Crib bumper pads line a baby's crib to provide decoration and prevent injury from hard crib slats. Although they are popular and commonly sold with baby bedding sets, crib bumpers can be dangerous. Weigh the benefits and risks before you decide to use bumper pads in your baby's crib.
Dangers
Bumper pads pose a suffocation risk to babies. A baby may be unable to breathe if he buries his face in the pad. It is also possible for a baby to suffocate if he gets trapped between the bumper pad and another object in the crib. The ties that secure the pad onto the crib can get caught around the baby's neck and strangle him. Older babies may stand on bumper pads and tumble out of the crib.
Expert Insight
In 2007, researchers with the Washington University Department of Pediatrics studied bumper-related deaths reported to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission over a 20-year period and published their findings in The Journal of Pediatrics. The researchers found 27 deaths related to suffocation or strangulation by bumper pads. They concluded that crib and bassinet bumper pads are unsafe, and they recommended that parents avoid using them.
Safety Measures
If you do decide to use crib bumpers, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that they should be "thin, firm, well-secured and not pillow-like." Make sure all ties or snaps are properly secured to prevent loose material that could trap your baby. You can also trim the ties to keep excess string out of your baby's crib. When your baby starts pulling himself to a standing position, remove crib bumpers so he cannot step on them and fall out of the crib.
Considerations
Crib bumpers once served the purpose of keeping babies from getting stuck between crib slats. They are no longer needed for this purpose because new cribs must meet safety requirements that prevent slats from being spaced too far apart. Bumper pads may prevent minor injuries that your baby could sustain from bumping into the sides of the crib, but parents should also consider the risks associated with their use.
Warning
You should never put pillows, quilts, stuffed animals or other soft objects in your baby's crib. These items could suffocate your baby. If you use bumper pads, your baby could also become lodged between the bumper pad and another soft object and suffocate.
