Baby Crib Bumper Pads -- Are They Even Necessary Now

Crib bumper pads are incredibly popular product and found in almost every single baby bedding set sold today.  Parents obviously use these bumpers to keep their child safe. 

Did you know that a lot of well-respected child safety organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Consumer Products Safety Commission among others are now saying that parents should consider removing the baby crib bumper pads from their babies cribs.

Why...?

Well, the crib bumpers pose an increased risk of suffocation, they say, just like other soft bedding like pillows, quilts, blankets or other similar items placed in the crib. It's possible that these pads could hamper the babies breathing if the baby got too close and was unable to move himself away. 

The reduced availability of fresh air in the crib is also a concern, they observe.  It's thought that the re-breathing of stale air may be one contributing factor to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS.

So now what do parents do...?

The whole reason why baby crib bumpers were invented in the first place was to keep the baby's head and arms safely inside of the crib and prevent their heads from getting caught between the slats.  But with newer crib design guidelines, the slats are suppose to be close enough to prevent this from happening in the first place.

Since it's the ultimate decision of the parent, it should of course, be up to them to decide how to proceed in the interest of their child's safety.  For those parents that feel like they need to continue using bumper pads and their babies cribs, I know that there are new types of mesh crib bumpers that allow the air to circulate freely through the crib.

Some baby bedding companies are now even offering mesh that covers the entire sides of the crib, making sure the baby will stay inside safe and snug, while at the same time guaranteeing that fresh air circulates through the entire crib itself.

Sounds like the perfect solution for everyone I would say.