Have you heard about the latest instrument of death we parents are unknowingly wielding against our children? Crib bumpers.
According to this Oct. 22 HealthDay News article, “The risk of accidental injury or death associated with crib bumper pads outweigh their benefits, according to pediatric researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.”
Damn it all! I started using a crib bumper with Cassie when she began moving around her crib–and inadvertently sticking limbs out, getting them caught, and waking up crying every 10 minutes.
What the heck else was I going to do? I bought an adorable quilted bumper from Pottery Barn (apparently masking its inherent danger with cuteness, like the Gremlins), tied the little cloth ties around the bars of her crib, and voila! She slept so much better. Still does. Never has any problem becoming wedged between the bumper pad and another object (like what, her teddy bear?) or strangling on the 2-inch-long bumper tie, as the article mentions.
Nonetheless, the Parenting Authorities have spoken, and crib bumpers are criminal. Just like children’s cold and cough medicine, toys from China, non-organic produce, and God knows how many countless other items. What’s a mom to do?
I guess in this case, I’m going with my “mom wisdom” rather than worrying about a few unfortunate accidents reported in the article. The crib bumper stays. But I’ll lay off the cold meds. I’ll even check for recalls of poison toys to see if we own an offending toy. Organic food? At least I’ll go with organic milk and beef.
But does anyone else out there think some of these terror-level warnings about kid stuff get just a tad ridiculous? Or do I deserve to be voted in the Bad Mom Hall of Shame?
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8 thoughts on “Wooden Toys, Cold Meds, and Now Crib Bumpers–What’s Next?”
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Whoa, you allow a crib bumper, egads! I remember realizing if you heed the advice there’s about a 2 week window when crib bumpers are okay. I used that as an excuse to skip the whole thing for kid #1, then used one for kid #2 after he kept wacking his head and alas my kids never used them to climb out of their cribs.
I’m with you. I read the warnings but still have the bumber in my son’s crib. I will say that once my older child started moving around more I switched from a padded bumper to one of the mesh-type bumpers. I will probably do the same for my son.
I used the crib bumpers with both kids.
I had to remove it for Jude b/c somehow he would get caught in it around 7 months and cry.. so out it went (b/c it disturbed my sleep)
Keep it!
I put a bumper in for O for the same reason you put one in for Cassie, but I had to take it out when he started figuring out how to use it as a stepping stone for a way out of his crib.
I also found it a big pain in the a$$ when trying to change the crib sheet! So I was sort of relieved to get rid of it.
I do what I can. In this age of mass information overload, it’s hard to figure out what is “right” v what is “wrong”. I do what’s right for me.
I used one but was always a little paranoid (it lingered in the back of my mind) that some how the baby would fall asleep, roll over and end up with his face in the bumper and suffocate.
I had one but, like tela, found it very annoying and removed it. I win the Bad Mom award, though, because (shhh, don’t tell anyone) I let my kids sleep on their stomachs from birth. They are both still alive and still sleep on their stomachs. My first had awful reflux and that was the only position that allowed her to sleep in comfort. I finally decided to ignore all the warnings and listen to my child.
I still have bumpers on my twin son’s cribs and they are 15 months old. They bonk their heads, stick their legs out, etc. so I feel it’s better for them to have it. Plus, they like to snuggle in the corners and it’s nice and soft for them.
thank you! i love your blog. after reading up on all the horrible toys my baby is playing with, the polycarbonate bottles he’s drinking out of, and the evils of bumpers, i decided i need to move to some small pacific island and grow my own food, make my own wooden toys, and…well, you get the picture. thanks for you blog!