Are cot bumpers still a no-no?

[weebigmamma]

I've just been given a nice cot bumper which I'd like to use but 10 years ago, when I had my last child, the advice was not to use them because of SIDS (I forget the reasoning). Anyone got an opinion on them now? Last child did thrash about a lot in her sleep and used to whack herself off the side of the cot quite often so I always thought I would have liked to have had one.

My health visitor told me visit this website when I asked about safe sleeping. It says bumpers aren't a SIDS risk but once they can roll they can cause other safety issues.

Thanks! That's helpful.

I've been wondering this too...

We were advised not to by midwife at antenatal classes due to sids (this was last month). They are still on the list of things to avoid on lots of sids info websites. Really up to you to weigh up the risks. I know potato people on mn use airwraps though this might not be helpful to you if you already have a bumper.

I don't know what or who potato people are

I think they are a suffocation/strangulation hazard rather than a SIDS hazard. Babies can get caught under them and struggle to breathe or the get the ties caught around their necks and stop breathing.

I was concerned about traditional cot bumpers having just moved my long-legged baby from Moses basket to cot bed.

After a bit of Googling, I found a product called Airwrap cot bumpers (there are about three different versions and I got mine from Kiddicare but other places do stock). They are slightly padded mesh and after testing it myself, its incredibly easy to breathe through. They fit by wrapping round the end bars and are secured with Velcro, so no dangly ties.

OK thanks everyone! :-)

tbh I think cot bumpers are a waste of money. well for my DD n e way. by the time she was in her cot at the foot end she was miles from the top. n by the time she could wriggle up there she was capable of moving if she banged her head

I can't help but at Woobeedoo testing the mesh bumper.

Cot bumpers look lovely but mine all slept in Moses baskets until 6 months or later and by the time they were in a cot it was time to remove the bumper.
They all thrashed around and banged against the cot but never enough to wake them.
DS3 once got his chunky thighs stuck through the bars but that and DH trapping his finger in the sliding side have been the only cot related injuries in 4 DC.

I've bought a breathable baby mesh bumper for the cot (side carred so will be used from birth hopefully ) because they had pretty patterns as opposed to the plain ones

I have always had one when my dcs started to roll to stop them getting arms/ legs stuck in between cot bars.

Oh yes, I had clean forgotten that our girl used to get her legs stuck all the time lol!

Ds has a habit of getting his arms stuck through the bars, trying to roll over but baby because his arm is stuck so we use one. We make sure the bumper goes in cot before mattress, so it's tucked down low and ties are secure.

We use the air wraps. Stops legs and arms getting stuck and dummy falling out but DS can still breathe when rolling on his side and he has his face up the side!