crib bumper pads and SIDS

[piegirl]

So my Bf and I have spent most nights over the last going to our prenatal class.

 

In all of the classes that we took it mentioned to the class that the American Association of Pediatrics is recommening that crib bumper pads not be used in cribs. In fact they are actually telling you that nothing should be placed in the crib other than your baby and a light blanket.

 

So me and Bf like most other expecting parents have already spent the money on the crib set that includes a bumper pad. The bumper pad makes the crib look like such a cozy warm place to put baby. With out it looks cold and bare.

 

I know that safery is much more important than looks, that is why we are talking about taking it out of the crib. However, how much harm can it do to a newborn infant thay do not move that much on thier own until they are few months older and then maybe it will be hazard. However as we talked about just leaving it in the crib we also talked about the what if our child did end up with SIDS, and we left the bumper pad in the crib, how would we live with the guilt and the always wondering if it was our fault that we lost a child in such a way.

 

 

So any one heard of this? I looked it up on the American Association of Pediatrics website as well as a few other websites and while they cannot say that a crib bumper pad has ever cause a SIDS death they believe that have no suffocation possibilities in the crib is the safest way for a baby to sleep.

 

Just FYI for those of you who are expecting, and also anyone's opinion on the topic.

[redrose85]

From what I know from my child development course, most of the bedding shouldn't even be used. Up to 3 mos, just a warm blanket and a secure mattress cover should be used. No pillows, no bumpers, no stray stuffed animals, and baby should always sleep on his/her back.

[blindreepr]

I am currently attending courses to become a Respiratory Therapist and in my peds/neonates class they did mention that bumper pads as being a possible cause of SIDS. Better safe than sorry I always say

[Hope75]

I am a nurse and we were taught the same thing in nursing school- no pillows, bumpers, pads or stuffed animals, only a crib sheet, light blanket and the baby should always sleep on their back.

 

Should they roll they could roll into the bumper and not be able to move away and suffocate themselves.

 

I think you are right when you say safety is more important than looks.

 

Congratulations!

 

When are you due?

[Mythical_Suicide]

You can always keep the bumper pad out until the child is older and can roll away from it if he/she should happen to get into it. Thats what I did with my son. You can also get a mesh bumper pad if you want to put something between the baby and the crib, I had to resort to that because my son slept up against his crib rails and it just looked too uncomfortable for him.

[sharsachan]

Might i ask why the baby is supposed to sleep on their back? I remember when my brother was a baby he always always always slept on his stomach, and my mother says I was the same when I was a baby. What is the risk?

[AwdreeHpburn]

I looked it up on the American Association of Pediatrics website as well as a few other websites and while they cannot say that a crib bumper pad has ever cause a SIDS death they believe that have no suffocation possibilities in the crib is the safest way for a baby to sleep.

 

Guess you just have to weigh the risks. Is your baby's life worth the gamble? Is that a chance you're willing to take? You're the parent....

[rocio]

Might i ask why the baby is supposed to sleep on their back? I remember when my brother was a baby he always always always slept on his stomach, and my mother says I was the same when I was a baby. What is the risk?

 

SIDS happens when the baby basically forgets to breath. They get into a deep state of sleep and if they have something blocking their air passage, they can think they're back in the womb. So instead of waking up to change positions, they just stop breathing.

 

However, I don't think it's bad to put babies on their back sometimes. It's good for digestion.

 

In most countries around the world, babies have normally been put on their backs. It was only western doctors that suddenly decided they should be on their fronts a few decades ago. Now they've realised that the rest of humankind was right all along. However, in most countries they also put babies on their fronts every once in a while, especially after having a big meal. If our baby feels most comfortable sleeping on her belly, we don't stop her. We just keep a close eye on her.

[Hope75]

There have been theories on what position is more risky for a baby to succumb to SIDS and I too remember when babies where all supposed to sleep on their stomachs. My sister is 20 and when she was a baby it was all sleeping on their stomachs.

 

Apparently the latest theory is that an infant sleeping on their stomach may turn their face into the mattress and not be able to move it out as they have very weak neck muscles for the first few months so the risk of suffocation is increased.

 

So, the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends the catch phrase "Back to Sleep" for all newborns and infants.

 

link removed

 

It was thirteen years ago that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released its first policy statement on reducing the risk of SIDS. The statement recommended that all healthy infants be placed on their backs to sleep in order to reduce the risks of SIDS. Shortly thereafter, the NICHD joined with the AAP, the SIDS Alliance (now First Candle/ SIDS Alliance), the Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs, and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of HRSA to launch the Back to Sleep campaign to help inform all parents and infant care givers about the importance of back sleeping. Since then, the percentage of infants placed on their backs to sleep has increased dramatically, and the rates of SIDS have declined by more than 50 percent.

[Mythical_Suicide]

There is so many right and wrong ways and things to do when you have a child.. you just have to follow your gut instinct and do what you feel is best for your child.

 

My son slept on his stomach from the time he was born , he was a reflux baby and I was so paranoid about him getting strangled in his vomit if he slept on his back so I let him be but he was also turning over very early on and could lift his head up at birth and they say once they can turn themselves and lift their heads, they're ok...

 

 

As far as SIDS is concerned there is still so many unknown things about it that it's scary. There are even things that suggest it has nothing to do with anything in the babies crib or whatever but instead something to do with the underdeveloped brain function/nervous system (I can't remember the whole detail nor can I find anything on it at this time) but it was a big discussion going on when I was pregnant that really made me think.

[redrose85]

if it makes you feel better, after 3 months, the risk is significantly lowered. Do you or your partner smoke?

[piegirl]

I guess that this was common knowledge about the crib bumper pad. I never heard it before. We bought the books checked out all the items we purchased for past recalls and safety ratings. Everything that we own for the baby from the crib to the bouncy seat has been checked and double checked to be sure that it meets or exceeds safety standards and the brand is a reputable brand that does not have a history of recall problems.

 

As much as we have tried to ensure that we are thinking of the safety of our child prior to birth nothing ever mentioned that something as simple as crib bumper pad could be a potential hazard to our child's life.

 

We will not use the bumper pad due to the recommendation. I am just shocked that until these classes no one or nothing we read directed us not use the bumper pad. We of course did not check out bedding as a safety issue thinking or course that bedding was bedding and had to be safe as long it was snug fitting.

[southerngirl]

NO its not so common knowledge all my kids have had bumper pads..

 

I went and removed my daughters last night....

 

Sure shes 11 months old but this thread had me paranoid about it.

[rocio]

NO its not so common knowledge all my kids have had bumper pads..

 

I went and removed my daughters last night....

 

Sure shes 11 months old but this thread had me paranoid about it.

 

If it were common knowledge, then there wouldn't be a market for them and they wouldn't be sold in all the stores.

 

You expect that when you purchase something, it's going to be safe and kinda make sense. So few things do, especially in the baby isle. I get the feeling that the guys who make this baby stuff have never been in the same room as a baby.

[southerngirl]

Every crib set I have ever bought came with one. I mean why even sell the dang things if its a health risk..

 

But I got to thinking about her getting strangled by it.... Geez I would want to die...

 

So its outa there now.

[BellaDonna]

My son slept on his stomach from the time he was born , he was a reflux baby and I was so paranoid about him getting strangled in his vomit if he slept on his back so I let him be but he was also turning over very early on and could lift his head up at birth and they say once they can turn themselves and lift their heads, they're ok...

 

I do the same.

 

My son has reflux as well and will only sleep on his stomach. It is advised that all babies are put on their backs, unless there is a medical reason to indicate otherwise. When it comes to reflux/GERD the Amercian Academy of Pediatrics has basically said that it's fine to let reflux babies sleep on their tummies. They choke on their own vomit otherwise and are very uncomfortable on their backs in general. It's on their website here: link removed

 

As for the crib bumper- I did not use mine until my son was 3 months old. At 3 months, he began creeping (almost crawling) and he would end up moving to the other end of the crib, with his head pressed against the bars of the crib, crying. Aside from the annoyance of having him wake up out of a deep sleep for no good reason the final straw for me was when he got a bruise from it. So I hesitantly put the crib bumper on- and he has been doing fine with it- but he has FULL head control and can move himself pretty well. If his face/nose were to come in contact with the crib bumper, he can easily turn his head to the other side.

 

They do make "breathable crib bumpers" as well: link removed

 

As for blankets- I do not use any loose blankets- since my son moves so much and has a tendency to like to rub blankets on his face, I put him in "blanket sleepers" instead so that he can't pull anything over his head: link removed