To wonder if it is safe to use cot bumper for baby's cot

[moijejoue]

My DC is 8 months old and today she banged her head quite hard against her cot rail. She was sitting up in her cot and fell backwards trying to reach something.

I don't have a cot bumper as I was told they aren't safe and NHS guidelines say they aren't safe (suffocation and strangulation hazard). I've seen some online advertised as safe and made with breathable fabric and they're fastened on with Velcro rather than ribbon.

AIBU to use a safe version of the cot bumper?
YABU to use the safe version
YANBU to use the safe version

And also, does anyone actually use one themselves for their own DC?

Many thanks!

There are a number of risks right there that the apparent holy grail of 'self-soothing' just wouldn't be worth it for, to me. Neither would I recommend that other people do this.

Your baby is going to get a lot of bumps to the head. They all do. Unless they are falling off something they are very unlikely to seriously injure themselves from falling from a sitting or standing position. I really wouldn’t risk it with bumpers.

Never ever. It's not worth the risk whatsoever. I have read so many stories about babies who have died due to suffocation from cot bumpers, they shouldn't be allowed to be sold at all.

My infant slept in a travel cot until he was about 18 months old for this very reason until.

Have you ever heard of a baby dying from hitting their head on a cot? No.

Too many babies have died from strangulation and suffocation due to bumpers which is why they are not recommended at all.

@ShoesoftheWorld thanks for flagging, I definitely wasn’t recommending people follow what I do, merely highlighting that @moijejoue is the only person who can make the decision to go against them or not. She needs to weigh up the risks.

Shnuggle do a cot with mesh fabric on the sides; I am considering getting one for DD (4 months) for when she outgrows her next to me crib.

Babies bump their heads on wooden objects all the time at that age. They're fine.

I wouldn't.
My lo climbed up on hers, put her foot on it & catapulted herself out of the cot onto her head on the floor. She was a bit older than yours. A&E trip to check for concussion as her eyes had been rolling, was bloody scary!

We used a travel cot with a proper mattress fitted rather than a wooden one (because it was so much cheaper) and it had the advantage of having soft mesh sides.

We will definitely not be using any cot bumpers. Thanks everyone for your replies!

I wish we had thought of that!!

Please don't do it! I can fully appreciate your concern, I've an 18month old who STILL headbutts his cot repeatedly. He's still in my room (until he's sleeping properly...) and every night, throughout the night as he tosses and turns, I hear bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.
It's him, pushing himself all the way up to the top of his cot and headbutting, or the laying sideways across his cot, bang bang, bang.
He wakes up, often falls and hits his head on the cot.
Only once do I think it's so much as left a mark that's stayed longer than a few minutes. No damage despite me being certain he would really hurt himself and always be covered in bruises from his cot injuries.
I discussed these breathable cot bumpers with the health visitor, who is lovely, and down to earth! She said, as a health visitor we have to advise against them, and as a mother, mother to mother I'm telling you, don't do it.
She said the odd minor injury will happen as they begin to move around more independently, and is expected, but the response really shouldn't be to risk death to avoid a bruise..

Please don't do it OP.

No. It isn't safe.

Avoid and anyway, it wouldnt protect her head anyway

I was about to mention Preston, as well.
NEVER use a cot bumper.

Cot bumpers are not safe. But OP, the head bonking is only just beginning! Might be a wiser invested to invest in a helmet…

What was she trying to reach? Can you move things away that she might be trying to get to?

I agree with no cot bumper but please don't be put off leaving a wide-awake baby in its cot for a while. I don't understand the comments saying she should be picked up as soon as she wakes - as long as the base is lowered so she can't get out, leave her be until she let's you know she's had enough!

Completely agree. My kids liked being in their cots awake. Leave them be. In fact of I have a parenting philiosophy, its leave them be!

The base of the cot is lowered and I put her in there when awake if I'm vacuuming the floor in that room or if I need to go to the loo quickly (bathroom is just opposite her bedroom door)

Strap her in a cradleboard 😂 She won't bump her head. Or move much at all.