Cot bumpers, safe or not?

sleepytrees

I've been hearing mixed things about cot dressings, bumpers etc. I read in my baby book, that cot bumpers can cause the baby to overheat. It just recommends cellular blankets and that's it! When I go shopping I see cot pillows, sleeping bags,.duvets and lots of cot bumpers. So confused. What is everyone else doing?

Rachineire

My mom was saying to use them for decoration more than function. She said to take them off when your putting baby in to sleep! She is buying me a mesh bumper that way baby little leg wont poke out or the pacifier fall out and its still safe for baby to sleep with it in the cot

Neyite

They look beautiful but I would be too worried about hazards to get any. I dont even use the cellular blankets anymore, just the grobag now he is bigger and fidgets more. At least then I know he cant kick the blankets off in the night.

sillysocks

I wouldn't take the risk with the 'traditional' type bumpers.
We did get an Airwrap one those (its mesh like Rachineire talked about). Really handy for stopping baby getting caught in the bars when they start moving around but they're breathable and also if the baby tries to stand on them to get leverage to climb out of the cot they'd just collapse down.

SusieBlue

I have very mixed opinions on them. They're banned in the UK and some parts of the US, but they're still okay by Irish standards. I'd probably use them just for decoration as a PP suggested just to be safe

iguana

They definitely aren't banned in the UK. They are on sale in all the baby shops here, including the big ones like BabiesRus and Mothercare, which they wouldn't be if they were banned. They just aren't recommended. We have some that came free with our co-sleeper. If I have the energy I'll use them decoratively during the day but I won't leave them on during the day. I attached them when we built the co-sleeper on Sunday to see what they look like but I suspect they'll live in a drawer, tbh,

pwurple

They are not needed for newborns I think. They can't move about when they are tiny.

As they get bigger, sometimes they may be needed. Depends on the baby. My nieces and nephews were fine, they stayed put when they slept. My own is active in her sleep. After 2 serious mid-sleep bumps where she had a big blue lump on her head afterwards, we put in a cot bumper. The airsoft one was no good for that for her, as you can still get a serious bang with it as it's thin. We got the really thick gro-bag one. It doesn't have ties, it fits under the cot mattress and then velcro to the sides of the cot.

It's not perfect by any means, she learnt to climb onto it and out of the cot at about 18 months. So we moved her to a small bed then. But it saved me worrying about concussions from 6 months to 18 months at least.

So, all in all, depends on the baby. If they get their arms and legs stuck in the bars, the airsoft one is best. If it's their head they bash on the sides, I'd go for a thick one like the gro-bag. And if they stay put, don't get one at all is the best option.


As for the pillows and duvets mentioned in OP, I don't think they are recommended until the child is 2.

Redpunto

Personally I wouldnt use them - they serve no purpose other than possibly letting baby over heat plus the risk of baby getting tangled up in them

scrgirl

iguana wrote: »

They definitely aren't banned in the UK. They are on sale in all the baby shops here, including the big ones like BabiesRus and Mothercare, which they wouldn't be if they were banned. They just aren't recommended. We have some that came free with our co-sleeper. If I have the energy I'll use them decoratively during the day but I won't leave them on during the day. I attached them when we built the co-sleeper on Sunday to see what they look like but I suspect they'll live in a drawer, tbh,

Off topic briefly sorry to hijack but I would love to know which co sleeper you got iguana.and where?

BabyGoIE

I had one for my daughter and she was pulling this all the time so I had to get rid of it.

foodaholic

I didn't get them for my little one but think I'm going to have to get them. She 8 months now and has started to bang her head against the bars and the headboard in her sleep !! She's in a cot bed, so there is plenty of room.

iguana

scrgirl wrote: »

Off topic briefly sorry to hijack but I would love to know which co sleeper you got iguana.and where?

It's the Fabimax Basic, I got it online from Germany as co-sleepers are more common there so tend to be a lot cheaper. It was €100 including shipping, and came with the mattress and bumpers.

http://www.stubenwagen.de/

scrgirl

iguana wrote: »

scrgirl wrote: »

Off topic briefly sorry to hijack but I would love to know which co sleeper you got iguana.and where?

It's the Fabimax Basic, I got it online from Germany as co-sleepers are more common there so tend to be a lot cheaper. It was €100 including shipping, and came with the mattress and bumpers.

http://www.stubenwagen.de/

Wow that's a brilliant price thanks a million!