Conference moira::parenting_v3

    IMO, bumper pads shouldn't be removed from the crib until the child is
    old enough to go into a regular bed.  I feel this way because my son
    moves all the time while sleeping and I don't want him to hit his poor
    head on the sides of the crib, which only makes since.  Everyone else
    that I know has left them on until the remove the child from the crib
    to a bed.
    
    This is only my opinion.  But I think its a good one.
    
    
    Liz

    
    Sue:
    
    JA (at 10 months) not only stands on her bumper pads, but she pulls on
    them until the ties tear off (bow is on the crib railing and she's
    chewing on the pad!).  I swore I was going to remove the pads  (was
    getting tired of restitching the ties!), but then I think -- I can't
    recall ever seeing JA sound asleep, NICELY positioned in the center of
    the crib!  She's ALWAYS plastered against the bumper pads and every now
    and then we still hear her roll over and hit her head against the
    railings (and then thank goodness the pads are still there to buffer
    the blow).
    
    Most parents say "when they start standing up in the crib and
    ultimately standing on the pads".  Some say they remove them to avoid
    entanglement (when the kid starts getting mobile).  For us, we'll
    probably keep the pads a bit longer and hope she starts settling down
    during her ZZZZ'ing ... OR someday when she rips ALL the ties off in
    one sitting!
    
    My 2 cents worth.
    
    Dottie
                

I can't really think of a good reason for removing them, but I can think of 
reasons not to remove them, as mentioned in .1 and .2.   I also think that 
there is a better reason for having them.  The baby can easily get their arms 
or legs through the crib slats; subsequent movement may exert pressure on the 
joints or bones.

At about the age of one, our daughter broke her femur (the bone that runs 
between the knee and the hip).  To this day, we don't know what caused it, but 
getting her through the crib slats and twisting her leg is the only thing that 
we can think of.  

Clay

    Hi sue!
    
    Ah, seems like just yesterday when Katie was born and now its time for
    all this fun stuff, huh??
    We took ourbumper pads off our three kids cribs at varying ages.
    Although we'd always heard the old "take them off when they stand",
    that was never the impetus for us. I think all three of ours were off
    by the age of 1, but not because of standing on them. After all they
    can just as easily stand on a wadded up blanket, a stuffed bear, or
    whtever. We took them off, in all three cases, because they would start
    lifting them up (sliding them up the rails...often took great
    maneuvering of snaps and ties), pulling them toward themselves, and all
    3 managed to get their heads under the bumper pads bottom edge. While
    this didn't cause any of them any damage, it caused us some
    consternation about them possible somehow strangling. Our kids were all
    (still are for that matter :-) ) very restless sleepers, but we figured
    that the force with which they might bump there heads on the rails was
    not likely to cause any damage (unless they *really* thrashed, which
    they never did), and not much discomfort (and none of them ever woke up
    from it...or had any discernable bumps or bruises), but the danger from
    strangling was far too scary and real. so we removed them. Josh was
    probably the oldest when he figured it out....about 15 or 16 months,
    Carrie was youngest...about 10 months (but we really made an effort to
    secure hers for a bit cause she's so tiny we were afraid she'd still be
    able to slip her whole body through the rails...not her head, but hte
    rest of her body), and Daniel, who's still in the crib at 14 months,
    has been without his about 2 months.
    I know this is long...sorry...but I guess the sum-up is.........
    Take 'em out if they're a problem and leave 'em in if they're not!
    
    --dave--

RE:  <<< Note 115.4 by ASHBY::ORTH "$IF WEEKEND THEN SET KIDS/WAKEUP=LATE" >>>

    >>We took them off, in all three cases, because they would start
    >>lifting them up (sliding them up the rails...often took great
    >>maneuvering of snaps and ties), pulling them toward themselves, and all
    >>3 managed to get their heads under the bumper pads bottom edge. While
    >>this didn't cause any of them any damage, it caused us some
    >>consternation about them possible somehow strangling.
    
    Good grief, Michael's not even six months old yet, and he does that! 
    We figured he's mobile enough to get out from under the bumper pad when
    he wants to, so it wasn't a problem!  Can you elaborate on how you
    thought your kids might strangle themselves by putting their heads
    under the pads?  If there's danger here, I'd sure like to know about
    it!
    
     Steve
    

    ...if the baby can get any altitude by standing on 'em!
    
    Leslie

    I agree with .1.  I left the pads on till Adrienne went into her
    waterbed at age 18 months.  
    
    Denise

    re .5
    We have used two different kind of bumper pads. The first my wife made
    and were soft...actually too soft, they didn't stay up super well. Our
    first child, Josh, could get his head under, but seemed to have trouble
    getitng it back out...couldn't get it up over his chin, if on his back,
    of would lift his head up, if on his tummy, and then with it still up,
    try to pull back through. He never was successful and used to really
    get himself really upset...so we took them off to prevent any nasty
    consequences. With Carrie and Daniel, we had store bought pads that
    were thick foam rubber (1 � inches wide, about 6 inches high) covered
    in vinyl (although we liked the cloth for its softness against the
    skin, you can't beat the wipe-off washability convenience of the vinyl
    and it still protected their little heads extrememly well). they could
    each lift these, get heads under, and then never seem able to lift them
    again to get heads back out. Maybe the angle was bad, I don't know.
    These pads were heavier than our first ones, and the kids really
    screamed when they'd get under them, and then couldn't get back out.
    Maybe we were over-reacting about strangulation danger, but I don't
    think by much, and it was clear, one way or another, the babies were
    all uncomfortable when they'd get under and couldn't get back out. So
    we took them off, and never regretted it.
    
    re .6-
    As mentioned above, the foam rubber bumper pads were pretty stiff and
    they probably could have gained, oh, say, and extra 3-4inches, but when
    our mattress is all the way down, they still wouldn't have been
    anywhere near close to being able to flip over the rail, so that was
    not a worry, even with stiff bumper pads!
    
    --dave--

    Gee, it never occured to me to analyse bumper pads on medical grounds,
    and I've never heard a pediatrician recommend them.  Certainly crib
    safety standards do not assume pads, and the testimony here makes clear
    that safety cuts both ways.  I suspect they're approximately neutral,
    medically, but serve 4 main purposes: aesthetics (like frilly curtains);
    metaphysics (like bottle warming); expanded opportunities for
    commercial expenditure; expanded opportunities for grandparental gifts
    to baby.  Ours were handmade by grandma, very lovely: forest green with
    frogs.  They stayed in the crib until the ties started detaching, which
    was after about 1.37 kids.  Then we did happily without pads.
    
    		- Bruce

    Strangulation is not just a remote possibiliy.  It can and does happen. 
    
    The one case I distinctly remember reading about was a plea by a mother
    on the USENET.  She had recently lost her 7 month old daughter.  She
    had checked her daughter napping in her crib and HAD CHECKED THE TIES
    ON THE BUMPER PAD.  45 minutes later she checked again and one of the
    ties had come undone and was wrapped around the daughters neck.
    
    (btw:  I did use bumper pads even after reading that story.  But I was
    a lot more consistent about checking the ties, and I removed the pads
    when the baby(s) were old enough to roll away from the side of the crib
    on their own.)

    boy, I guess that makes me feel that we made the right decision in our
    kids case! 
    Something to consider...
    On the bumper pads my wife made, there were ties, like on most pads.
    But on the store-bought foam ones, there were short little pieces of
    elastic (about 1/4 wide) with snaps on them. These were way too short
    for a kid to strangle on (each one was only about 3 inches long) and
    the snaps held the pads on as tight as ties would have. If I were to
    use cloth ones again, that had ties, I might likely be inclined to
    replace the ties with snaps set into short pieces of elastic. The 
    elastic and the snaps can be had in any fabric store, or probably craft 
    type store, and the snaps are easily installed securely, if the directions 
    are followed...my wife's used them on other stuff for the kids. Just my
    opinion, but the effort might be worth it!
    
    --dave--

    Our store bought cloth bumper pads have ties and there is no
    way that they are long enough to strangle a baby.  How long
    are these ties anyway?  You'd think a manufacturer would not
    make a tie any longer than is needed to tie the two ties 
    together. 
    
    Donna
    

    A comment on the baby hurting herself on the bars after you remove
    the pads. We took our pads off after they were trampled, torn, yanked,
    etc., probably when Dan was about 18 mos old. He has always done a
    lot of thrashing while asleep, and likes to jam his head into the
    corner of the crib. He adjusted to the lack of pads just fine - he
    must have made a mental note to back off on the intensity of the
    crashing and banging. 
    
    He demonstrated this same ability to adjust recently when he moved
    from crib to youth bed (now at 2 yrs 7 months). We did not put any
    kind of bars or restraints on the bed; one of the long sides is
    completely open. He fell out the first night onto the pillows we
    had piled underneath and has never fallen out again (to my knowledge).
    
    Lucy
    

	I was reading the CONSUMER REPORT the other day and it talked about
	bumper pads.  It said bumper pads should be removed once the baby is
	capable of pulling himself/herself up.  It said this is to avoid
	strangulation.

	Still waiting for our first baby.  Can't say from experience.

	Kwong

    Since I don't know what the consumer report said, I can't rule out the
    bumper pads as a possible strangulation hazard.  I'd suggest they mean
    to remove them because some of them are firm enough that little people
    can use them to stand on, and possible end up toppling over the
    railings.  Unless they are plastic (my sister had blow up kind, like a
    pool flotation device) They shouldn't be a suffocation threat, as for
    strangulation, I'd say only if the ties can be undone and put into the
    little mouth. In that case tie the bows double.
    
    Lyn

    	My daughter can now pull herself upright in her crib but
    	I've hesitated taking out the bumper pads because when she
    	slips backward or loses her balance, I'd rather have her hit
    	the cloth of the bumper pad than the wood of the crib.
    
    	I also find it helpful in keeping the pacifer in the crib
    	instead of falling onto the floor.  It also helps (not
    	much, but...) when she slips forward and her hands or feet
    	make an attempt to come through the slits...
    
    	/Kim

    Hate to digress, but...
    
    Has anyone made a set of bumper pads for the crib?  I am due in April
    and was thinking of making a matching set of bumper pads and bedding. 
    Is this a good idea or should I stick with the store bought versions?
    
    All I seem to be able to find lately are the plastic ones.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Susan

    I made bumper pads.  They weren't too difficult.  I got a pattern for
    a bunch of bedding.  I made the bumpers, quilt, dust ruffle, and 
    diaper bag.  (I also made curtains and pillows for the bed that is in
    the room.)
    
    One thing that I did do was to double the amount of padding called
    by the pattern (for the bumpers).  When I put the called for amount in,
    it just didn't feel as thick as the ones in the designer patterns
    at the crib stores.
    
    The hardest part of the bumpers was putting a trim on them and making
    sure the ties were all on the same side.
    
    I bought bumpers for my sister at Child World, and they were cotton.
    They weren't as expensive as the designer stuff, but they also weren't
    plastic.  I prefer the cotton, because it is softer than plastic and
    many babies seem to sleep in the corner, right up against the bumpers.
    
    judy

    The trim and the ties is mostly what I'm concerned about.  I do a lot
    of quilting and I make a few clothes for my first daughter, but I'm
    not sure I can handle the bumpers.
    
    I'm still thinking of buying plain colored cotton ones and then just
    making a set of dust ruffles, a wall hanging and a crib quilt out of a
    matching patterned material.
    
    Thanks for the input!
    
    Susan
    

    I do a fair amount of sewing and making bumper pads for me was easy.  I
    have a pattern that has the quilt, diaper bag, bumper pads, wall
    hangings and other items.  I've used the quilt pattern quite a few
    times, for relatives and friends that are having babies.  I think it is
    much better to make the bumper pads (or anything else becuase it is much
    cheaper) then buying them in a store, things are getting so expensive,
    you can end up making most of these things for 1/2 the price of buying
    them in a store.  I am also due in April (with twins) my first, so this
    pattern is getting quite a lot of use lately.
    
    My two cents worth.
    
    
    Denise

    If you don't put a trim on the bumper pads, then you don't need to
    worry at all.  It's the trim that is a bit of a pain (generally when
    you are pinning them together...) and it is the trim that makes the
    ties fall to one side or the other.
    
    So, if you want to use the same fabric that you do for the rest of the
    room, go ahead and just skip the trim.
    
    My husband hates ruffles, so I used a covered cording for the trim.  I
    think a ruffle would be a lot easier, especially if you bought it ready
    to sew on and didn't make your own.  Give it a try, what have you got
    to lose?
    
    judy

    OK, OK, you guys talked me into it.  And along with all the supporting
    mail messages--I'm going to give it a try.  
    
    I'll be getting the pattern and materials over the weekend.
    
    :-)

    
    FWIW; my girlfriend bought the plastic bumper pads and then made covers
    for them with velcro closings so she could take them off and wash them.
    She then made matching bedspread, curtains, dust ruffle, pillow, and
    anything else she could think of!!!
    
    Trudy