The Best Crib Bumpers
Good crib bumpers will allow the air to flow openly in the crib to make an excellent sleeping atmosphere for your child. A breathable crib bumper will have a design that prevents the baby from getting caught into the slates without the risk of them suffocating or facings SIDS. We will review five crib bumper options that will keep your baby safe and your crib looking good.
BreathableBaby Deluxe Breathable Mesh Crib Liner
The BreathableBaby Deluxe Breathable Mesh Crib Liner is made from material that is breathable and useful. If you have worries about your baby’s legs and hands getting stuck in the crib, then the mesh option is a great choice. If your baby moves around and hits on the bumper, then you can still be assured that they will continue to breathe easily.
There are several colors to choose from to help accentuate your room design. Color choices include dark pink, light pink, white, light gray, dark gray, tan and navy. The design of the mesh is mostly white for most colors with the trim being the main color. The design allows the airflow to be good for your baby to keep them healthy.
These crib liners are very easy to install. They can fit multiple types of cribs and this includes mini cribs as well. To install, the material should be slid through a few of the slats and be tied to ensure security. The measurement of the crib liner is large enough to make the crib safer and comfortable for your baby.
Additional designs on the unit include jungle animals, chevrons, elephants, lattice, owls and whales that can match your themes in your room.
Possible Issues
If the crib is equipped with a changing table, then the liner may not fit. As your child gets older, they can find creative ways to move the liner from the crib. It is advised to use a video monitor when you are using any form of liners or a bumper in your crib.
Disney’s Secure-Me Crib Liner
This is a great option for Disney fans. The company has made mesh liners that can go along with their crib sets that have Disney themes. These are great for people who want to continue the Disney theme in their crib.
The mesh liner is composed of two different parts. The first part is the area with the design that is located at the top that will be attached to the rails of the crib. The other part is the breathable mesh that will stay close by where your baby will breathe in the crib. It offers good utility as it has good looks and functionality.
This is a four-piece set that will work with most regular and convertible type cribs. Each set will include two long and two short sections that will go around the baby crib. The longer side has a measurement of 51” x 10” and the short side section has a measurement of 27” x 10”.
These pieces are made from polyester microfiber.
Possible Issues
The bumper can only be attached to the crib using ties, which can result in your baby eventually learning how to remove them especially when they are older. The baby should be supervised while they are in a crib with any bumper.
Best Vertical Crib Bumpers
Trend Lab Waterproof CribWrap Rail Cover
If you do not want a regular crib bumper then you can consider a higher level bumper such as Trend Lab Waterproof CribWrap Rail Cover. This will not use a soft liner around the bottom of the bed but it will go right at the top of the crib. This is a great-looking option and it comes with ties to add to its appearance.
While your child can still stick their arms and legs outside of the slats, the softer material will help to make it harder for them to do so while keeping them safe. The softer material will make them pull their arms and legs back into the crib. It is also good to mention that the silky material will make it harder for older babies to pull themselves up to climb out of the bed.
For younger babies who may be rolling over they can end up with their face on the covers but since this bumper is shorter than regular bumpers they will have a better environment for breathing. This is true even if they do not move away from the slats. These slats help to keep the best airflow for your baby and make the baby able to see out of the crib when they are laying down.
Some babies will move while they are sleeping and this bumper will still create a good space for the baby so they will not hit their heads. The set comes with twenty-four slat liners to cover several crib options with some being leftover which will depend on how many slats your bed will use. The liner also utilizes ties to stay attached to the bed which may be a safer option and harder for children to remove.
Possible Issues
A few of the slats that are contained may not be perfect and may be of different sizes. The price you pay maybe a little higher than regular crib bumpers but you are sure to get better safety options when compared to regular bumpers.
Best Crib Rail Cover
AirflowBaby Essential Mesh Crib Liner
This is another option that can be considered as a safe choice, this is the AirflowBabt Essential Mesh Crib Liner. This may not work for an infant which may have them still hitting their head into the slats, they will still have maximum breathability. This will attach to the top of the crib and may work better for older babies.
The larger bumpers will measure in at 23 centimeters x 282 centimeters and they can be folded at the top of the rail of the crib. The smaller bumpers will go on the side of the cribs and they measure at 27.5” x 7”. These units will fit most regular-sized cribs.
The two sides are attached with ribbons and it is equipped with dedicated string slots. These are used to protect the baby from taking them from the crib even if they untie the strings.
The rail cover is designed from polyester that is soft and fancy. They can be washed in the machine on a gentle cycle and be tumble-dried on low. This is to prevent any warping or shrinkage.
The rail covers are made to help older children not to bite the crib rail which will leave teeth marks. This helps to preserve your crib.
Possible Issues
Some parents have reported that their child was still able to pull this off the crib. This is even with the strings that were supposed to keep it in place and keep it in place. With this in mind. The ties should be made with double knots on the outside of the crib and this should work for you.
It should also be noted that this is not a very thick pad so you may need to put some more padding at the bottom to save your baby from any hard bumps. They also come in one color so that may not be very exciting for persons who like colors and designs.
FAQ’s
Are crib bumpers safe?
Many of the crib bumpers are not considered to be safe. When you are considering buying a bumper, you should review it in detail to ensure that it has the necessary safety features for your baby and its current size.
Some issues that you may find problematic for babies:
- The best sleeping position for your baby will be one in which no soft or loose objects are in the bed. This can include things such as pillows, comforters, bumpers, bumper pads, quilts, stuffed animals or toys. At a certain age, these babies will not be able to control their reflexes and can roll into these items and may not be able to move. The bed should be kept clear for at least the first year of their lives.
- Some older babies may attempt to use the bumpers to pull themselves out of the cribs. If the crib bumper is made from mesh then it will not give the baby the ability to pull themselves up.
- When there is reduced airflow, this can increase the possibility of SIDS occurring. Cribs must adhere to some rules on how far the slats on them should be. This means that the crib bumpers will not be very essential to help the baby prevent injuries. In some cases, they can reduce the airflow which again will increase the possibility of SIDS.
If the crib bumpers are not safe, why are they still available to the public?
This is because parents still have fears that their baby will move around in the crib and can hit their head on the side of the crib. They also worry about them getting their arms and legs getting caught in the slats even though this has been reduced by government regulations on the spacing of the slats. Parents will still want to use them to prevent these issues and still to use them as additional designs to accentuate cribs.
Once my child can stand on their own, should I stop using crib bumpers?
If you are using a regular crib bumper, then it should not be used once your child starts to stand up on their own. Your child may try to get out of the crib once they are at this stage and the crib bumper may give them some support to get out easily.
Also as babies get older, they start to figure out the use of their hands and fingers. As this grows, they will attempt to until the bumpers and use them to climb out of the crib. In some instances, this can cause a strangulation or suffocation risk in the crib.