Turning Over

Hi E.. I was worried about the same thing but have you tried using a sleep positioner? It worked for me. C.

I would definitely take out the bumper. Compare the options of having him possibly get a mild bump on the head (most likely not turning hard enough to injure himself anyway), or not being able to breathe with his head smushed in the bumper. But it really shouldn't take too long for him to figure out he can just turn his head!! Good luck!

hi E.,

i am a 37-yr old 1st-time mom of a cutie-pie 13-week old girl, who has ALWAYS slept on her tummy (shame on us, "terrible" parents). i do not have medically-sound advice, but i want to encourage you that your son is likely breathing just fine! my daughter sleeps on her tummy all bunched up in the corner of her crib against the bumper. she even likes the top of her head pressed against the bumper. she is a very cuddly baby & has always felt more secure on her stomach than back. she doesn't roll over into this position...she starts that way & sleeps soundly through the night (waking twice for feedings and going right back to sleep).

although we know as parents we were supposed to sleep her on her back, we never did. she even has a pacifier in her mouth sometimes, and still breathes JUST FINE. yes, i keep a close eye on her and monitor her throughout the night...but i believe she is happy and healthy during the day because she gets such great rest at night!

hang in there!

It definatly wouldn't hurt to take the bumper off...we have ours off b/c my daughter kept pulling it off...and she is only 9 months. I think it would be fine to take it off and it would ease your mind. That may just be what is comfortable to him though...my daughter always has to have a blanket or stuffed animal up to her face (not completly covering it) but just up next to it to sleep...

I have 2 boys and my oldest son liked to snuggle with the bumper, when he was 4 or 5 mo. old. The doc told me to take it off, and I did. But then his legs kept getting caught between the bars and he would scream. Once I really had to use force to squeeze his chubby leg out. So, I put the bumper back on. I never had a problem. With my second son, I just didn't worry. He is able to turn his head if he needs to. But, I hear they have like a mesh railing guard that would keep him from getting caught and allow air through. If you are really concerned, maybe you could look into that.

Here's a link:
http://www.securebaby.com/sb50502.html

Good Luck!

Hi E.,
Take the bumper out, and any soft blankets, pillows, animals, etc. He will hit the bars of the crib, but not hard enough to hurt himself, especially if he's just rolling over in his sleep. As long as your mattress is firm and the crib meets safety standards (slats are close enough together, all new cribs should) then he is safer w/o the bumper. The SIDS foundation just set out new recommendations and they are all saying no bumper.

Good luck! I had a tummy-sleeper, too, and we removed his bumper.

SIDS group and most pediatricians would advise no bumpers, toys, etc. in the crib. Yes, he may well bang his head, but he'll soon learn not to. Since he's just rolling and not falling he won't injure himself on the bars of the crib. A bumped head is way better than suffocation!
Good luck!

My son is now 3.5 years old, but when I was pregnant, the head nurse who taught the parenting classes stressed that we should not use the bumpers because many babies sufficate. She said that the wood of the bed may not be as comfortable for them, but that they shouldn't be hurt by it. I never did use my bumper because she had me so scared.

- K.

I would remove the bumper. My daughter didn't sleep with a bumper until she was about 6 mo old and then I only put one in because she was getting her chubby thighs stuck in the slats. 18wks is still very young and you don't want to risk a suffocation problem. The slats of the crib aren't going to hurt your boy.

I have 3 children, ages 15, 4 and 3. They all had bumpers in their cribs. When my 15 year old was born, they told me to have her sleep on her stomach. When my 4 year old was born, they told me to put him on his side and when my 3 year old was born, they told me to put her on her back to sleep. Research is constantly changing and I believe you have to do what you, as his mother, feels is the right thing to do. There are so many products out there that will help you feel safer. Everyone has mentioned breathable bumpers. I never used them, but they sound great. The wedges work really well -- that way he will stay in pretty much the same position while he's sleeping until he is big enough to actually move himself around and then you won't have to worry about him not moving his head out of a corner. Good luck and TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS!!!

Yes take the bumper out~

Hi E.,

Yes, it's time to remove the bumper. He won't hurt himself if he rolls into the bars. If he were jumping up and down, that would be a different story but at this point, he's only rolling over at a slow speed. (I know everything we're very careful with everything concerning our first babies!!! I was, too!).

Actually, it's recommended to not have anything in the crib besides the blanket the baby uses, specifically to reduce the chance of suffocation--this includes stuffed animals.

Trust me, your little guy is much better off without the bumper. (My mom made a whole crib set for my son, so it was sad to remove the bumper when it became time, but I also knew it was in his best interest, so out it came.) : )

D.

E.,
According to what I read you aren't supposed to have a bumper in their crib until they are 12 mos old, so I didn't put a bumper in my daughter's crib. HOwever, she would get her feet stuck in the slats. There is a breathable bumper that allows air threw so the baby will not suffocate and still prevents them from getting stuck.. it is available at Babies R US and online. They run about $25 (i think). It works great!

When my son started turning over in the crib I was worried about the pads as well so I did remove them. He didn't get hurt rolling into the bars and most times it made him roll back over hehe. So don't worry about removing the bumper pads.

When my son started doing this we took the bumper out. There are several places that say the bumper is a safety risk anyway and don't recommend it no matter the child's age. If he is really concerned you can get a "mesh" bumper that might address both your concerns.

More often than not, we would find one of my son's limbs through the slats and we worried that he would try to move and get stuck and wake screaming. It never happened (he's 21 months and got a toddler bed last weekend) but still when we checked on him we would reposition him.

When your son gets older and can start to pull himself up, you'll want to remove the bumper anyway because they can stand on it and get that extra lift and possibly climb out of the crib.

Hi E.,

I would recommend taking out the bumpers. Recent studies have shown it's actually more risky to use them in cribs, due to the suffocation risk. He won't get injured rolling into the crib slats and will eventually learn not to hit them anymore. My 13-month old still occasionally rolls into them, but it's not a big deal. Hope this helps!

K.

Hi E.!

Motherhood is very confusing, you are not alone there! = ) I have 2 beautiful boys, 5 and 2. My oldest slept on his back until he learned to roll over. Once he learned to roll over I would still lay him down on his back but would leave him if he rolled over. My youngest was a belly sleeper very early on, maybe at 3 weeks, because he had reflux and it was painful for him to sleep on his back. Both of them smooshed their faces in the corners into their bumpers. I never took the bumper out for my oldest and it is still in with my youngest. I have never had a problem.

Good luck and congrats on your beautiful boy!

K. - sahm of 2 fabulous energetic little boys.

YES! I would recomend taking it out. My son did the same thing. If you take it out , another option you have is the "breathable bumper" they sell them at babiesrus for about 20 dollars. I bought one of theses and it calmed my nerves. Although i recently had to remove mine due to my 17 month old using it as a step to climb out of his crib.
Your dr is right they roll all over once they start. you really cant "make" them sleep one way. The best thing to do is let them naturally do what makes them comfortable. But if you have one of those really nice cute bumpers thats quite thick, i would remove it. If you leave it bare, yeah he may roll into the bars or his arm or leg might go through but its better than his face smooshed against the bumper where he may not be able to breath. . thats how i looked at it while ours was bare. Hope this gives you another option...

At Babies R Us, I believe, they sell breathable bumpers, so it wouldn't matter if his face was against it. Unfortunately, it just makes it so he can breathe and not get his limbs stuck between the slats, but is not as padded at the crib bumper you have. Good luck!

I am pregnant with my first child and I've been looking into bedding for when our baby arrives. I've read over and over again that bumpers have been proven unsafe. This is one of many links that talks about the risks outweighing the benefits:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070918165353...

With all the scientific data, I'd remove those bumper pads if I were you.

hey girl it is actually recomended that along with lieing our baby's on there backs to sleep so as to reduse the risk of sids we also take out the bumpers. they are realy cute to look at but they do pose suffocation dangers.i would take it out.your baby isnt doing any crazy acrobatics at this point that he should hurt himself by rolling next to the crib bars.i would just take it out,and not use one at all for consectutive kids. good luck.

Hi, E.. I agree with everyone. Take out the bumper. However, if you are worried about your little one getting a foot or leg stuck in a few months when he gets even more active (my son's leg got stuck on occasion), I had a friend recommend a mesh (i.e. breathable) bumper. You can find them online at Target and ToysRUs.

Good luck!

M.

Hi E.!

As first-time parents, my husband and I had the same fear, smothering vs arms and legs getting caught between the rails. Fortunately, there is a solution - a product called the "breathable bumper." It looks like strong mesh, and it is easy to breathe through - we tried it out of curiosity! We bought ours about six months ago through Target.com.

Works like a charm!
Good luck!
D.

Hi E. - I am the mother of three kids (6, 4, and almost 2). All my kids rolled over in the crib and slept on their stomachs early. He is probably old enough to figure out what is more comfortable for him. I did remove the bumber from the crib about this time. I thought he would get hurt, but I realized that I slept better knowing that the bumper was gone. My kids were also big, so getting rid of the bumper gave them a little more space at night! Good luck.

I would take the bumper out, it is really only for decorative purposes. If he rolls over and hits against the crib rails, he really won't injure himself.

My daughter is older, 7.5 months, and we have never had a bumper in her crib. All the current books say not to have a bumper or pillows or stuffed animals etc.. in the crib so that's what we did. I would definately say take the bumber out. Better to be too careful in this situation. Good luck!

Take out the bumper!!! For SIDS reasons, it is not safe to have a conventional bumper in a crib. I don't even know why they sell these anymore (I have 15-month old twins so I have two bumpers that came with our bedding set that have never been used, such a waste of money). The only kind of bumper that is safe are the "breathable" bumpers, that are made of mesh. As for your husband's concerns about him hitting the slats of the crib, I'm pretty sure your child isn't rolling over with a lot of momentum and therefore won't be banging into the side of the crib. If he is a more forceful roller, I would recommend the breathable bumper.
Go to www.sids.org if you are looking for more information.

Hi E.,
My daughter did the same thing, so I took the bumper off and I was so worried she would get her leg or arm stuck between the rails, but she never did. My daughter always sleep on her belly, so that never worried me. I never put the bumper back on, because to be honest I learned changing her crib was easier not having to deal with that thing. Hope I helped.

I was nervous too once my son learned how to roll and and would lie on his stomach. I personally would take the bumper out. One it could be a choking risk and 2 if he is active once he learns to stand up or pull himself up he can stand on the bumper and fall out of the crib. And I wouldn't worry about him hitting the bars at their age they couldn't hit it hard enough to do any damage. I would keep anything out of their crib including pillows, stuffed toys and extra thick blankets when they are sleeping. Good luck.

You probably have already done this after reading the reponses - but take the bumper out! I've had three children and removed the bumper very early on. My 3rd now sleeps with her back against those uncomfortable bars, but she is sleeping. You are oding a great job at being a mom! What a smart boy for already rolling over and finding a comfy way to sleep on his on.

I just saw in a magazine mesh bumbers, so that it protects the babies from the bars, but is mesh so they can breath if they roll into it. I never tried them, but they looked good. We never used bumbers at all, and our little guy never hurt himself. I can't remember the name of the magazine I saw the mesh bumpers, but I'm sure if you googled 'mesh crib bumpers' you will find them.

E.,
It is my understanding that you should not use bumpers becasue of the SIDS risk. Them getting caught in it and being unable to get out. If your son moves around so much I would take them out. He will not get his head stuck as long as the crib is new and has passed all safety standards. We took ours out as soon as Kennedy went from the bassinet to her crib. Occassionally, she sticks her arm out and can not figure out how to get it back in but then she cries and we fix her. Thge way I look at it a bumped head or even a stuck limb, which they really are not stuck tight, they can just not figure out how to pull it back in the crib is a lot better than being smothered by the bumper.
Best of luck,
H.
Mom to Kennedy 7 months and Katie 5 years old

Have you tried using a sleep positioner? If that doesn't sound appealing, I would remove the bumper. Sure, you may have to get up to fish some stray limbs out from between the bars occasionally, but if you are worried about his breathing you will never get a good night's sleep!

Hi E.!
Good news, easy solution!! My son did the same thing, when he was 4 months old I finally found out that they sell "safety bumpers" at a lot of baby shops. It's a mesh that they can breathe through, but it still softens the blow of the crib bars and in our case solves the problem of him sticking his arms and legs out. I bought mine for $30 at "Great Beginnings" it's on 355 in Gaithersburg. I even doubled it and smooshed my face in it. I could still breathe perfectly. Here's a link... good luck!! http://www.greatbeginningsonline.com/store/item.asp?DEPAR...

I would take the bumper out immediately! I never even used one with my second child. They get used to it. My pediatrician does not believe in bumpers at all -- feels they are dangerous and sees no need for them. If your child is a rookie roller then it is possible that they could get stuck. I would not take any chances.

With both of my daughters, my pediatricians both (my older daughter was born in a different area and so, had a different pediatrician when she was born) told me to not even bother putting the bumper on the crib. They both felt that the risk of the child smothering in the bumper far outweighed the benefit of cushioning any rolls into the side of the crib. So, neither of my girls had a bumper in their crib - and I never noticed any bruises from rolling into the side of the crib. And even if they did, I would prefer the bruises over suffocation any day! Hope this helps!

Hi E.. There are a couple of things you can do. At Babies R Us, you can buy something called a positioner, which is basically a sturdy pillow which helps to prevent babies from rolling over in their sleep. Also, you can get a breathable bumper from Babies R Us as well. Its like mesh, so if your baby lands his face on it...it won't block his airway. Both are relatively cheap. Check it out.

I'm a mother of 8 and a grandmother of 7. One of my daughters has a little girl who just turned 2 in December. She was having the same problem when her daughter was an infant and got one of baby sleep positioners that keeps the baby lying on their back when they are sleeping. If you go to Great Baby Products (http://www.greatbabyproducts.com/Bedding_s/143.htm), they have them for $8.95. I've used this site before with no problems. Good luck to you and your family.

We experienced the same things when our little boy was only a few months old. You can try one of 2 things: either buy one of the "wedges" that holds him in place while sleeping or you can search online for "breathable bumper pads." We opted for the breathable bumper pads which are WONDERFUL!! They are not as thick and plush as standard bumper pads but when our son would roll over and smash his face against them we didn't have to worry that he was not getting enough air! He is almost 2 and we still have them on his crib because he likes to ball himself up in the corner and we worry about his hands and feet sticking out of the rails!! Good luck with your little one... hope this information helps! :)

E.,
We had the same problem with my daughter. I also was worried that if we took out the bumper she would hurt her head. We finally decided to take out the bumper anyway and she was fine. That was better than always worrying that she wouldn't be able to breath.

Good luck!

Take the bumpers off and let him GO!!!He's a fast learner!!!,'
If he bumps his head at least he'll know to turn over as opposed to being something soft and staying there

My pediatrician is a firm believer that the only thing in the crib should be the baby. I have 4 boys 6,4,2 and 7 months, all have done fine without bumpers. P.

I think you should take the bumper off. I don't think he will hurt himself with out it but it is definetly dangerous to leave it on if he is rolling over into it. If it was me I would rather a him roll over & hit the bars than roll over & suffocate

I believe the majority have already said, take them out, and I am just concurring with them. One of the first things the hospital and my pediatrician said to me was not have them in the crib. They went on to say how they can't believe they are still sold and are only a things to be used for looks before the baby is brought home. They should not be used in the crib with the baby for potential suffocation reasons as you are already scared of. A little bruise if they hit the side too hard on accident will go away but suffocating can be deadly. Be safe and take them out.

Good Morning

I am a mother of 3 girls and two of the 3 did the exact same thing at a much earlier age. They were rolling on to their tummies at aprox 3 months. Yes it made me nervous, especially since I am a social worker and has studied the effects of sids and infant mortality. However nothin I did stoped them from doing this. My first child always slept w/ her face in the bumpper and when I took it off she started wrapping herself in a blanket (including her head)so I put the bumper back on and moved it up so that there was some space.

However here is another alternative to taking it off.

-One Step Ahead makes breathable bumpers for about $25, which is what I did for my last 2 children, since this seemed to be a patteren whith my children.

I hope this helps

Hi!

It is probably safer to remove the bumper. I have two boys ages 3 and 18 months. Neither slept with bumpers. BabiesRUS sells a "breathable" bumper (it is kind of a mesh material). If you feel more comfortable using a bumper.

Yes I would take the bumper out. My daughter started turning over as well and we took the bumper out and she has not bumped her head on the crib yet. Sometimes she will sleep with her head touching the bars but it doesn't seem to bother her in anyway. If you still feel like he needs something in the crib they do make mesh bumpers, although I don't think that they would make much of a difference with him bumping his head becuase they are so thin, but it will prevent his arms and legs from going through the bars.

My son loved to do the same thing -- he loved to sleep with his face against the bumper, or with a blanket near his face. I didn't take the bumper out, but I started using a sleep positioner -- just until I knew he could roll back over again. I kept the bumper in b/c I came in one time and his little leg was stuck through the bars and twisted funny -- I was horrified. Once I put him in the sleep positioner I felt better. I also gave him a small blanket to sleep with. The blanket he slept with was crocheted by my MIL, so it was "breathable" if you know what I mean. He loved to have it over his little face when he slept.

The rolling over phase only lasted a week or so, and then he was back to sleeping on his back again. If you want to keep the bumper, and you are nervous, I would go with the breathable bumpers that everyone suggested.

JMO!

My son did the same thing at that age. And he still to this day (he's almost 11 months old) will find his way to the bumper or the corner of the crib and shove his little face against the bumper. The only thing I can think of is that it's some kind of comfort for him to have something touching his face or against his head. If you're really worried about him, I would take the bumper off for a bit until he's bigger and can move around even more.... or you could get one of the breathable bumpers they make now that allow air to flow through the bumper. If you search on babiesrus.com for breathable baby padded mesh crib bumper you will find one on there. That might be a good alternative for a few months till he learns to turn his head to the side, or scoot around a bit.

Take the bumper out. Most pediatricians recommend not using one at all anymore. Just me, they won't hurt themselves on the bars of the crib. If it does start to cause mild discomfort, they'll cry and you'll know, but I've never heard of that. Sorry, I know the bumpers are cute, but a safety concern is not worth aesthetics.

I would go with your concern about getting enough air, E.. There is so much concern about SIDS, that it is better to be safe than sorry! You would be taking the bumper out soon anyway, because it becomes a different sort of hazard when he starts pulling up and trying to climb out. Take it out now and you will both sleep easier at night (if rolling into the bars at night causes any distress, at least you know he's breathing!).

I am the mother of a 18 month old. Prior to giving birth all the books I read (which were many) stated you should not use a bumper pad in the crib. One is for the reason you stated and the other is for when your child can start standing by himself it gives him something to climb on to help get out of the crib. If he hits his head on the crib, he will be fine. My son never had a problem with not having a bumper pad.

I have 3 kids and each one did the same exact thing. I took the bumper guards out and they did just fine. Even when they hit the rail - it didn't leave a mark. They would wake up sometimes a cry a little, but go right back to sleep.

Take the bumper out, they are mainly for decoration and none of us had bumpers. They are more hazardous then helpful. If your baby is rolling over he is ready to.

Take the bumper pad off now! Don't take any chances at all. It's better that he bumps his head on the crib than suffocate in the bumper. Besides, he'll probably never even notice it, only you. He'll be fine, and safe.

I am a mom of 4 take out the bumper!!!!! a slight chance of a bump/bruise on the face is MUCH better than the other what if. also babies do ok on hard floors without much problems.

Take the bumper out TODAY! An 18-month old is probably strong enough to move his face out of a smooshy, potentially dangerous plsce, but could you live w/ yourself if he got trapped and something happened? It's not gonna hurt him to have his face against crib rails (if it bothers him, it'll be because he's awake and he'll move away from them; if he's asleep against the bars, it won't matter to him!) Kids sleep in the strangest positions and places anyway, but you MUST make sure it's safe. I always hated bumper pads after my kids could roll over. Scary thought. Better safe than sorry.

I think you should take the bumper out! It is likely that your son will move if the crib bars are hurting him. And, better to have a little bruise than to suffocate in the bumper!

Good luck!

Hi E.,
http://www.securebaby.com/crib_shields_all.html
It may let you sleep easier. There are different ones out there. This is just the first one I found.

hi there!
i stressed myself out about this also! my son is 10 months and at about the same age as your little one, he started doing the same thing. he would roll over on his stomach and my husband and i would sneak in his room and roll him over...just so he could roll right back on his stomach. he also sleeps with his head wedged in to the bumber. it's completely fine! my pediatrician reassured me by saying that if a baby is having trouble breathing, he will wake up and change positions. he won't just lie there and suffocate. and regardless of what you do, he will go right back to whatever position is most comfortable for him. try not to stress. we recently took out our bumpers just to put them back in a week later because he was sleeping with his head smashed against the bars. but honestly, i think it bothered us more than it did him. they will move if they're uncomfortable or can't breathe...hope this is reassuring to you!

Remove the bumper. Same thing happened with my baby girl. And my husband and I had the same concerns, but in the end we would rather her bump her head on the bars then suffocate in the bumper. She has done fine without the bumper.

Hello E.,
You may want to research this much. I heard a while back that there was some serious SIBS concern over "Bumpers" in cribs. You may want to check to see what was said. I think they are trying to get rid of them all together. HOWEVER, I must stress that you need to research it first. My "Baby" is 17 years old so I did not focus in on the report. :(

have you heard of "breatheable" bumpers? i haven't tried them, but my friend recommends them. they are made of mesh, so even if your son puts his face near it, he;d still be able to breathe. good luck!

I would remove the bumper. There would be less of a chance that he would roll over hard enough to hurt his head.

Hi E., I am the mother of 4... Ages 22,20,18 and 11 so I have some crib experience! take the bumber out. peace of mind outweighs a little bumb to the head. You will be surprised just how tough babies are. When they fall, or bumb their heads, our reaction will dictate just how much it really hurt! If he is rolling over, he will start scooting, and crawling so on and the bumber doesn't help anymore at that point. Just something else for him to pull over his head. As my Grandmother told me, the crib is for sleeping so get all of that junk out of his bed!Take him out the crib to play. this will also help him understand playtime, sleepytime, ect.... The earlier you teach them, the better. Oh yeah... You are a young mother, but you were born with a gift of tuition. If you have a thought to take it out, follow your gut... The more you follow it , the louder it gets! Good Luck

I would take out the bumper. The theory that I have heard is that it is better to have a arm or leg stuck in the bars than to have a baby not be able to breathe due to the bumper.

I would suggest that you remove the bumper as I found my grandson with his head under the bumper it was on his throat and it was choking him and it was so scary, we got rid of it immediatly. Bumping against the bars usually won't hurt them.

Hi E.,

You should take the bumper out. It is more dangerous with it in then out.

Take out the bumpers and let him roll onto his stomach. Bumpers are a safety hazard anyway, particularly when the baby can start to pull themself up. My baby had serious colic and the only way she would sleep after 6 weeks was on her stomach, she was fine!! good luck

Hey E. -- congrats on your baby! My last baby turns 5 today. Life is fleeting.

I had the same issue with one of my kids and ended up removing the bumper. It's overrated anyway. You can always put it back in later when he is moving himself around better. But there have been discussions about removing the bumper for this reason - the little ones get themselves too close and cut off their air. He wouldn't hit the bars hard enough to hurt himself anyway.

Good luck!

J.
www.juliamacinnisphotography.com

He should be fine if he is rolling over.
our son sleeps on his stomach and he has been since he was about 3 mths. I would take the bumper pads out. We dont have any in our crib and he does just fine. I would rather him hit the rail then to get stuck with the bumper pads
hope this helps

My opinion would be to either take the bumper out. He's not slamming into the rails. (my only thing is on that salution is it seems uncomfortable to have you legs and arms out the rails., which they end up doing. Or lay him no his belly to begin with. If he turns over than he's on his back.
But either way he's in danger. He's old enough now that if he's having trouble breathing he will turn his head or turn back over. He's old enough now to know "This is hard breathing"
Good luck

I would take out the bumper pads...The American Academy of Pediatrics website recommends taking them out once the infant can roll over to reduce the risk of SIDS...the risks definitely outweigh the benefits...a little bump on the head from hitting the rails is nothing compared to the risk bumper pads create...there are some sites that say if the bumper pad is firm, secure, and not soft and pillow like, it is probably okay, but there have been several SIDS deaths related to bumper pads.

I would definitely take the bumpers out. The bars are not going to hurt him, but if he gets caught between the matress and bumper he could sufficate. I used bumpers with my first baby but took them out when he started rolling and moving in bed. I didn't use bumpers at all with my next baby and never had any issues with him getting hurt on the bars.

I co-sleep with my littles, but I believe the most recent information says that bumper pads should not be used in cribs. I'll look for some info links for you.

Hi E.. It sounds like taking the bumper out will be the safest thing to do. At that age your baby really can't hit the side of the crib with enough force to really hurt himself but it sounds like he can get into trouble with his face in the bumper. It's true that once they can roll you can't do much about how they end up sleeping but you can make it as safe of a sleeping environment as possible (no bumpers, stuffed animals, blankets, or pillows)

Sounds like you're going to have your hands full with a fast mover! Have fun!
Amy

Admittedly my son was always sleeping in the bumpers and he's still fine and is two now. When we had our daughter my husband had me move the bumpers to her crib and my son no longer had bumpers he still sleeps at the rim and he's fine. I did worry about the comfort level, but he's fine.

Recently I read about bumpers causing infants deaths, which was a real surprise to me. I suggest take the bumper off if your concerned about his breathing,if he's not comfortable he'll change his position.

you can take the bumper out, it is not needed, its mostly just for us moms who want to make the crib look pretty....but i would just keep an eye on him and he needs to have the time to be able to pull up and look himself, that is how his muscles develope....try using no fluff blankets and sheets, or wrap a rolled blanket around his chest and let him go, it will help him to look up and try to get up on his own. Hope this helps.
he is still young so i would just give him about 30 min at a time on the floor by himself, but do it about every 2 hours, so he gets his time, also if you sit somewhere and then put him on your legs with his head facing out, if his head goes down, he will only be looking at the floor and his face won't be stiffed in blankets or the floor.

You need to remove the bumper. My children are now 11, 9, & 7. They never had a bumper once they started rolling and they never hurt themselves. It comes down to would you rather he bump is head on the side or not be able to breathe at night. That's the bottom line.

E.,

You can buy breathable bumpers that are a lot thinner than the regular bumpers and have holes to let air pass through (I think Buy Buy Baby sells them). He may still bump his head a little but it will prevent him from getting an arm or leg caught in the crib. Since he's not moving around so much yet, I doubt that the bumps will be anything significant. If he were able to move around more, then my theory is that he would probably move if he wasn't able to get enough air. Hope that helps!

Hello,

I read your question about the bumpers and I suggest taking them out. My son never had bumpers in his crib and yes he did bump his head a couple of times but it was nothing serious. It would just wake him up for a min. but then he would fall right back asleep. I was worried about it at first but its really no big deal. The funny part about not having the bumpers is going to check on my son and seeing his little feet sticking out of the bars. They are just so kissable :-) Good luck with your decision!!

If you're concerned about him suffocating in the night because of the bumpers, remove them. The baby will not hit his head hard enough for it to cause any damage if he happens to hit his head. We had them on our boys cribs when they were babies, but more and more reports are coming out to not use them. And to be honest, if I were to do it again, I'd simply not use them. I don't think they do much more than add to the decore of the crib and aren't truly necessary.

Don't worry, just take them out.
Good luck

I would take the bumpers out if he gets stuck in the corner only because, until he is really good at rolling over I would worry that he would not be able to breathe. yes, he could bump his head on the bars but I would rahter risk a small bump than my child suffocating

The only thing my daughters ever had in their crib was a sheet covering the mattress. Sometimes they would stick their legs or arms through the railings in the middle of the night but they never got upset about it. They never bumped their heads. Sometimes their head would lean against the railing of the crib and they would have a little indent in their skin from the design carved into the railing but not a bump of any kind. I think it wqould be ok to remove the bumper. Good Luck!!

Hi E.,

I had same concerns when my son did the same thing around that age. I mentioned it to the nurse at the pediatrician's office and she said to definitely remove the bumper. Even if he rolls in the side of the crib or sticks an arm or leg through, he can cry and let you know. If he can't breathe, he can't let you know. I think it's time to take the bumper out. Best of luck to you!

Have you tried rolling up a receiving blanket at putting it right up against his back when he sleeps? This should help prevent him from rolling over onto his stomach, especially since he has yet to realize he has to turn his head. Another thing would be to give him a pacifier at night, so when he rolls on his stomach he has to turn his head because the pacifier would make it uncomfortable for him to sleep on his stomach. I’ve tried both methods with both of my kids and they have worked. But, you can always just remove the bumper. He should be fine without a bumper in his crib.

Take the bumper out. Hitting the bars isn't going to hurt him, he'd have to really bang them. The biggest thing may be if he gets an arm stuck outside of the bars, but it's better than having his face smushed in the bumper.

Hi, E.,

Crib bumpers really are not necessary to prevent injury and can present serious hazards to babies. Most medical resources recommend against using them (even though they're cute) because of the risk of SIDS. I would take it out of the crib. The other issue is that when your son is big enough, he can use it to climb on and get stuck or get over the side of the crib.

If he can roll over onto his tummy and then back onto his back, it's fine to leave him on his tummy. If he can't roll back yet, though, I think you should flip him onto his back.

All the best,

P.

yes take the bumper out. if you want something there maybe get the mesh bumpers to keep arms and legs from geting caught in the bars. another idea is to get a sleep positioner.

I got a breathable bumper for my daughter and it has worked well (she is 2 years old now) and will move it my son's crib when he starts rolling over.

http://www.onestepahead.com/product/osa/352762.html

best,
Marcy

I would take the bumper out. Have you talked to your pediatrician about the issue with the bumper? I would go to him first and also look up some info on the internet. I feel like I've read somewhere that now they say don't put the bumper in at all.

Take out the bumper. They are no longer recommended at all due to the incidence of SIDS. Hitting the bars while he's rolling over will not harm his head..

I'm glad you asked this question early on.

We struggled w/ that too but decided to go with taking the bumpers out (we would rather him bump his head than suffocate). I know it is scary. Maybe lay a knitted blanket on the sides to protect his little head (those have holes so they can breathe...it's the only kind I would use for my baby since I was always scared of him suffocating).

Do what gives you peace of mind. Congrats on your baby boy!

Take the bumper pad out. They are now saying that the bumper pads are more of a risk than protection. Or get a mesh breathable pad. Make sure the slots on the crib are safe in distance that he cant get his head stuck in and he will be fine.

We took the bumper out when our son started rolling over, so I definitely recommend taking the bumper out for now. Even if he "hits" the bars, he probably won't hit it hard, just roll or lean into them. My thought is better for him to be a little uncomfortable or have a little bump/bruise then to get caught against the bumper where he can't breath.

Hello, E.:
I would definitely take the bumpers out. For safety, the best crib is the most stark of all...no bumpers, toys, or stuffed animals. I did this with my two boys, and they were fine. He won't hurt himself without the bumpers, and it takes away the worry regarding his breathing. Good luck!

If your baby is consistently rolling into it, I think the best bet is to remove the bumper. We were told not to have a bumper in our crib anyway, due to a number of reasons: the risk of SIDS (due to the reduction of air circulation around the baby) suffocation, or entanglement.
Another option (which is probably "controversial," given all the SIDS warnings), but if your baby consistently rolls over every night, that simply might be his most comfortable sleeping position... and you might just want to put him to bed that way to start with. Then he won't need to roll anywhere, because he'll already be in his preferred position.

Take the bumper out. It isn't really necessary and some doctors recommend you not use them at all. Hitting the crib bars when he rolls over won't really hurt him. He probably won't suffocate in the bumper either but that is more of a risk then a little bruise that is unlikely from rolling into the bars. So just take the bumper out, and make sure that the mattress is tight in the crib so he can't get stuck in between it and the bars and you are good to go.

If you're really worried about him suffocating on the padded bumper, get a breathable one. They have them relatively cheap at Babies R Us. Letting him roll is good for his development. Just make sure he's in a safe environment.

Definitely get rid of the bumpers. He may bump his head and cry occasionnally but no worries of lack of air. Just be sure the bars of crib are close enough that they are safe. A.

Calm down. Remove the bumper, all will be well. He will still smoosh his face on parts of the crib. Good Luck and Relax just keep checking on him.

Instinct and parental intuition works well.

Sleep tight.

I would say don't remove the bumper. We tried it with our son and one morning he awoke screaming because he had rolled and rolled through the night and ended with one of his arm going through the bars. At that point he couldn't figure out how to get it out. Now that he is a little older (almost 1), he'll sometimes sleep with his legs through the bars because he likes it!

Take the bumper out!

take the bumper out...tapping into the bars of the crib is way less of a concern than getting enough air. good luck!!

I have never used bumpers for my 2 children because I always understood it was associated with SIDS, like blakets and toys in the crib. I can't imagine a baby being injured by lying against the bars, other than some red marks in the morning! If you want a middle-ground, you might consider using a mesh bumper that allows air to move through but gives a little bit of support from having his nose pressed up to the bars. I don't know if these are trully safer than regular bumpers, but stores sell them for this very issue.