installed at the bottom of the crib edge. Precisely at the mattress level, the padding act like a barrier between the baby and the cribs slates. 

How to Attach Crib Bumpers?

The ends of each long piece of padding are tied together with big bows or with velcro. However, strings could potentially get wobbly and become a strangulation hazard for your baby. Therefore, the ties should be on the outside of the crib to prevent babies from pulling on the bows. 

In my opinion, this is why velcro is the safest option, if not make it a double knot just in case.

When Can You Use Bumpers in Baby’s Crib?

The age of your child dramatically determines if it’s safe or not to have bumpers in the crib.

Installing bumpers in your newborn crib is totally useless and could even become dangerous. At first, a newborn baby won’t move inside the crib, so the risk of bumping his head is very much zero. However, the night your baby decides to roll face-first into the bumper, the safety padding becomes a suffocation danger.

Most children, around 6 or 9 months, are strong enough to push themself away from the bumpers. But, they can also stand up and try using the bumper as a step to climb out of the crib.

Are Crib Bumpers Safe?

At this point, you are probably wondering is crib bumpers are even safe, and your intuition is probably right.

The confusion is accentuated because of the different recommendations we get from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA).

The AAP has published a report stating that crib bumpers are unlikely necessary to prevent significant injuries, and could potentially be dangerous for babies.

On the other hand, the JPMA has sponsored different research (like this one) about crib bumpers. None of those studies found clear evidence that links crib bumpers and infant deaths. In their official statement, they come to the conclusion that crib bumpers were never the sole cause of an infant’s death.

While researching for this article, I founded plenty of parents giving their pros and cons freely on crib bumper safety. However, at the end of the day, our decision about crib bumpers been a good idea (or not) should be base on the safety advice from the experts.

Can Babies Really Hurt Themselves in the Crib?

As parents, we want to keep our kids safe and prevent any harm from happening to them. However, in some cases, the injuries are not severe, and they are part of normal development. 

Your little explorer is about to learn how to move and navigate in his environment. This can’t be done without trial and error. 

Here are some answers to popular questions relative to crib injuries. 

Is it dangerous for my baby to hit his head in the crib?

Nothing to worry here, head bumping on the side of the crib is harmless. With a wooden crib, the force of the impact is insignificant. 

Can my baby get stuck in the crib slats and break a leg?

Because of the space between the crib slats, it is easy for a baby’s leg or arm to get caught. However, it’s (almost) impossible to break a limb in a crib. The experience might be uncomfortable and somewhat freighting, but it’s not life-threatening.

The bottom line, babies don’t have the strength to really hurt themselves in a crib. The pressure of their body is not enough to break a leg, and the speed of the fall is insignificant. 

The best way to reduce SIDS is to place your baby on his back for sleep or naps.

Why Are Crib Bumpers Unsafe?

Crib bumpers have a terrible reputation around the world because they are a risk of Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). 

They are suffocation hazards responsible for infant death.

In 2007, research from The Journal of Pediatrics had declared crib bumpers to be dangerous. During the study, the experts have concluded that crib bumpers were responsible for the death of 27 infants. Every time babies suffocated because their face was press against the bumper or the tie got caught around their neck.

Furthermore, the same research has concluded that crib bumpers are not useful to prevent severe accidents. The researcher has gathered information related to possible injuries such as bruises or even broken legs, and none of those accidents could have been prevented with crib bumpers.

They finally concluded that crib bumpers should never be used.

With the lights of particular research, the American Academy of Pediatrics has modified his guides around sleep safety and SIDS. Since 2011, the AAP does not recommend crib bumpers, declaring them not useful to prevent injuries and potential suffocation risk.

Crib bumpers are banned in New York, illegal in Maryland and Illinois.

In the United-States alone, from 1985 to 2012, there were 48 cases involving crib bumpers in the death of an infant. Moreover, in 2016, the CPSC was counting 107 fatal events.

Because of those horrible numbers, the crib bumpers have been banned in New York. Since 2019, it’s illegal to sell crib bumper pads in New York, and anyone caught selling crib bumpers, even second hand can be fined up to $500.

The first states to declare war against crib paddings were Maryland and Illinois. A regulation against crib bumper was adopted in 2013 by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH). However, it’s in 2011 that Chicago becomes the first city to declare crib bumper illegal. 

Are Newer Crib Bumpers Safe?

In response to all the issues regarding crib paddings, new types of crib bumpers are being manufactured. 

The most popular kinds are the breathable bumpers. To avoid the risk of suffocation, they are made of thin mesh fabric. Therefore, if a baby’s head gets press against the bumpers, the airflows are not obstructed. This type is not padded, and therefore not useful for a head bump. However, they are still somewhat helpful in keeping your baby’s leg or arm from getting stuck between the slats.

Nevertheless, the breathable bumpers are still considered dangerous by some experts. According to doctors, the breathable mesh bumpers might have taken away the suffocation hazard. However, they are still strangulation or entrapment risks.

That brings us to the next alternative to traditional crib bumpers: The vertical crib bumpers. Today, they are considered the safest option by the Journal of Pediatrics:

“Vertical bumpers tightly wrap each slat individually, allowing for airflow, and also may reduce the likelihood of slat entrapment and climb outs.”

Moreover, those 2 alternatives to traditional crib bumpers, the breathable and vertical bumpers, were excluded from the State of Maryland’s ban.

Takeaway

The newer cribs are built according to safer standards. Therefore, the need for crib bumpers is a thing from the past.

Still, many parents feel the necessity to install bumpers in their baby’s crib. I must confess that I’m one of them. I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of my babies getting bruises from falling inside the crib. So I got the cutest crib bumpers from Etsy. However, I was cautious and regularly checked if they were tightly attached to the crib. 

Moreover, I also need to admit that I was not aware of half of what I learn while writing this article. So if I could do it again, I would consider these vertical crib bumpers sold on Amazon. They look great and are definitely safer options.

The last thing you need to consider is your child’s age and type of sleeper. Because if your baby moves in his crib at night like a judo master, chances are higher to bump his head against the crib. Still, when your little ninja is strong enough to stand up in the crib, the bumpers could be used as a step. The injuries from a fall out of the crib is much more critical than a little head bump.

A good rule of thumb is don’t put bumpers in a newborn crib or when your baby can pull up to stand. For a couple of months in between, when your baby rolls around his crib, you can install the bumpers.