Question about cot bumpers

[Travellerintime]

Why is it recommended to remove cot bumpers once baby can sit up unaided?

I've never had cot bumpers before but we have discovered ds sleeps much better in his travel cot as he can press his head against the mesh. In order to encourage him back into his cot proper I was thinking of a cot bumper. Previously he kept bashing his head against the rails - not conducive to a good night's sleep.

I was advised by my Health Visitor (& from the Baby Whisperer book) never to use a cot bumper. Babies can get their heads stuck underneath them & it can lead to smothering.

I have one and wish I hadnt bothered. You cant use it when your lo can sit up. You cant see mine as the cot base is so high - I think they are just there to look pretty!

because the babies can pull on them, weakening the stitching on the ties. Plus when the lo starts to pull up they can potentially use them to get a leg up out of the cot.

our hv suggesting weaving a blanket in and out of bars- not quite sure how this is safer

Personally I think they are a waste of time anyway. They tell you to put baby at the bottom of the cot so you don't need a bumper then when they are old enough to shuffle about the cot you can't ahve them due to suffocation so what exactly is the point in it then?

only other option I've heard of is using a blanket draped over the side of the cot, anchoring underneath the mattress and safety pinning it underneath the base. That way, it can't move and be pulled down on top of the baby

I think they like bashing their heads against the rails!

Mine had a cot bumper tied in such a way they'd have to lift the mattress to get under it, but they were usually found asleep at the other end of the bed by morning, wedged into a corner, legs through the bars. The CB looked pretty and co-ordinated but was in fact a pretty useless bit of kit.

i found mine useful for keeping draughts out (DD was a December baby and we live in a victorian house with victorian draughts) and actually for preventing arms and legs getting stuck in the cot bars

had it on there until we moved the base of the cot down, and actually really miss it

Both my dss have had cot bumpers in til they moved into their toddler beds. We bought the deep ones that tuck down under the mattress and check the stitching regularly. Neither have ever used them to try and stand up mainly because as you tie them on the uprights as soon as there's any weight on them they slip down to mattress level. All seems a bit of a myth this using them to stand up etc. DS1 and now ds2 snuggle up to them for comfort. ds1 was a head basher so his muper was essential. We've found they've helped hugely to make their cots safe, comfy places for them to be and both are great sleepers and love their bed.

muper?

ds1 had one purely to stop his dummies falling out of the cot

Pheebe, where did you get the deep ones from?

Same as Pheebe here... My DS's have both had cot bumpers and I've found them really useful. Particularly DS2 as he likes sleeping curled into the top corner of the cot, he always worms there no matter where he is put in . And the bumper stops him bashing his head, stops his arms poking out and stops his dummy falling out too . I get mine from ikea as they go all the way round and you can tuck them down the side of the mattress. As has been said, if DS tried to stand on it it would just slide down - so not sure how that would help him climb out .

We got ours from mothercare but Ikea do them too I think.

DS1 still has a cot bumper on his cot bed and he's 2.8 , we also have a deep one and he's in a grobag so has never tried to climb out of the cot! DS2 8 months also uses on as like the others he snuggles into the corner of the cot to go to sleep.

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