No bumper for baby
Nicole McMullin
Sep 05, 2007
My modest cradle looks nothing like the gorgeous baby beds pictured in magazines. It’s lovely, but not plush.
All I am using by way of bedding is a simple white cotton sheet. And with bare legs and slats, the cradle is a Victorian nightmare.
After reading a handful of articles and lists throughout my pregnancy, I have questions as to whether or not plush bumper pads and blankets are OK to use in the baby’s bed.
Suffocation is the issue and reading about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and all of the unknowns related to the diagnosis is enough to scare any new parent. Regulating baby’s environment – from what’s in the crib to the temperature in the room – is one thing parents can do, although there appear to be many factors at play. (Learn more about SIDS)
In a list of safe bedding practices for infants found on their Web site, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends removing “pillows, pillow-like bumper pads, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, stuffed toys and other soft products from the crib.”
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Very good site with a lot of useful information
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Dimitri of Ethiopia, St Albans
Apr. 13, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Why stop if no one stops you? Make the money, and someone else will stop people from smothering the kids.
alexa of Jefferson, WI
Jan. 26, 2008 at 11:47 AM
Once again, you’ve hit the nail on the head. I wish I had taken the time to research things so thorughly when I was expecting.
Suffocation is the leading cause of death of children under age one in VA. That’s why they preach no bumpers/animals/huge blankets/pillows, take the mobile down when they can get up on all fours in the crib (don’t want to get entangled in it), etc. It’s also another reason co-sleeping isn’t encouraged anymore (babies can’t move out of the way if you’re in their space).
Carys still doesn’t sleep with a pillow, and she’s fine with it. She’ll be 4 in March.
The big companies keep doing things the way they do them for the same reason they always do--b/c they can. Why stop if no one stops you? Make the money, and someone else will stop people from smothering the kids. Knowledge has changed things so much (mobiles are smaller, strings are practically nonexistent on bumper pads, etc.), but until the government tells the manufacturers to back off with the stuff, they don’t have to and won’t.
Which brings up another good point. You read about babies not needing powder and lotion and all of this other stuff--their skin will do what it’s supposed to do, and if it’s not, it signals a different problem. I am sure that’s a multi-billion dollar business. The money could go towards getting something that has been research-proven to help babies, like books and slings.
This is our culture.
Beth of Tappahannock
Sep. 12, 2007 at 10:41 AM
Hi Nicole - The big boys are back in school so now I get a chance to check out your blog again (yay!). My youngest is now eight months old. This “growing up” happens way too fast when it’s your third one.
Anyway, I just took out all the bumpers yesterday when I changed the sheets. It’s such a pain removing the sheets, btw. You really can’t do it w/o taking off the bumper every time. But, the main reason I did it is that little “T-Bone” has been rolling around so much, getting ready to crawl. Deep inside, I am not worried that he’ll get stuck in it, but, it makes it easier for ME to sleep at night knowing that for sure he won’t. Yes, the crib looks rather blah, now, but a recent Today Show episode showing the latest in cribs showed a colorful bedset w/o the bumper, for safety reasons.
We’re doing the right thing!
Lil
Lil of VA
Sep. 5, 2007 at 08:43 AM
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