Crib safety - confirm my understanding

[ijack]

I'm guessing if the baby isn't here yet a lot of that is for show. When they're itty bitty it doesn't really matter because they aren't going to roll into anything.

[satama]

They probably just set it up that way for pictures.

[livinitup]

Yes.

But I used a bumper and so did everyone else I know. I kinda scared/shocked a PG relative when I showed her our crib and informed her bumpers were controversial - she had no idea. I didn't use toys or stuffed animals.

[karinothing]

Yes, you are right. The safest method is just a crib sheet (well and mattress protector if you need one). No stuffed animals, no quilt, and no bumpers.

[catbus]

As others said, yes, the recommendation is to have a crib, crib mattress, and crib sheet.

[satama]

Aug 26, 2012 17:25:39 GMT -5 @msstarry said:

Aug 26, 2012 17:24:33 GMT -5 satama said:

They probably just set it up that way for pictures.

Ok so when would you be "allowed" to have a crib set up like that? With the bumpers, etc.

When you decide the benefits outweigh the risks I guess. It is not reccomended to ever use bumpers, but some people still do. I wouldn't. By the time SIDS or suffocation risks decreases they can usually use them to help climb out of the crib.

MIL bought us a full bedding set though, so I took pics with the bumper and quilt in the bed, then made the quilt into a wall hanging and just stored the bumper in the closet forever.

[MadamePresident]

I have a stuffed animal in the crib now, but its just for show and it looked so empty. I'll take it out when the baby is actually born and in the crib. I've also started seeing bumpers that don't have stuffing, but instead are really just fabric to keep the baby's arms and legs from getting caught in the slats. *

*I'm not sure if these are any safer or "allowed".

[karinothing]

Aug 26, 2012 17:36:01 GMT -5 MadamePresident said:

I have a stuffed animal in the crib now, but its just for show and it looked so empty. I'll take it out when the baby is actually born and in the crib. I've also started seeing bumpers that don't have stuffing, but instead are really just fabric to keep the baby's arms and legs from getting caught in the slats. *

*I'm not sure if these are any safer or "allowed".

AAP recommends against breathable bumpers, but I don't think they have done any studies or anything on them yet.

[Brie]

Yeah our crib looks like that now, but it's just for decoration. We'll take out the bumpers and stuffed animals once he starts using it until he's older.

[satama]

Oh, but around ten months to a year I would be comfortable introducing a small stuffed animal or lovey of some sort. DS1 did not use a blanket or pillow until he was in a bed at 20 months though.

[catbus]

Aug 26, 2012 17:39:00 GMT -5 @msstarry said:

Bumpers don't seem very MM if you can't use them for a long time

They're not; I think buying a crib bedding set these days is a big waste of money. Buy several cute crib sheets (I have five now, from Etsy, Zutano, Aden & Anais, Land of Nod...), but don't waste money on a bedding set. I really don't understand why people continue to pay for bumpers when they don't intend to use them. As far as the quilts in those sets go, I also don't see the point since it seems the favorite baby gifts from relatives are baby blankets. Heck, my friend's mom made our baby a quilt. We have three more handmade quilts on the way, and I don't know how many knit or crocheted blankets!

[oukapu]

I bought everything separate and got cute sheets and a dust ruffle. We used a breathable bumper and still use it even though she is pulling up. We just lowered the mattress and moved the bumper low around the mattress so it keeps her body parts out of the slats but it doesn't add much height for her to stand on. We added a little lovie around 10 months.

I know parents who keep really puffy bumpers in the crib.

[drloretta]

Blanket after a year-ish. Bumpers are never recommended. Though breathable bumpers are generally OK. Pillow after a year-ish. Timing for toys varies.

A lot of people pose their crib set for pictures. And some places (like Walmart) only sell sets, not separates. DH learned that the hard way when DD came home from the hospital.

[Deleted]

We had the bumpers up for a really long time, but he has never slept in his crib for more than an hour, so it's just for decoration at this point just like the bumpers.

[Xyz]

If you want something to do with the pretty bumpers from a set...i used mine as a teething guard for the top of the crib rails. I can't add a picture from the iPad but google or pinterest have some great ideas. Basically fold in half ove rthe top edge of the crib and tie off tightly underneath. It matches the room decor and I didn't spend the money for brib protectors when my kid turned into a beaver while teething.

[Deleted]

Bedding sets are a total waste of money. We had a boring crib (just a sheet) until he got old enough to try to distract... now he gets his twilight turtle and glow worm.

[hannamaren]

We live on the edge. After we stopped swaddling, and even before, we use a blanket. At first, we tucked it in deeply one end of the mattress. Now, we just throw it on her. It is a wide weave and she uses it more as a lovey. The first few times freaked me out because she would put it over her head, but she likes it that way. Cross fingers.

[anna7602]

Aug 26, 2012 17:25:39 GMT -5 @msstarry said:

Aug 26, 2012 17:24:33 GMT -5 satama said:

They probably just set it up that way for pictures.

Ok so when would you be "allowed" to have a crib set up like that? With the bumpers, etc.

We had a bumper as soon as we moved DD into the crib, at 5 months. She was rolling around like crazy and I was afraid of her knocking into one of the bars. I could have gotten a breathable one, but I didn't.

She got a pillow in her crib at 15 months, when she seemed to sleep much better with her head on a pillow at night (while sleeping in our bed occasionally). I bought it in France and it was the exact width of her crib and tucked into the sides so it didn't move around. I am guessing such a thing is not sold at all in the U.S., but I still see them all the time now that I live here.

I don't remember when she started sleeping with dolls/stuffed animals. It was definitely something she wanted and happened before 22 months (when I distinctly remember a certain doll always sleeping with her), but no idea when, exactly.

[Ashley&Scott]

Until now we had just a sheet. Yesterday we added a breathable bumper. DS gets his legs stuck almost every time he's in his crib.

[Deleted]

We also just have a mattress protector with a fitted sheet. I also read that blankets and bumpers are suffocation risks. We'll give him his Wubbanub if he fusses during the night but it's so small, I can't see him suffocating with it. Picture is not DS, but the size ratio (him vs wubbanub) is about right.



Ashley&Scott, our DS is a little younger than yours (6 mo). DS also got his leg stuck almost every time he's in the crib. Rather than do a bumper, we transitioned him from the swaddle to a Halo sleepsack. Even though there's a lot of room for his feet in the sack, he hasn't gotten his legs stuck once since.

[evynsmama]

You are right bumpers are not recommended, but we used one that came with our bedding set and never had an issue. But do whatever you are comfortable with.

[jinnifah]

It's likely for pictures. We had our crib all decked out until a week ago when he actually started sleeping in it

[thatgirl2478]

We lived on the edge apparently. When she was little we didn't have a bumper in, but she always had a stuffed animal or two. Once she started being able to roll over on her own, she was obviously unswaddled and got stuck in the slats all the time. She hated the sleep sacks (tangled around her legs) so we started putting her to sleep in a sleep & play and put the bumpers back in (probably around 8/9 mo) and she still had stuffed animals or 3 or 4. Around 12 mo we took out the bumper because she was pulling up so much.

Now she's 18 mo and has a blanket (hand knit, not worried about suffocation), probably 10 stuffed animals and no bumpers.

[OscarQ]

I returned the bumper for our set (each piece was separate) and kept it to just a tightly fitted sheet until he was 16 months old. I then added a breathable bumper and slowly added toys. Just yesterday he got a lovey blanket thing in there too.

I'd like to add the regular bumper now since the breathable one isn't cutting it (keeping his legs from getting caught and him from banging his head) but he'd just use it to climb out.

[Deleted]

We started using bumpers once DD kept getting stuck in the slats. Prob 6 months ish

[hopeful2012]

You are correct - when I was PG with DS I put up pictures that were nice with the bumper tied on nice, pillows, etc. but when he actually starting sleepgin in the crib (not until around 6 months) all of that got taken out.